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Is anyone else having Incapacity Benefit paid in France?


Charallais
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We haven't received our Incapacity Benefit for November.

When we contacted DWP International section we were told that they had changed banks from The Bank of Scotland to CityBank Ireland and 'there had been problems with France especially with Credit Agricole' who of course happen to be our bank!

We had the October payment via Citybank Ireland, no problems and I would have thought if there was going to be a problem it would be with the first one.

We were told my payment was sent and returned then reissued and my husband's should be there in 'a couple of days.' Nothing has happened. We still have direct debits to pay, have charges mounting up and cannot use the bank account due to lack of funds. The bank manager has been brilliant, checked and found nothing has even tried to get to our account and is rechecking now we have a reference number to the payment. I will 'probably get two payments the begining of December.' No help at the moment.

They say it is a problem with Credit Agricole so is anyone else having the same problem? If so we would love to hear from you.

 

Coral

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  • 2 weeks later...
Really interesting to read this new thread, since I had previously read somewhere that Incapacity Benefit was simply not paid if you moved, because there was no machinery to do medical checks for verification outside of the UK. My wife has been on this benefit for about ten years, and the thought of losing it overnight has been a serious negative against making That Move. Clarification would be welcome, whether in the forum or by PM. Thanks. Chris P
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Hi will try and clarify for you as I know the situation.

I was in receipt of Long Term Incapacity Benefit for 4 years before we came to France and applied to Newcastle Pensions section, completed a form, and now have it paid here and have done for the last 4 years into my French bank account.

I have had various forms to complete since being here which checked my progress and my doctor has had to complete them too, the forms come in French and English.

I also was informed last December 2005 that I would have to have a medical here in France and the appointment eventually occurred in July this year! I took all my medical notes with me, x rays etc and the doctor spoke some English. The interview took 40 minutes and at the end she said that it was obvious I could not work and she would tell England, which is what she has done and I then received a letter from the UK to say I was signed off again until the year 2011 where I may have to have another medical but probably not as my condition will only get worse not better.

Along with this I also have an E121 which entitles me to enter the French health system and that also covers my husband and we have a top up policy too.

The Incapacity Benefit is declared on our French Tax Return every year.

Hope this helps but you could also try the following links

www.dwp.gov.uk/international/sa29/medical_06.asp  for information on entitlements to healthcare etc when moving abroad

www.dwp.gov.uk/international/sa29/introduction.asp#pensionservice Contact numbers for transferring health cover and benefits abroad

www.expathealthdirect.co.uk

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Just to add a couple of points to Dordognecarol's excellent comprehensive reply.

The requirement to take a periodic medical depends upon what your disability is.

Up until I think it was 1995 if you were out of the UK and staying in the EU you were sent the English/French form to be signed by, in our case a French doctor, to confirm your ongoing disability and this was then returned to Newcastle.

The rules were changed in 1995(?) and certain classes of long term degenerative disabilities were reclassified as no longer requiring ongoing medical certificates. As an example Mrs Benjamin last submitted a medical certificate in 1994 and her long term incapacity benefit only ceased when she became 60 years old in 2005.

It may be worth, now that you have a bit more information to go on, to contact Newcastle and ask a few pertinent questions.

Your disability may entitle you to a carte d'invalidité in France together with the benefits(?) that that may also bring. There are plenty of threads on this topic which a search should throw up but if not then just post your questions.

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