When to claim UK state pension, with EU components?

FatherAbraham

My UK state pension age is 67, so that's when the DWP expects to start paying me. I expect to retire in the UK.

However, since I've previously worked for some years in other EU countries, I also have state pensions from those countries.

Under EU rules, one needs to make one's claim for (the combined) state pension in the EU country where one retires (unless one has never worked in that country, in which case the claim should be made to the last EU country where one worked),

My issue is that some of my non-UK, EU-state pensions have a retirement age of 65. I could presume that I need to contact the UK's DWP when I'm 64 to to begin a claim (but presumption is a dangerous thing in matters of social-security-treaty claims). In other words, I'll have to remember to do it, because DWP won't expect to contact me before I'm 66. But will the DWP be able to start processing my claim two years before it expected to?

I'll be asking this question to the DWP helpline directly, but since I don't entirely trust the helpline staff to get the details right, and the consequences could be serious (for example, if a Danish state pension is deferred, any payments due during deferral are lost forever). I thought I'd ask independently here.

How do I claim due state pensions before my UK state pension age?

Thanks,
FA

kidmugsy

I don't know, but I have seen a friend have some difficulty getting her French State Pension paid along with her British. Mind you, it may be that the muddle was hers rather than theirs.

xylophone

How do I claim due state pensions before my UK state pension age?

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/retire/state-pension-claims-and-calculation/faq/index_en.htm

"What do I do if the pensionable age is different in the countries where I have worked?
You could be entitled to your pension in one country at 60, yet have to wait until 67 in another. Under such circumstances, it is important that you get information in advance, from all the countries where you have worked, on what your situation will be if you change the date of payment of your pension.

There might be an effect on the amounts that you will be paid if you take one pension earlier than the other. The competent authority in the country where you live and/or the authorities of the countries where you worked can give you further advice."