pension will cost me £100 to receive

Robert7578

I am in the position of my MOD pension payments being stopped and I have to provide ID before it is paid again, the only ID that they accept that is applicable to me is a passport which mine is out of date so it will cost me £100 to get my own pension paid to me.

I have been trying to solve this for a long time and even my MP has got the minister to write to Equinity who pay the pensions but they refuse to budge.

Do people here think paying for ID is just a normal part of a pension payment or should it be without cost ?

TadleyBaggie

can we assume that trying solve this has cost you more in lost pension than the cost of a passport renewal? If so the pragmatic way forward is to get the passport. There is a good chance you will need to prove your ID again in the next 10 years.

What prompted the pension provider to stop the pension and request an ID check in the first place?

elsien

Do they not accept provisional driving licences because that would be cheaper?.

Marcon

Do people here think paying for ID is just a normal part of a pension payment or should it be without cost ?

Did this request follow a failure to return a form confirming that you're still alive and well (the famous 'are you dead' letter)?

Proving your ID in a manner satisfactory to the pension provider is entirely normal. Given the levels of fraud, it's no surprise that schemes are now getting tougher on what evidence they will accept, and current, valid photo ID is pretty standard.

Pollycat

Why would your pension provider suddenly stop paying your pension and demand that you provide ID?

More to this story.

Marcon

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82165361#Comment_82165361

See my post above for the most likely explanation.

Not sure why OP thinks there's any point asking here - it isn't going to change anything, however carefully they worded their question (something we all do from time to time in the hope of getting the preferred response!).

cloud_dog

Sorry not related to resolving the OPs query as such, but this is the reason we kept renewing our mother's passport, even though travel abroad was not a likely possibility.

StewedApple

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6686403/pension-will-cost-me-100-to-receive

I don't think it is reasonable, but I'm not sure what else you could do to get around it - they are agents of the MOD (who owe you the pension) - what was their response?

t0rt0ise

A citizen card costs £18. My son got one years ago and it still seems to be valid. He showed it to vote the other day. https://www.citizencard.com

That's a useful link that just says home but it takes you there.

Or one from the Post Office for £15. https://www.postoffice.co.uk/identity/pass-card

Edit: and now the links disappear sometimes.

SacredStephan

The Voter Authority Certificate is free.

Brie

Maybe a bus pass with supporting documentation would be acceptable?

When I used to do pension admin (not for the MOD!) we would accept a letter confirming the individual's identity from certain professionals - doctors, police, the clergy, bank managers etc - on the basis that they knew the person for a certain length of time, the same sort of thing you might need to do to get a passport.