How difficult is it to get your benefits transferred?

[Newcomer]

Hi,  I have come to live in France  and have now decided to stay as the way of life is much less stressful that the U.K.  I am in my 40s.    I now have a French address.   I still have my Bank account in the U. K .  I hope to open a Bank Account here shortly.

Do I need to return to the U.K to have this sorted out or can I do it from France.???

Any advice would be helpful as I am beginning to get stressed about this issue.

[Daisy May]

If I was leaving the UK to live in France, was unable to work and totally reliant upon a benefit, payable in the UK, being transferred to France, I think I'd have found out the answer before I left. Good luck anyway.

[Newcomer]

   But reading some of the posts on this website I am learning that it is not as straightforward as I was lead to believe.   I was not told about any form filling before I left.  Thank you for your comment.

[Bluebells]

I should also whilst enquiring of the benefit office in the UK, ask about how you will be affected with the new Welfare Reform Act 2007 and all that inplies for those on Incapacity Benefit on the change over to Employment and Support Allowance.   As one of the critiria for receiving it is that the claimant is in Great Britain and attending Work Focused Interviews.   I dont wish to be alarmist but a little detective work at this time might save a heap of trouble later or indeed you may find it will not apply anyway.   Good luck on your new adventure in France.

[Benjamin]

[quote user="Newcomer"]Hi,  I rang  the  benefits about 3 months ago and was told  to let them know if I was changing address and moving to France.  They said the benefit would be transferred.   But reading some of the posts on this website I am learning that it is not as straightforward as I was lead to believe.   I was not told about any form filling before I left.  Thank you for your comment.[/quote]

So why don't you just try doing what they told you to do as without your full life story and your inside leg measurement no one on this forum can give you a better answer than the UK office which deals with your Incapacity Benefit payments.

[Newcomer]

Thanks Bluebells for your positive reply.  

[Newcomer]

Update,  I have spend most of today on the telephone being pushed from pillar to post.  Each dept. tell me another phone number,  when I ring I have to give full history and then told to ring another dept.  At the moment I feel like leaving well alone,  or else just packing my bags and heading back to U.K .

Has anyone moved to France in the last 3/6 months that have been in a similiar situation.  Any advise would help!!!! 

[cooperlola]

I am assuming that you have followed all the appropriate links and advice here?

http://dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/discare/families_visiting.asp

I don't know which benefits you receive, but a little searching around the above site, led me to this page re. Incapacity benefit

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/international/sa29/benefits_05.asp

[Cat]

I suggest that you try ringing the benefits office again, and ask to speak to a supervisor as you have a complaint.  Repeat what you have said here to him/her, then give your phone number and ask them to get the right department to ring you.  Remember to take their name!

I do have to say though, that the problems you are experiencing with the UK benefits office are not at all  unlike the red tape and administrative hiccoughs here in France.  If this type of thing really stresses you then perhaps France is not the best place for you to be.  I don't mean this unkindly, it's just how things often are here.

Good luck!

[ali-cat]

My hubby & I are both on ICB & moved over to France last year.  Before leaving, we informed the The Pension Service about our move & completed the appropiate form.  There should be no problem in having your benefits paid into either your UK or French bank, depending if you want to set up your own money transfers or not. 

The number of the Newcastle Branch I call if I have any problems is - 00 44 191 21 87123.

or you could e-mail them on tvp.internationalqueries@thepensionservice.gsi.gov.uk

Hope this helps - if you want any more imformation, please PM me.

 

[cooperlola]

This brochure here

http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/stellent/groups/jcp/documents/websitecontent/dev_012319.pdf

may help (see page 40)

Cat's right, wait until you encounter the bureaucrats here[:-))].

[Newcomer]

Can you remember the name or number of the appropiate form?

 

Can you PM if necessary

[Newcomer]

Thank you for all your replies.   

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Newcomer"]

The next problem is all the changes to the health system in france.  

[/quote]Newcomer, it sounds to me, although it depends on the benefits you receive, as if you would qualify for an E121.  Thus you should be unaffected by the changes.  I would approach the DWP first to find out if you qualify, because with an E121 it will be relatively simple.