New State Pension starting amount and full record of qualifying years- trial service

onzey

green_man wrote: »

I tried to go through this with my wife but was unable to verify her due to it insisting on having a photo I'd driving licence, had to resort to ordering a statement instead.

I don't know if my experience of verification using the Post Office might be of help to anyone. I did it 3 or 4 weeks ago now so my memory is a bit vague but will do my best.

I remember when I began the process thinking it probably wouldn't work because I got the impression I needed my passport, a photo driving licence and a bank card and I only have an old paper licence. Possibly I saw somewhere just driving licence mentioned (without "photo" in front) which made me think it was worth a go.

At some stage I downloaded the Post Office app to my phone and took two photos of myself, one facing the front and one to the side. (The side one I think is simply to detect movement i.e. a real person). Photos were uploaded via the app.

Can't remember now if I tried to tackle the driving licence next or the bank card. Anyway I remember taking pictures of my paper driving licence (which felt wrong even as I did it) and uploading them and I did the bank card bit.

I seem to remember being at a screen with something on the right saying the passport was being checked or something. Under that was something about the driving licence (unverified perhaps?) and under that a verified bank card. On the left of that same screen I think there was something about the driving licence with maybe a couple of options, one of which was probably do it again. (sorry memory is very vague on the details)

Anyway, being stuck at this stage I must've found a helpline number on the screen or from somewhere and on ringing it, got a very helpful chap who assured me it should go through. He said they had received quite a few photos of people's paper licences! If I remember correctly he basically said it would be alright once the passport bit was approved.

I kept him on the phone for a few minutes in the hope that it would occur while I still had him there but in the end let him go while I carried on waiting.

After a good few minutes more staring at the same screen I was going to give up, thinking the whole thing had stalled, but decided to refresh the page. Lo and behold my passport bit was now showing as approved! I think I rang the helpline again at that stage and got the same guy. I wasn't sure what to do next as I still had something on the left about my driving licence but I think now that the passport bit was ok I just had to click something on that left side and things proceeded.

Sorry it's all a bit vague but may help someone.

bigfreddiel

fluffig wrote: »

So much for the "it should just take 10 minutes" in the video !

you're absolutely correct, it's a ridiculous length of time, it only took 5 minutes, and I made cup of tea in that time!

Cheers fj

Parking_Trouble

Bit of a pain getting through the Experian Id&V checks but got there in the end. Useful to see the figures.

41 years of full contributions, at £119 today, on track for £155.
I have been contracted-out for quite a while but presumably done enough by the time I am 66.

onzey

Chickereeeee wrote: »

They have admitted thet the site is giving incorrect results in 'a small' number of cases, so I would not bother for now anyway. The results cannot be trusted.

C

I requested a paper statement recently which arrived today and compared it to the online result I did mid January this year.

Online £130.66 per week

Paper £126.00 per week

I guess I'm one of the small number of cases.

SnowMan

onzey wrote: »

I requested a paper statement recently which arrived today and compared it to the online result I did mid January this year.

Online £130.66 per week

Paper £126.00 per week

I guess I'm one of the small number of cases.

Is the online version based on 2016/2017 rates and the paper version based on 2015/2016 rates? if so that would explain most of the difference.

Are you under age 55, if so the paper version will be on the old rules only, and the online version will be on the better of old and new rules?

onzey

SnowMan wrote: »

Is the online version based on 2016/2017 rates and the paper version based on 2015/2016 rates? if so that would explain most of the difference.

Are you under age 55, if so the paper version will be on the old rules only, and the online version will be on the better of old and new rules?

Hi SnowMan

I'm 64 and will start receiving State Pension in May this year.

The paper version says it is "based on the rules of the new State Pension system that starts on 6 April 2016".

Looking at the photo on my phone that I took of the online result it says "Your estimate is based on current law".

Both figures were based on 45 qualifying years (most contracted out) up to the tax year 2014/2015.

Online also gave a figure assuming further contributions which was
£132.43 per week.

SnowMan

onzey wrote: »

Hi SnowMan

I'm 64 and will start receiving State Pension in May this year.

The paper version says it is "based on the rules of the new State Pension system that starts on 6 April 2016".

Looking at the photo on my phone that I took of the online result it says "Your estimate is based on current law".

Both figures were based on 45 qualifying years (most contracted out) up to the tax year 2014/2015.

Online also gave a figure assuming further contributions which was
£132.43 per week.

From knowing you've been contracted-out of SERPS/S2P for a long period it looks like your state pension is based on the old rules.

They updated the online (trial) system in January to show amounts allowing for uprating in April 2016 so in 2016/2017 terms. However the system doesn't tell you that.

I'm guessing your £130.66pw is calculated as

Basic state pension: £119.30pw plus
Additional pension: £11.36pw

Because you already have over 30 (or 35 even) Qualifying Years you can't earn any further basic state pension for 2015/2016, but the extra £1.77 that takes you up from £130.66pw to £132.43pw is based on their assumption that you will earn £1.77 of additional pension for 2015/2016 I'm guessing. Whether you will get that depends on whether you have been working (or getting credits in 2015/2016) or not and whether you were contracted-out in 2015/2016.

The paper statements, as far as I am aware, don't allow for uprating in April 2016 so are in 2015/2016 terms.

So your amount of £126pw could be

Basic state pension: £115.95pw plus
additional pension: £10.05pw

In practice all you are probably interested in is what you are actually going to be paid from May.

It appears you will get around £130.66pw, but it could be a bit more i.e. £132.43pw if you do earn some additional pension for 2015/2016.

However only the DWP can know what their figures are so I would suggest you either give them a ring or send a query via the online trial system. It is of course possible that there is an error in their figures.

greenglide

With an SPa date in May you can ring the claims number. They can tell you what the amount will be even if you want to defer it.

onzey

SnowMan wrote: »

The paper statements, as far as I am aware, don't allow for uprating in April 2016 so are in 2015/2016 terms.

Thanks SnowMan

Just so I'm clear on this particular point, are you saying even though the paper statement says it's

"based on the rules of the new State Pension system that starts on 6 April 2016".

you're saying (as far as you're aware) the paper statement is not based on those rules?

SnowMan

onzey wrote: »

Thanks SnowMan

Just so I'm clear on this particular point, are you saying even though the paper statement says it's

"based on the rules of the new State Pension system that starts on 6 April 2016".

you're saying (as far as you're aware) the paper statement is not based on those rules?

No I'm not saying that. (Because you are over age 55) the paper statement IS based on the new State Pension system. So they've done a calculation based on the existing rules and on the new rules, and in your case it is the existing rules calculation that is likely to give you the higher amount and so applies; which is what the figure of £126pw is that is shown on the paper statement.

The issue with the paper statements (as opposed to the online figures) is that the figures are as far as I am aware at 2015/2016 benefit rates rather than 2016/2017 benefit rates. The online system inconsistently bases figures on the 2016/2017 rates.

So to get to the amount you will be paid in May you have to add in April 2016 uprating to the paper figures. Hence the £126pw paper statement figure should increase in April 2016 to the online figure of £130.66pw and that is likely what will be paid from May.