Readers Question:
I am due to receive my state pension in November 2012 will I receive this automatically or will I have to apply for it?
My response:
The Pension Service should write to you four months before you are due to receive your pension. As you have not received any correspondence yet it is very likely that some of your information held on file is incorrect. The most common problem is an incorrect address, resulting from The Pension Service not being informed of your new address when you moved home.
You can inform them of your new address by phoning 08456 060 265.
Once you start receiving your state pension The Pension Service require you to inform them of certain changes in your circumstances, so I thought it might be helpful to detail these.
What constitutes a 'change in circumstances'?
- personal information - for example, your bank details or death of a partner or spouse
- living circumstances - for example, moving home or going into hospital
- financial situation - for example, receiving other benefits
You need to tell The Pension Service about any changes in your circumstance so that you're paid the right amount and get the right benefits. A change in circumstances could include any of the following:
Your personal information
- your bank details
- a change of address
- your name
- your status as disabled or no longer disabled
- marital status
- a civil partnership
- the death of a partner or spouse
- voluntary work status
- your partner or spouse moves in with you or moves away
Your home
- you move home
- you or someone you claim for goes into hospital
- you go into custody serving a court-imposed sentence
- you go into residential care or a nursing home
- your mortgage or loan is paid off or increases
- someone comes to live in your house
You should contact The International Pension Centre if you move abroad
Your financial situation
- if you get any other benefits
- changes to your income
- changes to your savings or investments
- your occupational pension
- you start or stop doing paid work
If you receive Pension Credit and have been awarded an Assessed Income Period, you don’t need to tell The Pension Service about changes to your:
- savings and investments
- occupational pensions
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