Applying for UK State Pension from the USA. - Has Anyone Done it?

[ShokWaveRider]

I am at the point where I will be applying for my small UK State Pension. I have looked at the application, and since I left the UK in 1982 have little records of date and times that I worked for UK companies. I do remember some names from an old CV I have.

It is not much, only about 5000 Pounds a year, but hey, I am entitled to it.

I anticipate it being a big ordeal (The Application Process). Everything has to be done by mail for the most part. In anticipation I am intending to apply for it a year before I actually want it. I actually qualified for 2 years ago, but because of ACA subsidies for DW decided to wait. I have my National Insurance Number and other key pieces of info, so they know who I am, how much I paid in, and for how long.

I am curious if any folks have done the same. Thanks in Advance to input.

 

[skyking1]

I too am curious, asking for a friend.

 

[Aerides]

My Dad went thru this several years back, and yes it was a bureaucratic paper exercise. I don't think it was a "state" pension, but a business one. All in all, whenever he actually spoke with someone it ended in progress. I remember the actual transfer was the trickiest part - setting up a US account that would take the UK deposits with the least hassle and/or fees, given the foreign transactions.

 

[brett]

Why not give one of the British Consulate offices or the Embassy a call (depending where you live)?

I have no doubt that this is a not an uncommon question.

There will, in all probability, someone who can give you the advice/direction that you need to move forward with this.

 

[Alan]

Both my wife and I have done this in Covid times and it has been timely and easy, but we live in England and applied online so I don't know how difficult it is applying from overseas. Below is the site to claim if you are living abroad.

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

Once you start receiving your OAP your US SS may be affected by WEP if you have less than 30 years of SS contributions.

If so you should complete and send in the following form to SSA. The form lets you note the years with voluntary contributions since only the portion of OAP earned by working in a job is used in the WEP calculation.

https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-308.pdf

 

[Alan]

I am at the point where I will be applying for my small UK State Pension. I have looked at the application, and since I left the UK in 1982 have little records of date and times that I worked for UK companies. I do remember some names from an old CV I have.

I would request a National Insurance record although you may well be provided this as part of your application. It lists year by year which qualifying years are from work income, voluntary contributions and years credited while in full time education.

Stay at home spouses are also credited with the years they did not work and have 1 or more children under school age. My wife was pleasantly surprised to find she had 7 credited years that she wasn't expecting as this rule wasn't in place back in the 70's and 80's.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I do know that it has to be done by mail Internationally.

I think they charge for phone calls regardless of an individuals phone plan.


Details
Contact the International Pension Centre if you cannot use these forms.

Choose the right form for your State Pension age. Then:

download a copy
fill it in on screen
save it
print it
sign it
post it to the address on the form

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I would request a National Insurance record although you may well be provided this as part of your application. It lists year by year which qualifying years are from work income, voluntary contributions and years credited while in full time education.

Stay at home spouses are also credited with the years they did not work and have 1 or more children under school age. My wife was pleasantly surprised to find she had 7 credited years that she wasn't expecting as this rule wasn't in place back in the 70's and 80's.

DW is not English, so not applicable for state pension. I have the record from when I was verifying my NIS number a few years ago. After Eligible age they do not give you record until one actually applies. (I emailed them, took a week to get an answer but I got one).

 

[Alan]

DW is not English, so not applicable for state pension. I have the record from when I was verifying my NIS number a few years ago. After Eligible age they do not give you record until one actually applies. (I emailed them, took a week to get an answer but I got one).

Did you make any voluntary contributions? When working in a foreign country you can pay Class 2 contributions which most of us did when we moved to the USA as it is dirt cheap (£3/week) You may still be able to pay Class 3 for up to 7 prior years (£15.40/week) and since you are about to receive OAP that is less than a 3 year payback.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

This is an interesting thread.
I left the UK at 21 and it seems to me that they refunded my NIS contributions at the time, maybe it was an option and I took it, I just don't remember. I was considered a Post Office employee but worked for the local Telephone House and came here in the year that they split the Post Office from telecommunications.
I seriously doubt that I would have any kind of pension due and it seems that just recently I came across some old paperwork about my NIS number and tossed it along with a paycheck. Maybe not though since I still have my UK Drivers License in my safe which only expired less than 10 years ago. That was long before the picture ID ones and they lasted more or less forever.
Now I have to go hunt for it just out of curiosity but I don't plan to apply for something that I'm not entitled to or hardly paid into. I might have to mention this to my ex though, he might have some money coming to him. He worked for Timex (union pension?)

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

I too am curious, asking for a friend.

You can start here.

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

It looks like you need to pay into the system for 10 years to qualify so I'm out. Don't forget to also check to see if you quality for that other very important benefit, the free bus pass.

 

[Peter]

I applied about 5 years ago. I seem to remember filling out a form with details of past UK employment, NI number, etc., then mailing it off. It seemed fairly straightforward. In due course, payments started to appear in my US bank account. Don't remember any particular hassles with the process.

 

[Alan]

You can start here.

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

It looks like you need to pay into the system for 10 years to qualify so I'm out. Don't forget to also check to see if you quality for that other very important benefit, the free bus pass.

If you have less than 10 years then you may find it useful to know that there is a totalization agreement between the USA and UK so you may qualify for some credits in your SS. I haven't read it in detail but here it is:

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10199.pdf

Introduction
An agreement between the United States and
the United Kingdom (U.K.) improves Social
Security protection for people who work or
have worked in both countries. It helps many
people who, without the agreement, would not
be eligible for monthly retirement, disability or
survivors benefits under the Social Security
system of one or both countries. It also helps
people who would otherwise have to pay
Social Security taxes to both countries on the
same earnings.

 

[bigreader]

Rules may be different for the UK and it depends on the kind of pension, but I had to apply for my pension in Finland through the US Social Security Office as required by the Totalization Agreement. Finland withholds taxes, I declare income and foreign tax credit and my Social Security payments will be affected by WEP.
I found the application easy enough but the logistics of getting paid painful. Fees are high. I recommend a banking service called Wise which has worked well for me.

br

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I will start the process in the new year and keep you all updated, I anticipate a long drawn our escapade, hopefully I will be surprised.

 

[Alan]

Rules may be different for the UK and it depends on the kind of pension, but I had to apply for my pension in Finland through the US Social Security Office as required by the Totalization Agreement. Finland withholds taxes, I declare income and foreign tax credit and my Social Security payments will be affected by WEP.
I found the application easy enough but the logistics of getting paid painful. Fees are high. I recommend a banking service called Wise which has worked well for me.

br

I also use Wise, very cost effective and easy to use.

 

[Go-NoGo]

I am at the point where I will be applying for my small UK State Pension. I have looked at the application, and since I left the UK in 1982 have little records of date and times that I worked for UK companies. I do remember some names from an old CV I have.

I was reading the Financial times and came across this article which states that pension age is being raised from 55 to 57 and the treasury is taking action to eliminate early access before the new rules kick in. I am not a UK national, so my interpretation might not be correct.

https://www.ft.com/content/2a6ee87e-d330-4c12-adad-cc6dcd345673

UK Treasury in surprise closure of window for savers to beat two-year rise in minimum age for eligibility

Millions of UK retirement savers will be blocked from taking action to preserve access to their pensions at age 55 under a dramatic overnight move by the Treasury.

Savers building retirement pots in defined contribution schemes, which do not guarantee a fixed sum, can currently access their funds when aged 55.

In July, the Treasury confirmed plans to increase this “normal minimum pension age” for defined contribution schemes from 55 to 57 from April 2028*to reflect long-term increases in life expectancy and changing expectations of how long people will remain in work.

..

In a dramatic U-turn announced on Thursday, the Treasury revealed that it had closed the transfer window overnight.
..

 

[Alan]

I was reading the Financial times and came across this article which states that pension age is being raised from 55 to 57 and the treasury is taking action to eliminate early access before the new rules kick in. I am not a UK national, so my interpretation might not be correct.

https://www.ft.com/content/2a6ee87e-d330-4c12-adad-cc6dcd345673

OP is talking about the UK State Pension, equivalent to US SS. This article is about private pension pots, equivalent to 401ks and IRAs. The age for early access to these is being raised to 57.

 

[Cortina]

I was reading the Financial times and came across this article which states that pension age is being raised from 55 to 57 and the treasury is taking action to eliminate early access before the new rules kick in. I am not a UK national, so my interpretation might not be correct.

https://www.ft.com/content/2a6ee87e-d330-4c12-adad-cc6dcd345673

You really mean from 65 to 67 !!

 

[Alan]

You really mean from 65 to 67 !!

No, it is private pensions which are now accessible penalty free at 57 instead of 55. Similar to IRAs in the USA that are only accessible penalty free at 59.5

From the article above

Millions of UK retirement savers blocked from accessing pensions at 55

 

[Cortina]

No, it is private pensions which are now accessible penalty free at 57 instead of 55. Similar to IRAs in the USA that are only accessible penalty free at 59.5

From the article above

Yes, BUT private pensions are NOT "the pension age" !

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I qualified for the UK State Pension 2 years ago but did not claim. Once one qualifies there is no way to get an update of what one will get. Somewhere it says one could get more but is not published as well as in the USA. I hope I do get more than my original amount that was due at the UK full retirement Age. It is a little bit of pot luck as to how much, but as I did not claim it because of the ACA subsidy limits, I am not that bothered. But I will claim it, and see how things fall. I have 11 years of contributions, so I squeezed by.

 

[Go-NoGo]

OP is talking about the UK State Pension, equivalent to US SS. This article is about private pension pots, equivalent to 401ks and IRAs. The age for early access to these is being raised to 57.

I am not familiar with the details of the pension system in the UK, but wanted to pass this information on which I thought would be of interest to our UK readers, thanks for clarifying Alan..

 

[Alan]

I qualified for the UK State Pension 2 years ago but did not claim. Once one qualifies there is no way to get an update of what one will get. Somewhere it says one could get more but is not published as well as in the USA. I hope I do get more than my original amount that was due at the UK full retirement Age. It is a little bit of pot luck as to how much, but as I did not claim it because of the ACA subsidy limits, I am not that bothered. But I will claim it, and see how things fall. I have 11 years of contributions, so I squeezed by.

It goes up 1% for every 9 weeks you defer or 5.8%/year. Just like delaying SS you get more per week the longer you delay claiming benefits.

https://www.gov.uk/deferring-state-pension/what-you-get

If you reach State Pension age on or after 6 April 2016
Your State Pension will increase every week you defer, as long as you defer for at least 9 weeks.

Your State Pension increases by the equivalent of 1% for every 9 weeks you defer. This works out as just under 5.8% for every 52 weeks.

The extra amount is paid with your regular State Pension payment.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

It goes up 1% for every 9 weeks you defer or 5.8%/year. Just like delaying SS you get more per week the longer you delay claiming benefits.

https://www.gov.uk/deferring-state-pension/what-you-get

Thanks.

Funny they do not allow one to see their own actual number on line like the US SS web site.