Claiming State Pension

Roxy1955

How confusing. I've received my letter saying I must claim, but when do I claim. Letter implies doing it by 4 months using online, and gives a strong impression you need to do it by 3 months at the latest.
It also though suggests phoning will be easier, but when I phone I'm told I can't apply until 2 months before my pension entitlement date.
Anyone got any clues please, only the government could send you a letter and booklet that it seems isn't factually correct.

greenglide

You should be able to use the on-line claim facility now.

They "put off" claims by telephone when they are busy by suggesting people claim in a couple of months but of course that just pushes the can down the road!

The wording on the Invitation to Claim letter has never been brilliant and the IT doesnt get changed to make the wording reflect the current claims handling situation.

I sensible approach might be to send out the BR33 letter closer to the SPa date (four months is a long time these days) but the transaction is initiated by HMRC and require them to change their IT.

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension/how-to-claim

There's always the form....

And remember that if you want to receive the pension weekly, you must say so - it won't be offered.

judy

I claimed online a couple of months ago - it was very straightforward.

Roxy1955

Thanks everyone, think I will just take the online option. When I phoned though, they seemed to imply that it wouldn't be dealt with until nearer the time anyway and waiting to phone was the best option.

mjmal51

One benefit of claimng by phone is that you can request that the SP is paid weekly, one week in arrears rather than the only online option which is 4 weeks in arrears.
They do not offer this on the phone but if you ask them they will do it. I prefer it but it is up to the individual.

reeac

I remember that when when I was a few weeks past my 65th birthday and had not received any pension I discovered that you actually had to claim it in order to get it. Naively I had thought that the State must know from its various records that I had reached 65 and would have an automatic system that started paying out. Should have known better .... .

greenglide

I discovered that you actually had to claim it in order to get it. Naively I had thought that the State must know from its various records that I had reached 65 and would have an automatic system that started paying out

The "state" does "know".

Normally they send a letter out (an "Invitation to Claim") around four months before you reach State Pension age. However if you have moved and DWP do not have the correct address then it may not get there.

Under certain circumstances people who look to have no entitlement (dont meet the minimum qualifying period etc) were not send a letter (a bit pointless sending a letter telling someone to claim when you know they will get nothing) but I believe they now have a "we believe you have no entitlement" letter they send instead.

You have always had to claim the pension before you actually got it though except for certain people on other benefits already (Pensions Credit and Income Support).

mgdavid

reeac wrote: »

........ Naively I had thought that the State must know from its various records that I had reached 65 and would have an automatic system that started paying out. Should have known better .... .

had you considered all the people who wish to defer their SP? Can you imagine the hassle in stopping payment and recouping those already paid?

badmemory

mgdavid wrote: »

had you considered all the people who wish to defer their SP? Can you imagine the hassle in stopping payment and recouping those already paid?

Also under the old rules (I believe the new rules are different) you could start off deferring, then take your state pension for a while and then defer again. This would not have been possible if they had just automatically paid out.

Martlea

In theory claiming state pension on-line should be simple and effective. In practice the DWP computer systems seem to be notoriously bad and in my case after negotiating the torturous Government Gateway process, it self a lesson in how to over complicate a process, I managed to register and receive my ID, logged in an finally got to submit my claim. Of course I heard nothing further.
So shortly before my expected pension payment date I phoned the DWP, navigated the absurd telephone menu systems and spoke to a person who blankly informed me no claim from me has been received and would I care to claim now!
Of course I re-submitted my claim and must now wait again in limbo for the confirmation letter and payment date/amount etc.
So if you also submit an on-line claim do note where is tells you to phone them after 14 days if you don't get a DWP confirmation letter or this is likely to happen to you. By the way trying to complain is another huge waste of time as well.