As a widow, can I claim backdated foreign NI based pension?

KMacc

I recently made a claim for a foreign survivor’s pension (my husband died in 2015) and was eligible for a pension, which was backdated three months before I applied. However, a year after he passed, I contacted the foreign pension services via email to see if I would be entitled to this. 

After giving them his details, I was told he was not register as a member of the National Insurance scheme so I did not pursue this any further. Could I be entitled to back payments from 2016 when I initially asked them about my eligibility? 

Marcon

KMacc said:

I recently made a claim for a foreign survivor’s pension (my husband died in 2015) and was eligible for a pension, which was backdated three months before I applied. However, a year after he passed, I contacted the foreign pension services via email to see if I would be entitled to this. 

After giving them his details, I was told he was not register as a member of the National Insurance scheme so I did not pursue this any further. Could I be entitled to back payments from 2016 when I initially asked them about my eligibility? 

Do you have written confirmation of the enquiry you made in 2016, and the response you received?

I wonder what made you raise the question again now - did different information come to light, say?

KMacc

@Marcon Thanks for your reply. I have written confirmation within an email and the email trail. 

The reason I raised it again last year is because  of the chat of women being underpaid pension payments. I looked through various articles about this and came across one re foreign pensions. It mentioned NI contribution amounts which I had a feeling my husband was paying so I contacted the firm who prepared his final tax return and they confirmed that he did in fact make contributions to that country. I then contacted the UK pension service and made a claim via them. I wasn’t expecting anything though so it was more of a ‘just in case’, as I was told via email quite clearly that he wasn’t registered as a member. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: I’m fact, this could actually not relate to survivor’s pension but could instead refer to pension relating to NI contributions. 

p00hsticks

KMacc said:

 It mentioned NI contribution amounts which I had a feeling my husband was paying so I contacted the firm who prepared his final tax return and they confirmed that he did in fact make contributions to that country.

So did he make any contributions to this country's NI system- either whilst here or abroad -  or only to the equivalent system in another country ?

I'm no expert, but as far as I'm aware, contributions to another country's NI system may count in terms of reaching the minimum number of years needed to be entitled to any form of  UK state pension (which is currently 10) but not in the sense of resulting in any actual payment being due.  

KMacc

@p00hsticks he made contributions in both countries as he had been in UK for most of his working life. After going through the application process through UK gov, who then sent my application to the foreign country, it was found that I am eligible. I am just wondering whether I should appeal and try and claim from 2016 as that is when I originally asked about my eligibility. 

xylophone

 I was told he was not register as a member of the National Insurance scheme so I did not pursue this any further. 

I have written confirmation within an email and the email trail. 

I am eligible. I am just wondering whether I should appeal and try and claim from 2016 as that is when I originally asked about my eligibility. 

You can try - send all documentary evidence that you were misinformed with your claim.

Marcon

KMacc said:

@p00hsticks he made contributions in both countries as he had been in UK for most of his working life. After going through the application process through UK gov, who then sent my application to the foreign country, it was found that I am eligible. I am just wondering whether I should appeal and try and claim from 2016 as that is when I originally asked about my eligibility. 

You've got written evidence of what happened when you first asked, so absolutely nothing to lose by doing so. If you get the answer 'no', go through the formal complaints process https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/complaints-procedure

KMacc

@Marcon Thanks for that. I’m definitely going to try and see what is said