DWP stopped paying my state pension

pendragon_arther

When I enquired why they emailed me the following:

Dear Sir

Thank you for your email to Newcastle Pension Centre (International Group) dated 26th September 2024

 In order to rectify the problems your are having regarding receiving your State Pension we need to ensure that we hold your correct postal address. Please contact this office on the number below. Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 08:00am to 18:00pm.

  

Firstly, is this really legal?

Secondly, they already have my address as every March for the last 3 years they send me notifications of any increases in my pension.

Thirdly, why would they need my address just to continue making payments?

When I phone their helplines they are so busy a recorded message states: 'We are experiencing a high level of calls please try later.' No matter what time of day it's impossible to get through to a person. So now I have sent them a letter of which I have yet to see if it worked so they can reinstate my payments.

Any ideas?

TIA

JGB1955

Do you live abroad?  If so, the requirement for a 'Certificate of Life' form is fairly standard.  

See State Pension if you retire abroad: Report a change in your circumstances - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

marcia_

 Did you email them initially? 

donnac2558

JGB1955 said:

Do you live abroad?  If so, the requirement for a 'Certificate of Life' form is fairly standard.  

See State Pension if you retire abroad: Report a change in your circumstances - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

My big brother and SIL live in Canada, and they get these every I think 3 years.  They have to get a signed letter from their doctor to prove they are still alive.

p00hsticks

pendragon_arther said:

Secondly, they already have my address as every March for the last 3 years they send me notifications of any increases in my pension 

 Thirdly, why would they need my address just to continue making payments? .

The fact that they send letters to a particular address they have on record gives them no indication that the intended recipient still lives there. To get that, they need some sort of acknowledgement from the person in reply.

Asking you to contact them to confirm your address is probably as good as way to get this as any.

The fact that your State Pension has been stopped suggests that at least one previous attempt at communication has failed. 

pendragon_arther

JGB1955 said:

Do you live abroad?  If so, the requirement for a 'Certificate of Life' form is fairly standard.  

See State Pension if you retire abroad: Report a change in your circumstances - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

I live in Malta and have done so for 8 years. Never had problems before.

pendragon_arther

marcia_ said:

 Did you email them initially? 

No. I tried phoning for many days initially.

user1977

pendragon_arther said:

JGB1955 said:

Do you live abroad?  If so, the requirement for a 'Certificate of Life' form is fairly standard.  

See State Pension if you retire abroad: Report a change in your circumstances - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

I live in Malta and have done so for 8 years. Never had problems before.

But when was the last time they heard from you? I can understand why they might want to check pensioners are still alive, especially in locations where they don't have easy access to public registers of deaths etc.

pendragon_arther

p00hsticks said:

pendragon_arther said:

Secondly, they already have my address as every March for the last 3 years they send me notifications of any increases in my pension 

 Thirdly, why would they need my address just to continue making payments? .

The fact that they send letters to a particular address they have on record gives them no indication that the intended recipient still lives there. To get that, they need some sort of acknowledgement from the person in reply.

Asking you to contact them to confirm your address is probably as good as way to get this as any.

The fact that your State Pension has been stopped suggests that at least one previous attempt at communication has failed. 

They gave me no forewarning, just stopped my Sept payment. They could have written to the address they have and I would have responded accordingly.

outtatune

They probably did write to your address but for some reason the letter wasn't delivered.

pendragon_arther

pendragon_arther said:

marcia_ said:

 Did you email them initially? 

No. I tried phoning for many days initially.

Sorry, I did use their online enquiry form initially. hence their email.