My UK state pension entitlement is early next year so I made a phone call to DWP .I was told to 'claim this benefit' ,the process has to start 16 weeks or approximately 4 months before the date I can receive .So first of all it's referred to as a "benefit " , which is interesting because some 2 years I was advised about adding contributions (money) to have the pension. Interesting that to claim this benefit

we have to contribute to it,unlike other government benefits. The madness of the UK knows no bounds. Anyone been through this process from outside of the UK?

Edited yesterday at 12:37 PM1 day by asterboy66

Yeah,

Step one, never admit to being outside the UK.

If possible have a UK address with the DWP (government gateway) so they can't send you an invite letter with a code to apply online. Invite not available to those living outside the UK.

Edited yesterday at 12:38 PM1 day by BritManToo

But must tell them not living in UK because once left cannot have the increases , and it's illegal to say you live in UK when aren't

1 minute ago, asterboy66 said:

But must tell them not living in UK because once left cannot have the increases , and it's illegal to say you live in UK when aren't

They don't check!

And if they did, they'd find me in the Philippines where you do get increases.

Edited yesterday at 12:42 PM1 day by BritManToo

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Yeah,

Step one, never admit to being outside the UK.

If possible have a UK address with the DWP so they can't send you an invite letter with a code to apply online. Invite not available to those living outside the UK.

Have an address in UK so they 'cant 'send you a letter'? Uh

Just now, BritManToo said:

They don't check!

Well I have been told different and it's a big issue .they will claim it back .I'm.not hiding any information.

1 minute ago, asterboy66 said:

But must tell them not living in UK because once left cannot have the increases , and it's illegal to say you live in UK when aren't

It may be "illegal" but many people do it. If you can get away with it why not?

1 minute ago, asterboy66 said:

Have an address in UK so they 'cant 'send you a letter'? Uh

I've got problematic predictive typing, it's often wrong but I can't seem to stop it.

1 minute ago, Upnotover said:

It may be "illegal" but many people do it. If you can get away with it why not?

Wow.. there are those who spend 6 months a year in UK and can claim increases. DWP can claw back any money wrongly paid easily so not worth the risk

1 minute ago, asterboy66 said:

Wow.. there are those who spend 6 months a year in UK and can claim increases. DWP can claw back any money wrongly paid easily so not worth the risk

Yes they can claw back overpayments, but that's all they do. So you'd never end up worse off than if you were honest in the first place.

2 minutes ago, asterboy66 said:

Wow.. there are those who spend 6 months a year in UK and can claim increases. DWP can claw back any money wrongly paid easily so not worth the risk

A bigger problem is

1 overseas normally drags their heels on new claimants, and your first payment will be sent 3-6 months late.

2 random breaks in pension payments when they send a proof of life certificate you never get, or arrives late.

But it's your pension and up to you how many hoops you're happy to jump. I wish you the best of luck with your claim.

Edited yesterday at 12:51 PM1 day by BritManToo

9 minutes ago, asterboy66 said:

Wow.. there are those who spend 6 months a year in UK and can claim increases. DWP can claw back any money wrongly paid easily so not worth the risk

They normally just revert you back to your last eligible date for the amount due without clawback!

1 minute ago, scottiejohn said:

They normally just revert you back to your last eligible date for the amount due without clawback!

Off topic,

I've often wondered how they could find such a date. A guess by them or an admission by you?

I'd advise you guys not to give jerrym any reason to come sniffing around this thread.

57 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Off topic,

I've often wondered how they could find such a date. A guess by them or an admission by you?

Please explain that post, if you can!

13 hours ago, BritManToo said:

A bigger problem is

1 overseas normally drags their heels on new claimants, and your first payment will be sent 3-6 months late.

2 random breaks in pension payments when they send a proof of life certificate you never get, or arrives late.

But it's your pension and up to you how many hoops you're happy to jump. I wish you the best of luck with your claim.

Yeah, they only started coughing up when I phoned them, first payment arrived within a week of my speaking to a very nice lady!

The proof of life thing is silly really.

My private pension provider uses an App "MyPensionID" they send an email with a reference number. I log on to the App, scan my PP, pull some faces, and it goes "ping". All done in 5 minutes or so.

22 hours ago, asterboy66 said:

My UK state pension entitlement is early next year so I made a phone call to DWP .I was told to 'claim this benefit' ,the process has to start 16 weeks or approximately 4 months before the date I can receive .So first of all it's referred to as a "benefit " , which is interesting because some 2 years I was advised about adding contributions (money) to have the pension. Interesting that to claim this benefit

we have to contribute to it,unlike other government benefits. The madness of the UK knows no bounds. Anyone been through this process from outside of the UK?

Your first 2 sentences are correct.

My pension was due in June last year. I received my first payment the following October; it included the correct backdated amount.

My payment is due every 4 weeks on a Friday. It takes a couple of days to be received in my thai bank.

Never been any problems receiving the 4-weekly payment on time.

Post if you have any other questions.

PS. I don't suggest following BritManToo suggestion in his opening post.

22 hours ago, asterboy66 said:

But must tell them not living in UK because once left cannot have the increases , and it's illegal to say you live in UK when aren't

Love it.

22 hours ago, asterboy66 said:

Well I have been told different and it's a big issue .they will claim it back .I'm.not hiding any information.

Only one couple, to my knowledge, have ever been caught and prosecuted......they lodged a load of dodgy paperwork claiming to live in Spain, but were living in South Africa.

Pretty sure the government/HMRC 'know' there's 1000s living abroad and claiming the triple lock increases (and winter fuel, which pays for my summertime aircon).

1 hour ago, Bredbury Blue said:

Your first 2 sentences are correct.

My pension was due in June last year. I received my first payment the following October; it included the correct backdated amount.

My payment is due every 4 weeks on a Friday. It takes a couple of days to be received in my thai bank.

Never been any problems receiving the 4-weekly payment on time.

Post if you have any other questions.

PS. I don't suggest following BritManToo suggestion in his opening post.

So you started the process in February (16 weeks before June ). And it took 8 months before you got first payment ? Surely you were asking questions why the delay ? Please tell me what Information does DWP require when you opened the claim? I was told to contact 'claims' section after going through numerous number options on the phone

14 minutes ago, asterboy66 said:

So you started the process in February (16 weeks before June ). And it took 8 months before you got first payment ? Surely you were asking questions why the delay ? Please tell me what Information does DWP require when you opened the claim? I was told to contact 'claims' section after going through numerous number options on the phone

I actually submitted my Pension Claim Form IPC BR1 GOV NSP by post to Wolverhampton (international pension centre, the pension service 11, Wolverhampton)on 4 April for my June birthday.

On 20 June i called DWP to check what was happening as my birthday was days away and I'd heard nothing. I was informed there was an 16 weeks delay from receipt of my claim form (in April).

Late September I received a snailmail letter from August informing me of how much I would receive per week.

I received first payment 7 October. 2nd payment 4 weeks later.

I emailed DWP at various times during April to September to find latest status.

Ok so you gave an address in Thailand for them to post or did they email you the forms to complete ?