Documents to prove you're of state pension age

Pollycat

jamesd wrote: »

It would not, unless you are thinking of a document that is issued to a person who reaches state pension age and defers from the outset by simply not claiming it. Such a person is of state pension age and eligible for the discount but will not yet have ever received the pension.
A person who has claimed the state pensions can also defer them once only and resume later.

Proof of receiving it can be useful since that does prove that you're of age. But it would be wrong to require such proof.

Sorry, I don't think I expressed myself very well.

I meant that the OP has already shown her initial award letter.

whitesatin wrote: »

When I go along, they ask for proof of pensioner status and, although I have shown my initial award letter which they photocopy, it seems beyond them to renew based on this.

so if, once in receipt of State pension (which you say cannot be taken away) you've shown that letter, surely it should be adequate proof regardless of when it is dated?

I agree that it is wrong to require such proof.

jamesd

It's also worth mentioning that merely being in receipt of a pension wouldn't be sufficient, since it could be a state widow's pension paid to a person not of state pension age after the death of a spouse who was of age. A person as young as 45 can receive this payment.

whitesatin

Not sure who administers the scheme but I have decided I will go there next time armed with pen and paper. It might be straightforward, as it was once when I went. Apparently they don't hang onto the documents they scan and I was told by one woman that her colleague was wrong to accept one of my documents. I said to her that I am unlikely to get younger and therefore it seemed daft to have to keep furnishing them with evidence. As usual, with jobsworths, it got me nowhere. This time, I will write everything down she asks for, in front of her, and see where that gets me. TBH, I dread going there as I know it will be a pain. They are quite tough as they have to deal with members of the public who are disputing parking tickets but I am only a "little old lady", lol.

jamesd

It's really better to work around them by going over their heads. They can't set the policy and rules they have to follow and it's up to those who do to make them clear, correct and not harassing for those who will be entitled for the rest of their lives. You'd just be making life harder for those doing the day to day stuff without really doing much to get things changed.

A local council member can be a really good resource for something like this. The elderly are more likely to vote and it's easy to see that the rules are daft, a perfect job for them to tackle.

FLAPJACK

Show them your birth certificate....let them work your age out.

dtaylor84

whitesatin wrote: »

Documents need to be less than 3 months old so any March document probably wouldn't be accepted.

Are they worried you will find the fountain of youth and become ineligible for the State Pension?

magpiecottage

Assuming we are talking about a local authority the options are:

1. Complaint to the council itself (most have a way to do this online)
2. Complaint to councillor. Winning margins in local elections can be very small so as has been mentioned they are very sensitive to this!
3. Complaint to MP
4. Complaint to local rag who will just love showing the council to be stupid.

Whatever you do, speak to an organ grinder not a monkey.

whitesatin

FLAPJACK wrote: »

Show them your birth certificate....let them work your age out.

Tried that! Seriously, they wouldn't accept it. I reckon they are concerned about the sliding eligibility at the moment.

whitesatin

magpiecottage wrote: »

Assuming we are talking about a local authority the options are:

1. Complaint to the council itself (most have a way to do this online)
2. Complaint to councillor. Winning margins in local elections can be very small so as has been mentioned they are very sensitive to this!
3. Complaint to MP
4. Complaint to local rag who will just love showing the council to be stupid.

Whatever you do, speak to an organ grinder not a monkey.

They can't even agree amongst themselves.

It is basically a council scheme but administered by a private concern from council premises.

Mojisola

whitesatin wrote: »

Tried that! Seriously, they wouldn't accept it. I reckon they are concerned about the sliding eligibility at the moment.

Print this off and give them a copy -
https://www.dwp.gov.uk/pension-credit-toolkit/about-pension-credit/changes-to-qualifying-ages/