Life Certificate for UK State Pension

[Tazmo]

I would just like to update on this topic which was covered before.

 I was in the same situation as a few others. Not having received a Life Cert by post, so surprised when I didn’t receive my pension as usual.

My email was answered and a LC sent which I completed and returned by registered post with a tracking code.

 I found out it was delivered but still no pension 3 months later.

So as I am in the UK I rang and all was acknowledged and the suspension lifted and was told I would receive it the next day. Followed up by an email, confirming the lift of the suspension but stating it could tayup to 5 days! But I am satisfied.

 

 I also confirmed that my pension rate will be adjusted to the local rate whilst I am in the UK, providing I write with supporting documents ( air tickets), which I have done.

 

One question I have is about Widows pension.

Would my Thai Partner/ wife be entitled to this or does it not apply nor exist?

 I could only find “War Widow’s Pension “ on their website!!

[Raindancer]

PM sent.

[Funkymover]

16 hours ago, Raindancer said:

PM sent.

 

[Funkymover]

Just now, Funkymover said:

yea , dont put the advice on here, for anyone else that might want to know,, keep it a secret in a PM 

 

[jimn]

16 hours ago, Tazmo said:

One question I have is about Widows pension.

Would my Thai Partner/ wife be entitled to this or does it not apply nor exist?

 I could only find “War Widow’s Pension “ on their website!!

Quite simply it doesnt exist. It was phased out years ago. A private pension yes, state pension no.

[Raindancer]

19 minutes ago, Funkymover said:

 

Nothing to do with keeping it a secret.  I just don't want to get involved in controversial discussions.  I have purely sent the PM because it is personal to my experience and is not for public dissemination.

 

I have had sarcastic comments like yours before.  That's why I don't normally engage with people like you.

 

If you are really interested in the answer, you could have always asked me to PM you as well instead of your sardonic post.

 

If you have nothing nice to say then, say nothing.

 

 

[glegolo18]

k

[glegolo18]

1 hour ago, Raindancer said:

Nothing to do with keeping it a secret.  I just don't want to get involved in controversial discussions.  I have purely sent the PM because it is personal to my experience and is not for public dissemination.

 

I have had sarcastic comments like yours before.  That's why I don't normally engage with people like you.

 

If you are really interested in the answer, you could have always asked me to PM you as well instead of your sardonic post.

 

If you have nothing nice to say then, say nothing.

 

 

Maybe with that opinion about a open forum, it is the very wrong place for you, If you are so afraid about peoples reactions than do not write anything at all. It is still kind of pissing people off when sending general info via PM......

[Raindancer]

14 minutes ago, glegolo18 said:

Maybe with that opinion about a open forum, it is the very wrong place for you, If you are so afraid about peoples reactions than do not write anything at all. It is still kind of pissing people off when sending general info via PM......

Nothing to do with being afraid of people's opinions.

 

But some people just like to stir the pot.  My info to the OP was personal  and not GENERAL info.  Why do I have to disclose personal info on a public forum?

[brianthainess]

Does anyone have the downloaded ''life cert'' form to share please. 

[PaoloR]

I received a life certificate form by snail mail - it took 4 weeks.

Filled it in and returned it by EMS

No pension paid and a further letter saying they had not received my certificate. (3 weeks this time)

I responded with proof of delivery, but they are insisting on a new certificate (sent yesterday) and will not pay until they receive the new one.

They also said they had a backlog and it would take time (unspecified) to re-instate my pension.

Altogether a complete sh**-show!

[Tazmo]

PaoloR you need to repeat as before and send with a tracking post.

Then it seems like they genuinely believe you’re alive when you phone and speak to them. They will ask you to hold for a minute while they check if your Certs have been received. Once you told them that you have tracked it. They will confirm same and then They will ask a few questions for identification purposes. Then politely inform you that your pension suspension has been lifted as of “today “ and you will receive your backdated and future pension as before. This will be confirmed by an email the same day.

[Tazmo]

Correct reply that Widows Pension has been phased out.

It is now known as “ Bereavement Pension “ with a different set of criteria. I am yet to read it all.

[PPGuy]

I had similar issue a couple of months back with a stopped pension payment due to non receipt of a Life Cert. I went through the process of phone call/emailed form/signed form sent back to DWP / reinstatement of pension payments. Took about 4 weeks.

 

Then I saw a number of comments from pensioners who, with similar situation to me, actually had their payments re-instated based on the initial call to DWP.

 

I raised a complaint with DWP, as that was not my experience, and received the below noted response, which clearly states that a re-instatement of the payment on initial contact should be the case. It would be no surprise if this is still not happening but all should be aware that this should be the case. Those not being given this 'courtesy' should request it during any contact they have with DWP on the pension non payment issue.

Their final comment was a response to my comment on why they have such an antiquated system for dealing with Life Certs and can we expect any changes.........

 

Good morning 

Thank you for your email. 

I am sorry that your payment was not re-instated when you initially contacted the department, and thank you for bring to our attention the issues you have had. 

Due to postal issues oversea, we will usually extend the time a customer has to return the Life Certificate if they make contact and advise they have not received it. 

I have requested all agents are again made aware to extend this curtesy to our overseas customers so that they are not penalised due to postal issues. 

As a department we are looking at secure on line alternatives for our customers, but at this time it is still department policy to issue correspondence via post.

 

 

 

[prakhonchai nick]

There are no longer any bereavment benefits here in Thailand for Thai wives partners or young children They ceased in 2016.

[Tazmo]

I have checked your records and I can confirm that the Life Certificate has been received, and it was processed by our offices on 18 July 2023. Pension payments were reinstated and issued at this time and no further action is required. Please note, payments can take up to 5 working days to clear into your account.

 

( this was after my phone call on the 18 July……last payment was in March!)

[blackshadow]

7 hours ago, jimn said:

Quite simply it doesnt exist. It was phased out years ago. A private pension yes, state pension no.

think it was 2013 when it was phased out

[VBF]

5 hours ago, Raindancer said:

Nothing to do with being afraid of people's opinions.

 

But some people just like to stir the pot.  My info to the OP was personal  and not GENERAL info.  Why do I have to disclose personal info on a public forum?

It's entirely your option whether to post publicly or send a PM, especially where the information may be sensitive, but perhaps an obfuscated version of what you sent might be helpful? Just a suggestion..... 

[chilly07]

Like you I have had to  use the DWP web site  to obtain the life certificate by email  and SMSd the form back.  Raised it via 'my' MP and got a reply that DWP had written  twice. I haven't moved for 10yrs and havnt received  anything from DWP despite receiving letters  before.  HMRC had no trouble writing  to me.  I suspect  DWP are adopting an approach of cutting  of mine and others meagre frozen pension to force a reaction rather than actually  writing. Too many examples of this and not many if any contrary experiences 

[Joedoebarinio]

I retired seven years ago. I was told during a conversation with the pension people that my wife (who is Thai) is entitled to half pension if I die first.

[Raindancer]

18 minutes ago, Joedoebarinio said:

I retired seven years ago. I was told during a conversation with the pension people that my wife (who is Thai) is entitled to half pension if I die first.

Which pension provider?  UK state pension or private pension?

 

 

[ChrisKC]

With my last Life Certificate from UK the covering letter stated that 16 weeks from date of that letter, until receiving the returned Life Certificate duly completed was allowed for the whole thing to be considered a done thing.

 

I am surprised for such an important matter that no urgency is placed on postage from UK to Thailand and thus I have experienced seven weeks to receive here but I always return it with Registered post that automatically involves tracking.

 

The Office dealing with these matters are prepared to exchange emails so why don't they send an alert message by email that a life certificate is in the post?

[transam]

3 hours ago, Joedoebarinio said:

I retired seven years ago. I was told during a conversation with the pension people that my wife (who is Thai) is entitled to half pension if I die first.

Not the UK state pension, for private pensions you have to read the small print regarding widows pension and longevity of payment................????

[Raindancer]

4 minutes ago, transam said:

Not the UK state pension, for private pensions you have to read the small print regarding widows pension and longevity of payment................????

Absolutely.  And it depends when you took your private pension out whether you made it payable to you only.  In which case the widow will receive nothing.

 

If you included your wife upon your death,  then obviously the pension payable to you whilst you are alive, will be smaller, because they will have to use actuarial algorithm to work out longevity of you whilst alive and your wifes predicted longevity after your death.

 

There have been cases whereby the pension  holder chose to include his wife.  But then she passed away and the pension recipient remarried.  He then passed away and his new wife was refused pension rights, because she was not his wife at inception of the pension policy.

 

I am not advocating that this is fair or just,  only passing info on some  cases that were brought before the ombudsman. 

[jonwilly]

I received a Proof of Life cert in January and filled in the form got my Dr to sign and witness it, then returned it.

I did not receive my UK state pension for, April, May and June. Then last week of July I received my pensions in one lump sum.

john

[transam]

5 hours ago, jonwilly said:

I received a Proof of Life cert in January and filled in the form got my Dr to sign and witness it, then returned it.

I did not receive my UK state pension for, April, May and June. Then last week of July I received my pensions in one lump sum.

john

Have you indicated to pensions 28 day or 3 monthly payments, if 28 day, then a phone call is required, just in case of a hiccup...  

[Gandtee]

Today I received by mail from The UK Pension Service, dated 2nd May, a letter containing Proof of Life forms. Informing me that my pension had been stopped on the 2nd May?, due to Proof Life forms not being received by them. I've already sorted this out and my pension was resumed this month. My point is that this letter took more than three months to reach me. Another letter from an insurance company was dated 23rd April. What has happened to the postal service? Is it the fault of the UK or Thai postal system? If the postal service is now untrustworthy is it not time for the UK pension service, to come up with a better way to obtain this information? Or send their requests six months in advance before any pension stoppage?  My gripe for the day????

[Thailand]

When proof of life letters are sent to those persons who  live in Thailand but have not informed the UK so that they an get full pension how to deal with that? 

Are proof of life letters even sent to those in the UK?

[hotandsticky]

16 minutes ago, Thailand said:

When proof of life letters are sent to those persons who  live in Thailand but have not informed the UK so that they an get full pension how to deal with that? 

Are proof of life letters even sent to those in the UK?

No. Life certificates are not sent to UK addresses.

[hotandsticky]

On 7/21/2023 at 4:33 PM, Raindancer said:

Absolutely.  And it depends when you took your private pension out whether you made it payable to you only.  In which case the widow will receive nothing.

 

If you included your wife upon your death,  then obviously the pension payable to you whilst you are alive, will be smaller, because they will have to use actuarial algorithm to work out longevity of you whilst alive and your wifes predicted longevity after your death.

 

There have been cases whereby the pension  holder chose to include his wife.  But then she passed away and the pension recipient remarried.  He then passed away and his new wife was refused pension rights, because she was not his wife at inception of the pension policy.

 

I am not advocating that this is fair or just,  only passing info on some  cases that were brought before the ombudsman. 

No need to complicate things  -  actuarial calculations do not come into it.

 

Specific pension scheme rules will will apply and they will usually quote a widow's pension of 50%. They will also usually state a deduction based on age difference. In my case it is 50% with reduction of one percentage point for each year over 10 in the age difference. We have a 20 year age gap so my partner will suffer a reduction to 45%.

 

In most cases it matters not if you are married or not, same sex relationship or not. Most pension schemes will accept a nomination for your other half - if you change your other half, change your nomination.