State Pension

I get mine four weekly and I think it is in arrears - I suppose they want to make sure we are still alive before they pay it!!!!

Oops; just found the letter [must read things properly in future]. Just need to go to a job centre and show my passport to prove that I exist and show them my decree absolute as well [bit sad that]. If I had to take my birth certificate as well it would encompass my whole life.

That seems a bit much! I only had to phone them to confirm I wanted to claim my pension, and was told that was all that was necessary!

Think I had to send in a copy of my (second) marriage certificate, actually...

Now to apply for my bus pass. At least I seem to have reached the magic age without them stopping it [thus far!]. It all seems a bit surreal this retiring stuff .

28days in arrears!

I think the state pension must be paid in arrears as I received 14 days pension in respect of my father after he died.
What was a little strange however it was paid until 3 days after his death as they pay it until the end of the week.

Frank

Very strange! No wonder the country's finances are in a mess...

Tegan

When I claimed my wife's occupational pension I sent in her short birth certificate, our marriage certificate, her death certificate, and a photocopy of my passport.
About 3 days before the pension was payable they requested a full birth certificate for both her and myself.
I did ask why a full birth certificate was required and they said they had just changed their policy and required it if I wanted the pension paid.
The pension was delayed for a month and I had to pay for the certificates.

Frank

Ana

I think the pension should have been paid for all the time he was alive even though the cash did not change hands till after Dad's death.

Frank

I am having a right old time trying to get my state pension paid into my New Zealand bank account. I left the UK at the beginning of May, having contacted the DW&P a month earlier, but the pension is still being paid into my UK bank account. I finally got some sense out of a charming Welsh man on the telephone in a Belfast call centre but he cannot give me a time scale as "most of the staff are off at the moment during the long school holidays". Fortunately, I am not desperate for the paltry sum but I might have been and I could certainly make use of it.

Blimey, some people have to live off that paltry sum...

Tegan - Best wishes for a wonderful retirement. My only words of advice are to get all your jobs done BEFORE you retire as you certainly won't have time after !

Ana

I thought the State Pension was for your grand children's savings.

Frank

The State Pension is to stop me starving, Frank . Have done the deed at work [well, not in writing yet but has been verbal]. Will wax lyrical about what finally tipped me over the edge after I've left .

You read it first on GN! Coming soon Tegan's Story ...

Oh, Tegan, you haven't been verbal have you

Really, well done,

It was 'polite verbal'! It could have been much, much worse......

You stood up for yourself, Tegan - that's the main thing!

How long do we have to wait for the sordid details Tegan?. I am sure you have done the right thing if you feel better having done "the deed". Hope retirement is all you want it to be.

Wow! Can't wait

Tegan keep your cool and have a blow out when you go

Tegan Very best wishes on your impending retirement, I am envious!
I too claim my state pension from September (I already draw my own) but I think I will work on at least until my original planned retirement next April, if not beyond, now that I am alone. I have no one to retire for now and still feel fit enough and able enough to work so I may just do that.
I was unaware how the state pension is paid but am now a little more informed. I claimed my age exemption certificate and handed that in in order not to be deducted national insurance contributions after age 65 (I am male) and asked that my pension be paid rather than deferred, (I just don't trust this administration not to cap it if it is not in payment, for me that would mean a significant loss). Absent mentions having her pension paid into New Zealand but as much as I am ignorant of current rules would that not mean that the pension is then not index linked whereas if paid into a UK bank it would be index linked to the CPI annually. Perhaps we have some knowledgable people here who could enlighten us. I hope so!

Well, I sort of wanted something really big and dramatic to tip me over the edge, but it's been more of a steady trickle really, and I can't face another winter there. I had a friend who agonised over whether to retire and I didn't undertstand at the time, but I'm beginning to understand now. It's difficult giving up a job where I could, if need be, work a lot of extra hours and earn more money if I needed it for any reason, but once I've gone there's no going back. But I'm already planning what I'm going to do and my trips to the gym are helping.