Northmavine14

Hi Robswife I've reached the conclusion that the British state pension is really unfair. I had 46 years but apparently was still years short. I have given up trying to understand it all. My Aussie years made no difference. The system is in chaos at the moment because they had to send off 500 staff to sort out the errors made years ago when they didn't pay certain women who were entitled to pensions. I haven't got the full pension either but that is due to opting out of the secondary pension whilst in the NHS. I understand that part but still owing years is a mystery to me. Good luck with it all .

Latest - I actually got a call back from someone. It looks like, after all that, the Australian years won't make a difference because everything changed in 2016 and before then I apparently had enough qualifying years to get as much as I can. It is all very complicated. But I will wait for the Anzac form and fill it in anyway because I'm beginning to believe that no one knows what they are talking about! Years after 2016. Of course, the reciprocal agreement has now ended.

Yes I talked to the Future Pension office first that's a free number on 0800 731 0175. They are contacting the tax office to see if paying last years NI contributions (I was furloughed and didn't earn enough) will make any difference, which I think it will, and explained a bit about the contracted out portion. They told me to call the International Pensions office. I have phoned the DWP 6 times and written to them (got zero response) and no one advised me to call the International Pensions office. No one knows what they are doing and you ask for help and advice and get nowhere. One person told me to be patient, I could have throttled her! I am a WASPI woman and have had to wait 6 years extra for my pension and am still working! On a news thread this morning, I saw an article about the very head of DWP liking karaoke and apparently she was having a whale of a time last Christmas as well whilst we were all in grim lockdown! That didn't help! If I get round to it eventually I will write to her and tell her the problems I have had. Surely the bureaucracy in Oz isn't as bad???!!! I just hope I actually did pay into the Australian system after all this. Can't imagine I didn't as I had legit jobs with proper payslips etc. I was on a working holiday visa but did get permanent residence status for awhile too. It was all so much easier then from what I read about comments on Pomsinoz. Of course, no longer have that. Thank you again for your interest. It really helps.

Hi Guys! Unbelievable. I phoned the Future Pension Service and they told me to phone the International Pension Service. Oh joy! I actually got through to a wonderful young person called Frank (I love him) He told me that as soon as I mentioned Australia on my application form I should have been referred to them about my years there. He is sending me out some Anzac form to fill in and they will take it from there. I just have to give as many details as I can. He talked about the reciprocal agreement between the UK and Australia, Canada and NZ. He said they would contact the Australian state pension office. He knew exactly where I was coming from and understood my frustration. For anyone out there in the same situation I hope this helps: International Pensions number is 0800 731 0341 but Frank (who deals with Australia obviously) has his own number! 0191 218 7777 option 3. I told him about all the things I was told in 2016 I would need but he said I just had to fill the form in! Talk about lack of communication and no one singing from the same hymn sheet! This has caused me sleepless nights galore. So frustrating. Every year counts for me as I was contracted out via the NHS. Strangely enough Frank told me mine was the 2nd call he taken on this this morning! Thanks guys again and Merry Christmas. I will get back on this thread and let you know what happens.

Thank you again Nicky Nook. I will endeavour to contact the ATO and request the tax statements. I hadn't even thought of that. Well Marisawright, you are right. When I wrote in 2016 to ask in advance what to do (as I suspected something like this would happen). I asked where to write to etc but they didn't say anything, just that I couldn't do much til I actually applied and now that I have this has happened. They haven't taken any notice and it has taken ages to get my letter. I think I am going to start the process of dispute and then try and get the documentation together but I am slowly giving up hope of getting anywhere. It is so annoying. Thank you again for your interest and help. I will let you know if I get anywhere!

Ah yes that's where it gets complicated. I have reached the age of 66 and find myself a WASPI woman, having already waited 6 extra years for my pension. I have worked full time all my life. However, back in the 80s and 90s I opted out which is something we could do in the NHS and I now find I am apparently 6 years short. None of it makes any sense and getting info is an absolute nightmare from the DWP etc. So, my Australian years would make a difference.Thank you again for taking an interest. I am very grateful.

Thank you so much for the link! Hi Marisawright, well I was given the same info when I wrote in 2016. I don't know if you have actually applied for your State Pension yet in the UK but this is what has happened to me - I applied online and stated the dates I lived and worked in Australia as requested. The form asked for nothing more. I have waited and waited and waited - finally received my first payment without any details whatsoever about how they arrived at the amount awarded. This arrived the following day and there was nothing about my Australian years except a comment which made little sense but it was clear that nothing had been added. As far as I know every qualifying year adds £5 a week to the pension so it may not sound like a lot but it is definitely worth having in this day and age! It is like treading mud getting anything sensible out of the DWP at the moment. I won't be able to get tax certificates or references but I have my passport and my old visa number, addresses, work details etc and 2 people who would vouch for me but, as said, nothing was asked for. I feel I should just give up but I the way the DWP has carried on I just can't at the moment! Many thanks. Are you back in the UK now? I look at this thread a lot, often wondering what my life would have been like if I had returned to Australia in the 80s!

Thank you! I have just been trying to look for more info. Tax File Number? Do you have a contact number or email or address for the Australian Tax Office as I haven't a clue? I've looked in old diaries and I just seem to have noted my work serial number which I don't suppose is my TFN. I won't be able to access the Australian equivalent of the UK government gateway online as it's been so long so I suspect I will have to write to them or preferably email them. I honestly thought that the DWP here would do all that but no it would seem not. Thank you again.

I'm hoping someone can help me! I lived and worked in Australia for 3 years in the 80s. I am now claiming my UK State pension but being young and naive back then I didn't save any payslips or anything. I worked full time then. I have always been led to believe that there is/was back then some kind of reciprocal agreement between the UK and Australia that would go towards a pension either here or there. But now I am not so sure. The Department of Work and Pensions here are no help whatsoever . Has anyone else been in this situation? Where could I find out my Australian "national insurance number" (if such a thing even exists) or am I even entitled to try and add those years to my qualifying years for the state pension here? This is a salient lesson for anyone out there to save documentation! I would be grateful for any advice at all as this is driving me nuts! Thank you to anyone who has a clue as I am totally out of date with life in Australia now, it must be so different to how I remember my time there.

Nothing like a bit of conflicting advice to make you feel confident in the system!! :arghh: The person I spoke to was quite adamant that I couldn't do anything about it until I actually applied for my State Pension and then they would investigate. However, because of the 35 years I already have it wouldn't make any difference (allegedly!!) Good luck with your investigations and applications and hope it all works out for you!

Have been investigating more! To get the full UK state pension it is still 35 years completed NI contributions. I contacted the International Pensions Centre in the UK and it is only at the time of applying for the pension do they investigate and contact Australia themselves to see if I have anything due from there. As I already would have 35 years without that 3 years I worked in Oz it won't affect my pension. I can't see me having anything due because someone has written here you have to have at least 10 years but it would appear that it won't affect me, I have still slogged for 38 years so far and still have a reduced UK pension because of all the contracted out stuff (another story!). Hope this helps in the future for anyone in my position. It is a minefield out there! Thanks again everyone!

Thanks to you all for your help! All very useful. Yes, I do believe that 3 years makes a difference. The lesson here is, if you have lived in more than one country, keep a note of NI number, payslips, everything I guess! The government gateway site in the UK is incredibly useful http://www.gateway.gov.uk/ for anyone wanting to check up on their UK pension, NHS pension, tax, NI payments. Does anyone know if there is a similar website for Australia? I am guessing I will need to contact the Australian tax office as above for starters. Thanks again, you are a grand bunch of folk!

Hi Everyone, Just wanted to say how much I enjoy reading this forum! I lived in Australia for 3 years back in the 80s and really loved it but am guessing so many things have changed since, like everywhere. I met some lovely people who I will remember forever, people from other countries as well as Australians and Brits. Funnily enough I didn't realise just how homesick I had been until I actually returned home and that was after 6 months here! Anyway, I wondered if anyone out there can help me? I worked full time in Australia for 3 years, paying tax and all the rest. However, stupidly I kept no paper record of this and within the next 5 years I will be claiming my "old age" pension. Those years are missing from my record and things have changed here recently it would seem and this means some kind of reduced pension for me. I am keen to know which organisation I would contact in Australia to get some proof of what I paid as I was always led to believe that there is a reciprocal agreement between Australia and the UK in this matter. Would be grateful for any snippets of info. I have looked on Google but remain confused! Many thanks