UK State pension to a Filipina widow of a British man.

[mickcant]

Hi all,
A Filipina ex neighbour of mine, whose husband died on September 12th 2009, while they were both living in the UK.

The widow a Filipina then moved back to the Philippines last week of October 2009.

Applied for her widows pension first week of August 2011, from the Philippines.

Was due to received her State Pension November 6, 2011, but nothing has to date been paid into her Philippine bank account.
The problem she now has is in trying to phone the Pension service and the cost
I have suggested she use Skype and buy credit for cheaper calls but she does not seem able to grasp it.

Any thoughts or suggestions please,
Mick.

[Terpe]

Hi all,
A Filipina ex neighbour of mine, whose husband died on September 12th 2009, while they were both living in the UK.

The widow a Filipina then moved back to the Philippines last week of October 2009.

Applied for her widows pension first week of August 2011, from the Philippines.

Was due to received her State Pension November 6, 2011, but nothing has to date been paid into her Philippine bank account.
The problem she now has is in trying to phone the Pension service and the cost
I have suggested she use Skype and buy credit for cheaper calls but she does not seem able to grasp it.

Any thoughts or suggestions please,
Mick.

This sounds a tough one Mick. It's often difficult to contact these people.

The only suggestion I can offer concerning contacts is the contact webpage for The International Pension Centre here

Details for Fax contact as well a a link for e-mail contact are included.
The other option is that she authorises a third-party here in UK to act on her behalf and then that person handles everything.

I know you didn't ask about the details of claiming, but she should have claimed within 3 months of the death of her spouse. The widows pension no longer exists, it's called Bereavement Payment (one-of immediate payment of £2500) and Bereavement Allowance (a regular payment based on the NI contributions of the deceased spouse and paid for a maximum one year only)

In connection with her state pension, did she make a claim? Does she have any entitlement?
Again it's difficult to comment without having some details. But anyway she should still use the same contact details of International Pension Centre.

Can't suggest anything else Mick.

[mickcant]

Thank you Terpe
No I did not like to press for too much personal information!

I will pass on your thoughts, it should help her.
Mick.

[mickcant]

Hi Terpe,
Just to let you know she has said:
"I have sent the email from the link you have attached and automatically got their response...It said; they will give me the answer in 10 working days and if they can't give me the full answer of my query, then will tell me what to do next..."

So so far job done
Mick.

[Terpe]

Hi Terpe,
Just to let you know she has said:
"I have sent the email from the link you have attached and automatically got their response...It said; they will give me the answer in 10 working days and if they can't give me the full answer of my query, then will tell me what to do next..."

So so far job done
Mick.

Well done Mick, lets hope all goes well.
Entitlement to state pension is not quite as simple as it might seem