Don't Lose Hope

Solstice

I got my initial call from DWP on 17 April and was told I'd be hearing from "the experts" in the next "one to two weeks". Today (16 July) a letter arrived dated 11 July with details about the amount and process for topping up my State Pension. It's a bit outside the "one to two weeks" window, but at least I now have it.

It's another process to go through, but it's still progress so I'll take it.

Best wishes to all

Solstice

Topiary

Glad too hear I got on the website last minute 5 April to top up 6 years worth only to find I was unable to do so (believing I must have missed the deadline)....kicked myself ever since.

Yesterday 28/7 got a letter noting that I was trying to use the website to make contributions on 5/4 and they have offered me to make contributions on the missing years.

God bless the HMRC!

Jeanieallergy

Lucky you! I phoned them on 13th March and was told I'd receive 2 letters within 4 weeks. Still waiting.... I rang again yesterday to find out what was happening and was told they were waiting for information from HMRC. Hope it doesn't take too much longer, I thought I'd get the full pension because I have the full 35 years but I don't

molerat

Jeanieallergy said:

Lucky you! I phoned them on 13th March and was told I'd receive 2 letters within 4 weeks. Still waiting.... I rang again yesterday to find out what was happening and was told they were waiting for information from HMRC. Hope it doesn't take too much longer, I thought I'd get the full pension because I have the full 35 years but I don't

35 years only applies to those born this century.  If you have >35 then you must have been in a contracted out pension scheme so need as many as it takes all dependent on your personal circumstances.

Dazed_and_C0nfused

Jeanieallergy said:

Lucky you! I phoned them on 13th March and was told I'd receive 2 letters within 4 weeks. Still waiting.... I rang again yesterday to find out what was happening and was told they were waiting for information from HMRC. Hope it doesn't take too much longer, I thought I'd get the full pension because I have the full 35 years but I don't

Presumably you are near retirement age?

If so why do you think 35 years is of the slightest relevance to you 🤔

1957DfurdPensionist

Dazed_and_C0nfused said:

Jeanieallergy said:

Lucky you! I phoned them on 13th March and was told I'd receive 2 letters within 4 weeks. Still waiting.... I rang again yesterday to find out what was happening and was told they were waiting for information from HMRC. Hope it doesn't take too much longer, I thought I'd get the full pension because I have the full 35 years but I don't

Presumably you are near retirement age?

If so why do you think 35 years is of the slightest relevance to you 🤔

Steady on, D_and_C, that came across as rather unnecessarily superior and thus a tad unfriendly, don't you think?

Only those of us late baby boomers who have spent hours and hours having to research and correct our career-long held (mis-)understandings of what awaits us as new (no longer old basic) State Pension know that 35 years of NI contributions is no guarantee whatsoever of anything approaching a full nSP at age 66.  I have 43 and even that ain't enough and can't be improved under the "rules".  The only relevance of that 35 number to us seems to be that for each year of VC we are told will improve our nSP, it will give us an increase of 1/35 x full nSP i.e. 1/35 x £230.25pw currently = £6.58pw.

@Jeanieallergy - are you at SPa age 66 or beyond it?  If beyond it, your case ought to be prioritised - whether it is or not is a different matter.  Theoretically, if you can afford the VCs that they haven't yet detailed to you, and you are beyond SPa, any delay to the eventual payment date of your VCs (and never mind that they allow you to buy the extra years at the pre 5th April rate) is potentially denying you the weekly VC increases that you no doubt wish had applied from your 66th birthday.   In which case chase them doubly hard and hold them accountable.