NormanH Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 I am coming up to 65, and already have a small French pension.I will also be entitled to claim a UK OAP, as I have enough paid up contributions.My question is about the nuts and bolts of claiming it, and would like to know if anyone else has already been through the procedure;On http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/StatePension/DG_10026714it says "If you’re a Briton living abroad and last paid pension contributions abroad, you should claim State Pension through the country where you last paid contributions.", but I retired in France 2 years ago at 63, and I dont think that the CNAV will want to know.Do I send http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@over50/documents/digitalasset/dg_181245.pdfto the International Pensions Centre direct?Any advice from those with previous experience or expertise would be welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Yes, the CNAV will do it for you, just get in touch and tell them that you want to start claiming your UK pension. Do it well in advance these things take an age to do. What happens is that the french pension people will get in touch with the UK pension people and then the UK pension people will get in touch with you.We had to apply for a french pension via Newcastle this year and it works, they know all about it. Also swedish friend in England also applied for her swedish pension via Newcastle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Thanks I was blithely waiting for Newcastle to get in touch 4 months before my birthday [8-)]Would it help to have the claim form in the previous post filled in already, or do you think that will just confuse them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 When I claimed UK and Spanish pensions a few years ago (both at 65), one claimed separately from each administration where one had worked, but gave information to each/all about time worked in other countries. The latter because time worked in one country could affect (increase) the pension paid by another, or even mean that one could qualify for a pension from a country where one had not worked enough years to normally qualify, as years in other countries could be added to the "qualifying" years.This has now apparently changed, in that now one apparently only claims from the last country where one worked, but the rules about qualifying and calculating pensions should be the same.Each country was supposed to calculate the pension you would get if all your working years were there, pro-rate this to the years actually worked there, compare the result to the pension calculated only on the years worked there, and pay you the higher of the two amounts.I think your years worked in UK should have been reported when you claimed your pension here, as they could affect what you get. Presumably the authorities here would then have followed up your claim, to get your UK pension when you reached the UK retirement age [:D]I suggest getting written advice from the Pension Service. They will also provide, some years in advance, a forecast of the pension you can expect. I got mine 3 years before I retired and exercised my option to make voluntary payments to get a bit more pension.You can also 'phone them, but I've heard it takes a long time to get past the automated system and also difficult to get to speak to a real person these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Norman your faith in UK bureaucracy and its efficiency is both touching and misplaced. OH had not received anything one month before the due date and we had to push, push, push to get any action - they did finally supply the forms and pay up. But what a battle - and she had only worked in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 It isn't hard to speak to someone in Newcastle, it can be hard getting an answer you want though![:@]Phone number+44 191 218 7777Fax number+44 191 218 7021Textphone(for those with speech or hearing difficulties)+44 191 218 7280AddressInternational Pension CentreTyneview ParkNewcastle Upon TyneNE98 1BAUnited KingdomOpening hoursMonday to Friday 8.00 am to 8.00 pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Thanks all.The situation nomoss describes is that which I expected, but didn't actually happen. The complication nomoss is that I have already claimed my French pension, and although they contacted the UK to calculate the number of years I had worked this was only to see if I qualified for a Pension, and the tiny amount they pay didn't reflect at the the UK OAP as as at that point I wasn't yet 65.Trying to get it topped up may be challenging [:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Bon chance Norman. I used to get looked after well when I 'phoned. It's just that I heard it was no longer quite so straightforward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinabee Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 You could try the UK on-line claim servicehttp://www.dwp.gov.uk/eservice/Click the button (launch services . . .) at the bottom of the page to get it started - it's pretty straightforward and a lot less paper than printing the PDF!Let us know how you get on . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 If you do it like that NormanH and it works will you please post and tell us.As far as I am aware, you 'have to' claim via the EU country in which you live and 'not' go directly to The Pension Service in this case. The french pension service would not sort out our claim directly, I did try, and we 'had to' apply via the UK, as that is we live now. The Pension Service passed it all onto the CNAV quite quickly, and then the wait started, and wait we did until I menaced them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 [quote user="tinabee"]You could try the UK on-line claim servicehttp://www.dwp.gov.uk/eservice/Click the button (launch services . . .) at the bottom of the page to get it started - it's pretty straightforward and a lot less paper than printing the PDF!Let us know how you get on . . .[/quote]Thanks tinabee. I am trying it, but the site is very 'buggy' and I can't get past 'my account' (I signed up yesterday, and I am now trying to get back in)I think it is a question of Javascript[8-)]The requirements for the computer you need are so antiquated that there may also be a problem of compatibility with my more modern system http://www.dwp.gov.uk/eservice/need.aspWill try to solve the teccy problems then will let you know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 Moderators: can we please merge this with the more recent thread which deals with much the same materiel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Norman, when you post to a thread it bumps it automatically - no need to post 'bump' 4 minutes after your last post.....[:'(]We'll take a look - making one thread a 'sticky' may be a better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 I finally managed to fill in the Internet application in tinabee's post above (with various technical hitches along the way) I also send the documents they ask for (Birth Certoficate, Marriafe and divorce papers etc.)I also included a P60, and the forecast I had from Newcastle last year.I have just heard from Newcastle that I am entitled to an OAP based on my NI contributions.I knew that anyway, but I think it means they will pay me direct, as they give me the details of how much I should get and the date.Keeping my fingers crossed.Thanks for all help and advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Yes, they do pay directly. It is usually first contact that goes via the country of residence and then everything else is directly between the pension service and the 'pensioner', or his lovely assistant..... in our case[Www]Sometimes takes a while getting the first payment, but then it is OK. Well not with the CNAV, but there you go.Just a couple of thoughts. Did you have enough years for a full pension? If not did you make voluntary payments? And if the answer is no to both, then if you are not yet 65 it isn't too late to make the payments up or at least some of them. You'd need a proper pension forecast to do all this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyA Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Seconded, Idun. Have already got mine and now OH is working through the process. We filled in the forms for RSI (not CIPAV as ours was a small business), they sent the details to Newcastle, we then dealt directly with Newcastle for payment arrangements. Mine took a while because we started a bit late, but OH started as soon as he could i.e. four months before 65th birthday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 [quote user="idun"]Yes, they do pay directly. It is usually first contact that goes via the country of residence and then everything else is directly between the pension service and the 'pensioner', or his lovely assistant..... in our case[Www]Sometimes takes a while getting the first payment, but then it is OK. Well not with the CNAV, but there you go.Just a couple of thoughts. Did you have enough years for a full pension? If not did you make voluntary payments? And if the answer is no to both, then if you are not yet 65 it isn't too late to make the payments up or at least some of them. You'd need a proper pension forecast to do all this.[/quote]Yes thanks. I got a full forecast last year, and have enough years in [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Norman, how on earth did you manage to fill out some of those sections on the form - typically, all the holidays you had ever taken in the UK?Are you a Sagittarian by any chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 I left most out. For example I only included the last two addresses in the UK..Anyway they know who I am... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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