George Osbourne during his Budget speech mentioned that people from now on will be able to take all their pension in cash or put into other investments etc of their choosing. They will have to pay tax on the amount they take from their pension pot. My question is can existing pensioners who entered into an annuity pension in the last five years as at that time annuity plans were about the best things on offer to be able to receive a monthly income, go back to their Pension providers and be able to cancel their annuity pensions and opt for the cash instead

Hi I have received letter from Pension Credit saying the are may phone me to make sure I am getting the right amount of Benefit after 3 years I am expecting a review I have nothing to hide Is it normal for them to write and ask me to supply financial details over the phone:!: I am very wary of anything that may be a [problem] I have tried to contact Pension Credit without success

Today I contacted the Pension Service to advise them of a change of circumstances and that we now receive an occupational pension payment every three months in arrears. The annual amount is only £360. This is paid quarterly in arrears so about £90 per quarter. They wanted to know the amount after tax. We get Pension Credit plus housing & council tax benefits so actual income is way less than the tax threshold so don't understand why they want to until we have had our first payment before they acknowledge change of circumstances? You try and do the right thing and end up being shot down! Please advsie.

My mum has the opportunity to top up £4k to get near enough the full state pension (due to start in June this year). She was missing a few years of contributions and by topping up, the extra money each week will mean that she will get it all back in about 3 years. I thought it sounded like a 'no brainer' if she has the funds which she does. However, people keep telling her (friend, relatives) that there is no point as the government are going to make the state pension the same for everybody despite contribution levels. I can't find anything about this? Thoughts? Top-up a good idea or wasted money?

Hi, My father-in-law received an overpayment on his private pension just before he died last year. Unfortunately he left nothing in his estate (apart from about £6k of debt). Now the pension company is demanding repayment of the overpayment from his widow, who was part of his scheme. I realise that a wife (or anyone else for that matter) is not responsible for her husbands debts when they are solely in his name. However, as she is receiving part of the pension, they are demanding that the overpayment be taken from her pension payments. I`m a bit stuck, as the pension is "sort of" linked between them but as far as I can see she shouldn`t be penalised, as the overpayment went into the black hole of his debts when he died. As you can imagine, my mother-in-laws finances aren`t brilliant either so, although it`s only about £100, it`s going to be a bit of a knock. Are they able to demand this or are they just trying it on in the hope that she accepts the debt? Any advice gratefully received. Thanks, Paul

Hi to everyone on the CAG forum. I have been a "lurker" for quite a while and was recently asked for help by a good friend who is totally computer illiterate. She works as a nurse looking after handicapped children and has done so for all her working life. Way back she was persuaded by the NHS to "opt out" of her pension scheme. After 13 years out of the NHS scheme she was warned that her pension had sufferred and advised to opt back in. This she did, but on recently checking her pension forecasts, she finds her pension is a shadow of what it would have been if she had stayed in. Is there any pension advice or anyone who can help on the forum please. If so it would be much appreciated. All the best Ian

So, I got the letter yesterday advising me that my CB ESA will finish in June. Nothing more, nothing about changing over to IB. As I'm already on Pension Credit would it simply be the easier option to dump ESA all together and just go onto full PC? Im 65 in 2015.

Hi, I wonder if anyone could give me some advice on a matter involving my father and the DWP. My father has worked all his life and has not claimed benefit and last year he reached pension age and was informed that some DWP debt recovery department were going to make deductions from my fathers pension in relation to FRAUD case that apparently had been heard in court in 1994. My father has never been convicted of a crime let alone fraud like the DWP keep saying. They say my father owe them +£5k which the court ordered he paid and costs to the court. We have contacted the court that the DWP say the case was heard at to which they say they have no record what so ever of any court case taking place in my fathers name I asked the court if they would just allow somebody that's been ordered to pay the court costs just to walk away without paying they say they would pursue anyone who done that but they again insisted that no case has ever been heard there and that the court have no intention of chasing my father for court costs this call was recorded with the court. We went back to the DWP advising that the court has no record of any such case that they claim took place to which the DWP just do not care and have said that any appeal is to late and my father still has to pay this money regardless of anything?? Also previous the DWP has said they have CCTV images of him in a post office to which now they admit this was false information and they do NOT have this. They now say they have a piece of paper that was written in 1994 from another department saying this case happened so that's what they rely on but as they keep saying regardless of anything my fathers too late to appeal and been told the deductions will continue. I really do not know what to do as DWP will not listen and my father is struggling with the deductions being made as he is not working the hours he used to at work now due to his age. In all this the DWP discussed this with myself without my fathers authorization and the DWP were more than happy to discuss the whole thing including this phantom court case amounts owed the lot to which was caught on tape and thinking of getting my father to raise a complaint that they have committed a serious breach of the DPA by discussing this with myself without his permission i was also able to get documents sent to my father which were useless but the fact remains i was able to do this without my fathers permission. Should he pursue them on this??? My father is very upset that they have labelled him a criminal and continue to take this money when all he has done is work all his life and never been on the wrong side of the law. Is there anything else we can do to get this sorted out as DWP say they have no other paperwork to send to my father they keep saying its been over 19 years and we should not expect them to have this information but they expect to slander my father with false accusations and take money from his pension. The DWP seem to make there own rules up as they go along. Any advice would be so much appreciated as i feel really angry that we can prove what there saying is rubbish but they wont listen hiding behind the fact we run out of time to appeal. Thank You

Hello can anyone help me, I have sent off my ESA50 a few weeks ago and I receive DLA and I.B.my wife also gets care allowance and income support, If I should happen to lose my benefits I know my wife would lose hers. I'm 65 in about 18mths so could I claim as a married couple only my wife has been told she will not get her pension till she is around 64,I hope I have made myself understood and thankyou for any replies.

Hello all Thought I would seek advice on this issue, I have a private pension through my employer with a well known provider, today I logged onto my on line account to down load my yearly statement, and to see how my pension investments were doing, I pressed the print button, without reading the statement first, after printing I started to read the statement contents, and thought these figures don't sound correct, looking further into the statement, I noted the account number wasn't mine, further looking, everything was wrong, the statement in fact belongs to another person, I telephoned the pension provider, explained that I had logged into my account, printed what I thought was my yearly statement, and noted the statement isn't mine, provider has now frozen my account and the person whom the statement belongs to, until they investigate what has happened. At this time the other person will be unaware that I now have all there personnel details, address, employer, contributions, figures, dob, everything that is personal to this other person. I now await the investigation from this provider......... I have made three 0845 telephone calls to report this, will I be able to claim these costs back, and what final outcome should I seek when there do contact me in due course, should I contact the person I now have the details for, to let them know what has happened ? thoughts please.......

I have a property with no equity in it after repaying mortage and other loans. I have been trying to sell this for some time and in order to pay the mortgage to avoid repossession I rented it out until it sold, , although the rental does not actually cover the mortgage payment - so there is no real income from rental. I have no other income/savings and have been staying in another property owned by my late wife (again no equity in it). As I AM trying to sell my property and get no disposable income from it, does this affect my entitlement to Guaranteed Pension Credit?

Hello everyone. (I am a newbie) I am trying to take up a complaint of the Mis-selling of a pension. I have all the details of the pension, date sold, policy no, value etc and also the company who sold me the pension. I am not sure if I am allowed to mention the companies by name, don't want to get into trouble with my first post On the 22.10.2013, I phoned the company who sold me the pension and they advised me to send an email, to which I did on the same day. I never received any confirmation of my email, and nobody contacted me. On the 29.10.2013, I phoned the company again and was informed he couldn't understand why nobody was dealing with the complaint and as advised to send the email again with "for the attention of Mr.(the chap I was speaking to), to which I did on the same day, again I never received any confirmation of my email, and nobody contacted me. On the 07.11.2013, I phoned the company yet again and talked to a different employee and she couldn't find the emails I had sent, even though the first employee I had spoken to, had seen the first email I had sent, she advised me to send the email yet again, this time I made the email high priority and asked for a return receipt, I sent the email on the same day, again I never received any confirmation of my email, and nobody contacted me. I have to be honest and say they were very patient and helpful on the phone, and I am very surprised that nobody contacted me. I don't hold up much hope of getting a good result with the mis-sold pension anyway as we are going back to 1990, but I would at least like to get information from the company and then I could consider whether I would pursue this matter. What advice would you give, should I phone them yet again or should I send a registered letter, or something else. Thank You Wayne

hi experts, i am soon to be retired on ill health grounds and am allowed to take my pension early. my first question is - if i take the 25% lump sum will it have an effect on my benefit entitlements which are currently child tax credit and contribution based employment support allowance for which i am in the support group. my second question is - i have a capital value of £63000 built up in the pension but the transfer rate i have been quoted is £84000. shouldn't these figures be the same? regards

Hi Currently in receipt of contributory ESA plus pension credit ESA runs out in may next year but was told I was given an ESA review date in 2015 any one know whether I will stay on Pension Credit or whether I will need to claim Income based ESA/ universal credit I reach retirement age in sept 15

What happens if the claimant me (currently claiming JSA on the Work Programme) becomes eligible for Pension Credit during the period on the Work Programme? Income increases to full-time minimum wage rates. Do I still have to participate on the Work Programme I have already started with over a year to go? The Work Programme is of no practical use and it includes the possibility of sanctions so I would sooner not be on it as the advice given is not satisfactory. I don't mind working in suitable jobs (still applying) but there is always the question of half suitable jobs which will then not become economically worthwhile. At the moment I am applying for these without terrific enthusiasm. This is based on something interesting might come up. Can I work self-employed part-time and still get Pension Credit? Is my income then deducted from any amount I might get from my Pension Credit or is there an amount I can earn before the deduction happens?

I'm on Pension credit and ESA. Last week I got a letter from the Pensions service advising me of a Winter Fuel Payment of £200. I thought it was probably a mistake but, lo and behold, on checking my account this morning I have £200 deposited!! I thought the WFP was £135 not £200??

Hello I am need of a bid of advice please my father sadly passed away in September and he had a private works pension he used to get money from each month. I contacted them straight away but I have received a letter saying that I am not entitled to any money it says your father is not survived by a spouse under the rues of the scheme there are no further benefits payable. my father was divorced but my mam passed away in 2009 I have no idea how these things work I am the only child. Is the following information correct please I have no idea a big thank you for any advice.

If there is a claim for Pension Credit made, the amount of State Retirement pension is deducted from it. That seems totally logical to me. If however you choose not to claim the pension for whatever reason AND make a claim for Pension Credit you cannot enhance the level of that pension either to obtain a future lump sum or an increase in the pension. I then read that if you do not claim the pension AND claim Pension Credit, the amount of the pension you are deemed to be entitled to will be deducted from the Pension Credit award in any event? As there appears to be a cut off of 12 months to make a claim for your pension, what I would like to know is: If someone claims Pension Credit and does not make a claim for their State Pension for say 9 years and as you can only reclaim the past 12 months, what happens to the missing 8 years in that example? I do hope that the answer isn't that the government take it? The reason I ask is that the friend I am trying to advise appears to have this problem. I have tried to reconcile their total income, have looked at their Pension Credit award notice which shows a deduction for his wife's pension, yet she appears not to have claimed it for the past 9 years - she is 69 and older than my friend by 5 years. The current deduction level is £64.27 per week. They have an AIP that ends next February on the date of my friends 65th birthday. In round figures she is owed approx. £30,000, which if the claim is only limited to 12 months, she would only receive approx. £3300 - it's the missing £26700 that I am concerned about.

I am in receipt of a UK pension of £78-94 , I retired in 2002 and my pension has been paid since 2002 in Sth Africa where I lived. I do not have a uk passport , and never applied for one. I came back to the UK in June 2013 on a Polish passport as the UK authorities in Pretoria would not renew my British travel Document. The DWP is using the right to reside test to stop me claiming UK State pension credit. This test was designed to stop EU nationals that have not contributed to the UK system from obtaining benefits. I have paid into the UK system for over 30 years , how can they justify using this test to stop me claiming State Pension credit What can i do , can I take them to court I am now 76 yrs old. I came back to the UK in June 2013 , and after sending them letters and phone calls they respond with the same standard letter , what can I do ? Please can someone offer me advise on how to proceed , i cannot afford solicitors.

Hi, My husband has been charged with fraudulently claiming HRM over 9 years he has pleaded not guilty and it now going to crown court. The DLA has stopped payment on top of that they are taking back the 32.000 they say he owes them at the same rate as they were paying him i.e £50.00 per week out of his state pension. Even though he has not been found guilty. Is there anyway we can appeal this deduction until the trial has finished as we are on the whole nearly£100 down .?

I've been asked, but don't know- any advice gratefully received as usual. A feller bought it in the early days of the Business, so for the last 10 (? -not sure as to exact dates, can confirm) years his widow has been receiving his pension; she has now informed the MoD that she is about to begin co-habiting (having been single until then) so no longer can claim it, all honest and above board it seemed to me. The MoD have now requested she REPAY the last x-amount of years worth of pension they have paid her. Are they for real?! I assume- and hope- they can't do that? TYVMIA

Hi I decided to take voluntary redundancy, there are 3 more wage payments between now and leaving so I worked out that if I cancel the pension contributions immediately I take an extra £650 Gross salary total. This is what I want to do as the money will most certainly benefit me now more than in 30 years (2037). I have 9 and half years of contributions so its a good size fund sat waiting for me to use it in years to come. I contacted the payroll and pensions department and told them I wanted to cancel with immediate effect, they looked into it and told me their procedures state 60 days notice to cancel contributions. I asked if I signed a contract to this effect. The woman didnt know but said the rules were the rules. To the best of my knowledge these are just internal rules so if I want to pull the plug I can just do this. I mean who are they to tell me what I can and cant spend my wages on? Any help appreciated Thanks

My mother has a small work's pension that she has been getting for 6 years, it was actually my deceased father's and now she gets 50% of it for him, she's currently 61. The pension used to be £87 a month and the government were taking £20 but it's now £51 and they're still taking the amount from it, but that's not the point of the post. For weeks now her benefits have been being reduced/ cut off temporarily, and putting her into rent arrears with the council. The DWP have asked for information on the pension, and she has given it to them time and time again. The pension switched from one company to another at one point, around the time the trouble started, and she has handed them letters. She gave them a letter from the original company saying that the pension was being transferred to the new one. She gave them a letter from the new one saying they were taking over the pension. She's given them P60's and an assortment of information. This has been an on-going thing for a month or more now. They're now asking for a pension statement, which she has never had even once for the pension and have cut off all of her benefits, including housing. She's been to citizens' advice, she's explained the situation to the housing department and managed to settle one set of rent arrears(more incoming, now) and she just can't seem to get through to the DWP the exact details of the pension that is causing so much problems. She has no more information she could possibly hand them, and they still inquire about it. She feels as though they suspect she has more money coming in than she does, and can't seem to make them understand that all she is getting is £51 a month from it. All the income she has had is ESA, Housing benefit and that pension. She's been told she isn't entitled to income support or any other additional support. Does anyone have any suggestions for what she could do next?

My father in law, who is 83, has received a notice asking for a substantial repayment of overpayments to him over a period of 10yrs of pension credits. Whilst there is probably no dispute that his circumstances changed, which he unwittingly did not inform the DWP of, it has come as a complete shock that he has now has this large debt. He has little savings and no means by which to repay this amount living only on his state pension plus minimal disability benefit. My question is can DWP force him and his wife to selll their house or raid what little savings they have, or do they look to put a payment schedule in place which is means tested. Can they put a charge on the house pending death or does the debt potentially die with him. Hope someone can point us in the right direction, with 2 very worried old people. Many thanks.

Hi All, Id like some advice please for my lovely mother-in-law. She's 69 now and was divorced from her husband back in Feb 2007. She called the DWP to inform them of the change in her circumstances, to see where she stands regarding her and her ex-husband's pensions. she was told that she couldn't claim a pension until her ex-husband was 65, so she left it at that. Whilst on the phone to the DWP a short while ago she mentioned this situation to the agent, and they said that she WAS entitled to a pension from the date of her divorce back in 2007. If this were true, it would mean a back payment of approx £25k. So, my mother-in-law actioned a claim for the back payment. Last week she got a letter back from the DWP saying that she wasnt entitled to the back pay "because the claim or change of circumstances was not received within the time limits". She is 100% sure that she phoned the DWP back in 2007 to inform them of her divorce and distinctly remembers the advice that she was given, however because it was so long ago, she has no way of proving this. Does anyone have any advice for her or any ideas on what she can do next? Kind Regards EOS-5D