State Pension

wkt54

Hi

I am due the State Pension next month, and will be phoning shortly to claim it.

What do I need - my reference number, bank account details, NI number etc?

What will they aske me?  Why do they want to know if you have lived abroad?

Thanks

xylophone

You have received your invitation to claim letter?

will be phoning shortly 

You might have a long wait on the phone - easier to claim on line?

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

As to information required, check out the form here?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-basic-state-pension

The question re living abroad is because some people who have done so may have state pension rights in that country as well.

Remember that if you want your pension paid anything other than four weekly ( weekly for example), you must specifically say so.

wkt54

Thank you Xylo
Yes I have received the letter and have a reference number.
I am in Egypt on holiday at the moment and am getting Access Denied on the website.
I am retired and have had long holidays, 5 or 6 months some years.
Is that classed as living abroad?

molerat

What was the outcome of the thread in August ?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6172362/state-pension/p1

squirrelpie

xylophone said:

You might have a long wait on the phone - easier to claim on line?

Remember that if you want your pension paid anything other than four weekly ( weekly for example), you must specifically say so.

And if you want to claim weekly payment, that can only be done by phone.

wkt54

Molerat

I was going to do nothing, and defer the pension as I couldn't claim online.

But last week I found out I could phone the freephone number in their letter - 0808 - from Egypt.

Just drop the 0 and add 0044.

I didn't think it was possible to phone a UK free phone number from abroad.

xylophone

But last week I found out I could phone the freephone number in their letter - 0808 - from Egypt.

Have you checked on whether you can improve your state pension by making voluntary contributions?

wkt54

I have Xylophone, but I am due it on 15 November, and will be happy with that.

whizzywoo

squirrelpie said:

And if you want to claim weekly payment, that can only be done by phone.

I don't think this is correct unless it has changed recently.  I completed the online form to claim my state retirement pension in February 2019 ( payable from 6th May 2019) and I was able to request weekly payments on the online form.

wkt54

I rang yesterday and everything is sorted.

I am getting 141 pounds a week from 15 November - I was a couple of years short of contributions, but am happy with that.
She said is there anything else I would like to ask and I said no.

But afterwards thought, am I entitled to any Pension Credit?.

I don't receive any other benefits, and receive 100 pounds a week from work pensions, and am single.

Thanks

whizzywoo

wkt54 said:

I rang yesterday and everything is sorted.

I am getting 141 pounds a week from 15 November - I was a couple of years short of contributions, but am happy with that.
She said is there anything else I would like to ask and I said no.

But afterwards thought, am I entitled to any Pension Credit?.

I don't receive any other benefits, and receive 100 pounds a week from work pensions, and am single.

Thanks

Based on the information given above, no I don't think you would be entitled to Pension Credit.
As a single person you have to have income of less than £173.75 per week.  Your State Pension is less than that but they will count in your works pension.

You may be entitled to more if you are receiving Carer's Allowance for looking after someone (or have an underlying entitlement to Carer's Allowance.

If you were to receive Attendance Allowance or the Care Component of PIP then you could be entitled to more.

Check out this Benefits Calculator to make sure.  Just alter your date of birth to show that you are State Pension Age now and then it will calculate what you may be entitled to.  Possibly a reduction in Council Tax.
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou