State Pension

xylophone

Army pension people have said might not be entitled to a pension? Need to fill form out & send back first. :-((

See link in post 37 and Silver Tabby's comment.

Have you checked on a possible Royal Mail Pension? See link in post 37.

farquarpigmix

Silvertabby wrote: »

xylophone - it was part of my job (in the RAF) to issue discharge documentation and information packs when people left the RAF (with insufficient service to qualify for an immediate pension). I would tell them that they were entitled to a pension at 60 (since risen to 65) but that they would have to contact the AFPS administrators. As this would have been at least 30 years before age 60, I just knew that the pensions information pack would never see the light of day again in the vast majority of cases. Yes, to answer your question, the OP would have been told to claim his Service pension at 60 but only if he was eligible. In OPs case he quotes his service as 1980 to 1985, but he must have at least 5 full years of service from age 18 in order to be eligible for an Armed Forces pension.

I served from 1980 - 1985. I was never told I could be entitled to a pension. Form filled in ready to post. Its only by coming on here with my little rant that I found out about it.

farquarpigmix

xylophone wrote: »

See link in post 37 and Silver Tabby's comment.

Have you checked on a possible Royal Mail Pension? See link in post 37.

I know am entitled to Royal mail pension. Thank you for the links.

Silvertabby

I served from 1980 - 1985. I was never told I could be entitled to a pension. Form filled in ready to post. Its only by coming on here with my little rant that I found out about it.

farquarpigmix - how old were you when you joined (pre 18 service doesn't count) and what were your exact dates of service ? - you must have at least 5 full years of post age 18 service to qualify for an Armed Forces pension.

farquarpigmix

Silvertabby wrote: »

farquarpigmix - how old were you when you joined (pre 18 service doesn't count) and what were your exact dates of service ? - you must have at least 5 full years of post age 18 service to qualify for an Armed Forces pension.

I was 19.5 years old when I joined. According to book with history on it. 5 years 11 days.

molerat

farquarpigmix wrote: »

I was 19.5 years old when I joined. According to book with history on it. 5 years 11 days.

Hopefully then, providing you didn't spend any time holidaying in Colchester, you will be OK

Kynthia

If the OP didn't qualify for a forces pension, wouldn't his NI been topped up when he left so that he was no longer shown as contracted out for that period of time?

Silvertabby

farquarpigmix - with over 5 years calendar service (and no loss of service a la molerat!) sounds like you'll be ok. However, 5 years 11 days isn't a standard engagement. Was it your choice to leave?

Kynthia - that's the theory.................

farquarpigmix

molerat wrote: »

Hopefully then, providing you didn't spend any time holidaying in Colchester, you will be OK

No holiday in there for me. Lol

farquarpigmix

Kynthia wrote: »

If the OP didn't qualify for a forces pension, wouldn't his NI been topped up when he left so that he was no longer shown as contracted out for that period of time?

I will keep this in mind. Thank you.