First STATE pension payment

marc3

Hi-any help on where to progress the following appreciated

Reached state pension age early july .
made claim on internet -mid june (ample time )
claim went through ok.
not heard anything since .
First payment within one month after reaching state retirement age -i.e early august .
never received any payment-and still haven't had first payment .

chased four times now -weekly-starting end of july when was advised everything ok,and would get letterand payment when due-early august .
nothing received .
now ringing every week on 0800 731 7898.
same answer every time-they have got the claim/there are no problems with it and it is being processed still (i point out i was due payment early august)
everyone polite and 'nice' but nothing happens .
last 3 times they say they will escalate the matter to processing team-great-but still nothing happens-no payment .(they have all bank details etc )

Unfortunately -0800 731 7898 are effectively gatekeepers and no one from processing dept either contacts me or more importantly makes any payment,and i cannot obtain the number from the 'gatekeepers '
in a week -i am due my second payment -as above-not had first yet and no confidence anything is happening .

does anyone know how i can get through to the processing team/the people who actually do this ?

-has anyone had a similar experience -how long does it normally take to set up my pension-again-i applied one month in advance of state retirement age-and i am assured that there are no queuries -but i dont get any further .
help/advice appreciated -thank you

  

p00hsticks

marc3 said:

-has anyone had a similar experience
  

There have been a number of similar threads appearing on both this and the benefits board recently - I and others have been recommending escalating via your MP.

e.g.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6287775/the-day-after-my-state-pension-qualifying-age-nothing-heard-from-the-dwp/p1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6291502/state-pension-advice#latest

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6270208/state-pension/p1

Troytempest

Mrs Tempest applied online and was sent a letter with the first payment date and amount. First payment due in bank this Thursday so will report back!

xylophone

https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/17493/


22 JULY 2021, 08:52 AM
I am helping a large number of customers who having applied for their state pension in good time, and well before their retirement date. Some also qualifying for PC guarantee as well.
When it comes to the time they are not receiving their payments. This has an enormous affect on their housing and council tax benefit claims. Mainly if their have come from claiming UC or have been employed and never been entitled to housing benefit, in the past.
When trying to contact the pension service I am being sent round and round in circles,  and even using the correct number and option 2 am getting cut off. One lady ended up waiting five months, fortunately she had savings.
Others have no other income and this seems to be becoming very common.

xylophone

help/advice appreciated -thank you

Try Daily Mail?   https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-1585631/This-Money-Contact-thisismoney-uk-email-phone.html

Try https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement?

Write to MP?

Make a formal complaint.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

Alice_Holt

Pre-action Judicial Review letters tend to be effective   

https://cpag.org.uk/welfare-rights/judicial-review

You will need to craft a CPAG template to your own circumstances.


Definitely contact your MP, they need to be made aware of these problems.


Unfortunately DWP responses to complaints, are currently also delayed. 

Troytempest

Troytempest said:

Mrs Tempest applied online and was sent a letter with the first payment date and amount. First payment due in bank this Thursday so will report back!

Mrs Tempest's first payment has arrived.

Seems to me that however an application is made the DWP complete the process with a letter to the applicant confirming date / amount of first payment. Another chum is due to receive his first payment and he has already had his letter.

xylophone

Seems to me that however an application is made the DWP complete the process with a letter to the applicant confirming date / amount of first payment. Another chum is due to receive his first payment and he has already had his letter.

It now appears to be a lottery as to whether or not the application is properly processed!

noh

All seems to have gone very smoothly for me.

This Monday 23rd August, 5 days into the 4 months prior to my 66th birthday I received the invitation letter, applied online the same day and got a confirmation email immediately.
Today, 27th August, I received a letter stating the amount and dates of the first and subsequent payments, starting January 2022.

It couldn't have been any faster it looks like some have just been unlucky.

Troytempest

noh said:

All seems to have gone very smoothly for me.

This Monday 23rd August, 5 days into the 4 months prior to my 66th birthday I received the invitation letter, applied online the same day and got a confirmation email immediately.
Today, 27th August, I received a letter stating the amount and dates of the first and subsequent payments, starting January 2022.

It couldn't have been any faster it looks like some have just been unlucky.

Yes, you can be virtually 100% confident that your payments will go smoothly!

Vegastare

noh said:

All seems to have gone very smoothly for me.

This Monday 23rd August, 5 days into the 4 months prior to my 66th birthday I received the invitation letter, applied online the same day and got a confirmation email immediately.
Today, 27th August, I received a letter stating the amount and dates of the first and subsequent payments, starting January 2022.

It couldn't have been any faster it looks like some have just been unlucky.

I am a bit like Noh too....online application with quote number as per letter, confirmation email then four days later letter arrived with amount and payment dates of first and subsequent payment.

I only jumped into action after reading threads on here, got letter weeks ago and thought 6-8 weeks before was plenty time to apply.

Now will just hope it arrives in bank on dates they state....fingers crossed.