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Gemonimo
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I'll be 65 in February and have just claimed my UK pension -I didn't claim at 60 as I was still working in France. It's not brilliant, but I didn't work there for too long and I've been in France for well over twenty years.  However, today I received a cheque from HM Revenue and Customs for the princely sum of £1098 which represents a repayment of income tax for the year 2008/2008. Have they made a mistake and should I send it back?[Www] 
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You couldn't claim your UK pension at 60? well state pension at least.

Re the cheque, I'd write to them and say that I thought that they had made a mistake and wait. If they want it back they'll ask, won't they?

I'm still waiting for the french tax authorities to reclaim some money they reimbursed us with, it lies in the bank awaiting it's recall. After 5 years I'll spend it.

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Apparently a few years ago they made an adjustment because some people had been overpaid and some underpaid, they adjusted it and people received either a debit/credit we were one of the lucky ones and got a credit of about £700, other were told they had to repay up to £1000, but they were allowed to do that in installments. Maybe it is along those lines?

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[quote user="Jo"]Apparently a few years ago they made an adjustment because some people had been overpaid and some underpaid, [/quote]

Overpaid what? I haven't worked in the UK since 1990. I can only think that because I put myself back in the system for my pension this predates 1990 although how, I haven't a clue. Or does it have anything to do with the fact that I didn't claim a pension when I was entitled to it in 2007, the year to which this rebate applies. They say in the letter part of the cheque that their calculation of this amount will be sent to me separately but as yet I haven't received a thing.

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My knowledge is scant but my understanding is that(assuming you are female) as you are soon 65 you will have been entitled to a UK pension when you were 60,  as a proportion of the 40 years that were then required to get a full pension, however if you didn't claim it, surely you should have actively deferred it ?
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[quote user="Gemonimo"]I'll be 65 in February and have just claimed my UK pension -I didn't claim at 60 as I was still working in France. It's not brilliant, but I didn't work there for too long and I've been in France for well over twenty years.  However, today I received a cheque from HM Revenue and Customs for the princely sum of £1098 which represents a repayment of income tax for the year 2008/2008. Have they made a mistake and should I send it back?[Www] [/quote]

Geronimo, I'm sorry I don't know whether you are male or female. IF you are a lady, and didn't claim your pension at 60 that you were entitled to, then they do send out a lump sum and the pension is increased. If a gentleman, then I don't understand it and it sounds like it is wrong..... and could well be.

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Russethouse, no I didn't actively defer my pension. A long story but a totally incompetent French pension conseilleur told me that as I would be entitled to a (small) french pension at 65, that they (the French) would go after the British one when I arrived at that age.

[quote user="idun"]

[quote user="Gemonimo"]I'll be 65 in February and have just claimed my UK pension -I didn't claim at 60 as I was still working in France. It's not brilliant, but I didn't work there for too long and I've been in France for well over twenty years.  However, today I received a cheque from HM Revenue and Customs for the princely sum of £1098 which represents a repayment of income tax for the year 2008/2008. Have they made a mistake and should I send it back?[Www] [/quote]

Geronimo, I'm sorry I don't know whether you are male or female. IF you are a lady, and didn't claim your pension at 60 that you were entitled to, then they do send out a lump sum and the pension is increased. If a gentleman, then I don't understand it and it sounds like it is wrong..... and could well be.

[/quote]

Idun, I am female but whether or not I'm a lady is something else entirely[Www] And the pension is increased by.........29p/week[:-))]

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I do not think the conseilleur was incompetent.  I have a similar situation coming and have received parallel advice to yours.

 

Basically the country where you were last employed, or where you reside at the time of reaching pensionable age, is responsible for claiming on your behalf all pensions earned from other EU states.

 

In my case, I work in Germany, which has already increased the pension age from 65 to 67 and I am on the sliding scale bit and will receive my German pension at 65 and 6 months.  I have been told that (as explained above) the German authoritoies will claim my UK pension on my behalf.  However (and here is the rub), although I could claim my UK pension at 65 if I were working in the UK, at 65 I will not be of pensionable age in Germany and they will not make a claim on my behalf until I do reach pensionable age - ie 65 and 6 months.

 

Idun's explanation of the cheque would make sense since you have not (could not) claim your UK pension at the time the UK would have planned and expected it.

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My best guess is that it is to do with the fact that being female and that at 60 you were eligible for your state pension in the UK (only ladies born after April 1950 had to go through the extending slowly period to reach 65 before claiming) you will receive a lump sum for the years you have deferred taking it, (whether or not you applied to defer, you didn't claim, so thus - deferred it)  and a slightly increased pension payment is due also  because of not claiming it "on time".  That is from my memory of what changed a few years ago.  My memory is imperfect and I didn't bother with the greater detail, since I always was determined to take my state pension when it was my right, at 60, so the details didn't apply to me.  Hope that  helps.

EDIT:  it was done to encourage people to work longer and not claim the pension when due.  There were lots of examples given of how long you had to defer it and how long you had to live after claiming to make it worth while etc...  as I said - I didn't bother - felt I'd worked quite long enough already!

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[quote user="andyh4"]

I do not think the conseilleur was incompetent.  I have a similar situation coming and have received parallel advice to yours.

 

Basically the country where you were last employed, or where you reside at the time of reaching pensionable age, is responsible for claiming on your behalf all pensions earned from other EU states.[/quote]

Oops! Shame on me for having such vile thoughts[6] The French have, however, contacted the American authorities as I will have a pension from them as well but not until next year.  Perhaps they'll send me a cheque too[Www]

So, Judith, I can spend it then!!!

 

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[quote user="andyh4"]

I do not think the conseilleur was incompetent.  I have a similar situation coming and have received parallel advice to yours.

 

Basically the country where you were last employed, or where you reside at the time of reaching pensionable age, is responsible for claiming on your behalf all pensions earned from other EU states.

 

In my case, I work in Germany, which has already increased the pension age from 65 to 67 and I am on the sliding scale bit and will receive my German pension at 65 and 6 months.  I have been told that (as explained above) the German authoritoies will claim my UK pension on my behalf.  However (and here is the rub), although I could claim my UK pension at 65 if I were working in the UK, at 65 I will not be of pensionable age in Germany and they will not make a claim on my behalf until I do reach pensionable age - ie 65 and 6 months.

 

[/quote]

I know that that is the theory, but it didn't work like that in practice for me.

I have 3 tiny pensions from working in France, but am also entitled to an OAP. Getting it was the subject of a thread earlier this year in which I received substantial practical help from tinabee and idun.

I was able to take my French pension a little early, and that was arranged independently of  my OAP. The French authorities showed no signs of claiming my OAP as I approached 65 so 3 months before I completed the form to claim my UK pension online, and despite the website being a little wonky all went through and I am now in my second month of receiving it.

The two systems which are supposed to harmonise in fact work independently.

I would claim the OAP online from the UK for when you get to 65, and deal with the German one 6 months later

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