State Pension

Fashionista1

My pension was calculated incorrectly as I retired. I had paid more contributions than DWP gave credit for. Luckily I had kept every pay slip I had ever had and eventually DWP conceded that I was entitled to more pension than had been calculated originally. It took time to sort out but I now have the correct pension for the rest of my life it was well worth pursuing. Just a warning to you all that they don't always get it right.

I had the opposite when my mother died. It turned out that - entirely due to DWP's mistake - she'd been overpaid for years.

Even though it was their fault the estate still had to pay it back.

I didn’t have any trouble claiming online last year. And it was only from the online questions that I became aware that I could claim a separate pension for the years I worked abroad. If the telephone claim is simplified, as others have said it is, I wonder if things like this could be missed?

Hi sorry to hear you’re having so much stress trying to claim your pension. Firstly though you don’t have to claim you can defer. I could claim mine at 60, but didn’t as I was still working so you get an enhanced pension when you do claim it. Also I just rang DWP up and did it over the phone I’m sure. Didn’t need ID I don’t think, mind you it was 3 years ago now mind. Hope you get it sorted. I really wish they would bring it back to be able to claim at 60 again. People don’t always have the good health as time goes by so don’t get to enjoy their retirement. But that’s another story lol

Yes it is the civil service and like most government departments, it is managing with fewer staff as cuts are continually made. As the saying goes, you cannot get a quart from a pint pot!

Check and double-check DWP calculations:. they can and do (like anyone!) make mistakes.

Also consider claiming weekly.... Better in your bank account than theirs!

I got a reminder letter and claimed mine by phone. They sent out a very short form for my bank details and the money was in my account he month after my 60th birthday. I reckon I was just lucky being able to claim at 60 when others just a bit older have had to wait longer. Claiming my occupational and private pensions was a lot more hassle.

Grannygrumps1,
Thank you.

You can claim by phone.

I claimed mine online, form was easy to complete but I had already requested a forecast & was set up with Government Gateway. I used to work for HMRC before I took Early Retirement at age 50 to care for my DH who had Retired at 65.

I was Widowed 7 years ago. When I received my letter informing me of my Pension amount & payment dates I was delighted to see that I have inherited some of my late DH's pension.

After I filled out the application form I was kept informed by text message until I received my award letter.

Oops pressed too quick.
...and I chose 2 weekly payments. It helps me budget better.

Ethelwashere1

I claimed mine lasy year, i do have a smart phone but did not need it. I rang up then i went online the form was so easy. I didnt need any proof of id. Having said that im a widow so was claiming widows pension so they just changed it over. The only difference being that its now monthly and my wp was 2 weeklý.
Keep trying, my friend got a lovely lump sum after having hers delayed by mix ups. Beware you are taxed on it.

If you ring up, they will change your state pension payments from every 4 weeks, to 2 weekly or even weekly.
When I first claimed my pension via phone, I was told I could only claim it with 4 weekly payments. Several months later, I became aware that some people we’re getting it more frequently ie 1 or 2 weekly. I rang up expecting some hassle but it was changed and

My pension was calculated incorrectly as I retired. I had paid more contributions than DWP gave credit for. Luckily I had kept every pay slip I had ever had and eventually DWP conceded that I was entitled to more pension than had been calculated originally. It took time to sort out but I now have the correct pension for the rest of my life it was well worth pursuing. Just a warning to you all that they don't always get it right.

I get carers allowance zo deferring makes no sense to me. I could continue getting carers allowance but would not accrue any additional pension. Might as well go for the pension straight away and lose the carers allowance.

They actually wrote to me to say I could claim or defer and that was only. 18 months ago.

Bea65

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an extra punctuation mark somehow crept in

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/advisernet/09081615.pdf

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Georgesgran

*petera*.
You possibly mean getting a widow’s pension? Not sure if this is a standard amount - but DWP awarded me an additional £60 every four weeks, after DH died.

I don't think so but I'm speaking second hand from something that a friend who works in CAB sent me, so to be clear (I hope...), taken from www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/advisernet/09081615.pdf:

"How much extra State Pension or lump sum payment will I inherit if my husband, wife or civil partner dies?

This depends on how the State Pension your husband, wife
or civil partner had put off claiming was made up. You could
inherit:

• 100% of the extra State Pension or lump sum they had
earned on their basic State Pension

• 50% of the extra State Pension or lump sum they had
earned on their Graduated Retirement Benefit (but not any
they may have got from a late wife, husband or civil partner)

• 50% of the extra State Pension or lump sum they had
earned on their State Second Pension, or

• between 50% and 100% of the extra State Pension or lump
sum they had earned on their SERPS pension.

There is a limit to the amount of additional State Pension
(State Second Pension and SERPS) you may get. (This would
be by combining your own additional State Pension and any
additional State Pension you inherit.)

I received my invitation in the post about half an hour ago. My pension is due in December. It took about 5 minutes to claim on the website and I got an email back straight away to say that my application had been received. Lets hope that the rest of the process is as straightforward as this!

petera.
You possibly mean getting a widow’s pension? Not sure if this is a standard amount - but DWP awarded me an additional £60 every four weeks, after DH died.

Scottiebear

I found it a very simple, straightforward procedure. They wrote to tell me to claim via the site. I had already registered on the website as I'd looked at my prediction. Put in the claim and received a confirmation by post within about a week.

Same here. Very easy. Register with Gateway first though.

Chimaera

JenniferEccles

Just as a sideline, have you considered deferring your pension for a few years?
Unless the rules have changed recently, it is certainly worth considering if you could manage without it as it increases for every year you defer.
Then when you do claim it, you will get the increased rate for the rest of your life.
With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had waited as we don’t actually need it for day to day living.

I was too excited though at the thought of that money magically appearing in my bank account each month!

I'd heard about deferring your pension, but I also read that, heaven forbid, if anything happened to you before you started claiming the backdated pension, your family / estate wouldn't see a penny of it! So when my time comes I think I will just claim it.

Actually you can "inherit" a partner's extra pension when you start claiming your own as long as you don't remarry.

But I still don't think this makes it worth it.

I deferred as I was still working for 7 months and it would have pushed me into higher rate tax. I have now been retired long enough to be benefitting from that decision. It is a gamble, but my parents both lived to a great age, so it was worth it for me.

Yes, you can work out the cost of deferral yourself, and Grannygrumps1 (love the name!) that may apply to you, but not to everyone. So many factors - the age at which you can claim, the amount you can claim etc.
For some years, interest rates were very low. So, if you claimed but didn't need it, and put it straight into savings, you wouldn't get so much interest. Now interest rates are going up - probably not enough to be significant, but it is another factor.
Also, obviously, is the age at which you expect to die! I did a rough calculation based on average life expectancy in my area, adjusted for family factors.
I quite like doing all the calculations, but I do see that some wouldn't!

I found it a very simple, straightforward procedure. They wrote to tell me to claim via the site. I had already registered on the website as I'd looked at my prediction. Put in the claim and received a confirmation by post within about a week.

I had a letter from DWP today answering a query I raised on the phone at least 3 months ago. The wheels grind slowly....