The Advice Thread

[sycophantia]

Not sure what else you can do except badger them by phone.
I've often found it a faff to get on that site.
As for your actual forecast, I think you need 35 years of NI payments (from the age of 21) to qualify for the maximum amount.
Good luck.

 

[leedswolf]

Did you ever have a UK driving licence? If so it is valid until your 70th birthday. Perhaps you could contact DVLA? Do to have a record of your NI number?

 

[Wolftone]

Thanks guys. I know I won't get the full entitlement (these days)
I did make additional contributions in the past to give me thirty years N.I. but then they moved the goalposts, surprise, surprise.
Will contact DVLA and see what they say.
Thanks again.

 

[jlo]

Asked chatgpt for you @Wolftone, as interested in the answer too. I also think AI is quite likely to be the way society goes for answers to things like this, but it does have it's faults... anyway, what it said:

You’re not missing anything — the Gov.uk Gateway is rigid and if you don’t have 2 of the 3 IDs it wants, you simply won’t get through.

What does work:
Call the Future Pension Centre (not generic DWP) and say clearly that you’re overseas and cannot pass the digital ID checks. Ask for a State Pension forecast via post or secure email.
Ask specifically for a BR19 form. That’s the paper pension forecast request. They can post it internationally (and sometimes email it). Don’t rely on “we’ll send it” unless BR19 is mentioned.
If you have access to a UK correspondence address (family, trusted contact), you can use that temporarily for DWP mail. This is common for people abroad and doesn’t affect residency or tax status.

Sadly, this is a known expat problem rather than user error.

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

I called in August and asked how much additional contributions I would have to make to receive the full amount. The bloke said he would pass it on to the right department and they would email me - and made me think that would be same day. In my dreams! I called again a month later and was told they are very busy and it takes several months to reply.
I dont remember who I called, but the phone number (from abroad) was +441912187777

 

[leedswolf]

I dont remember who I called, but the phone number (from abroad) was +441912187777

That's the International Pension Centre.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

I called in August and asked how much additional contributions I would have to make to receive the full amount. The bloke said he would pass it on to the right department and they would email me - and made me think that would be same day. In my dreams! I called again a month later and was told they are very busy and it takes several months to reply.
I dont remember who I called, but the phone number (from abroad) was +441912187777

The delays are extremely long as there was a cut off point earlier in the year to buy years from before a certain date and Money saving expert Martin Lewis highlighted it and as a result they were inundated.

 

[Wolftone]

The delays are extremely long as there was a cut off point earlier in the year to buy years from before a certain date and Money saving expert Martin Lewis highlighted it and as a result they were inundated.

It was as bad two or three years ago. Pathetic service.
Is it still based in Newcastle?
The recent meaningless letter I got came from Wolverhampton.

 

[leedswolf]

It was as bad two or three years ago. Pathetic service.
Is it still based in Newcastle?
The recent meaningless letter I got came from Wolverhampton.

01912 is a Tyneside (and surrounding) area code...

 

[Wolftone]

01912 is a Tyneside (and zurroundung) area code...

Oh, yeah, of course.
Why aye

 

[Dennisons Wrong Foot]

It was as bad two or three years ago. Pathetic service.
Is it still based in Newcastle?
The recent meaningless letter I got came from Wolverhampton.

I also got an email with a Wolverhampton address, but the bloke i spoke with was based in N Ireland.