# Applied for your UK pension? Heard nothing? Read on.



## G.R.H. (Dec 31, 2020)

Greetings to all.
The story so far.
In August 2020 I got my pension letter and applied for my pension - got all the info and sent it off to International Pensions in Wolverhampton; recorded delivery. Was delivered 22 Sept 2020 (I checked) and I got a text message from DWP, saying so too - how nice, and that 'you do not need to contact us.' I also sent a change of address letter as I had moved not long after.

Fast forward to 31/12/2020.
Heard nothing and pension should have been paid last week, so decided to call. The telephone system is broken, you cannot press '3' or any other number, come to that. I had reported this in August when I first called for information. I repeated about it being broken when I finally got through. The guy said he would raise a, ummm erm 'Ticket?' said I helpfully, 'Yes a ticket' he said and put me through to the 'right department'.
The guy in the 'right department' spoke with a soft welsh accent and tum-ti-tummed, as well as making popping noises up and down the scale (C I think) with his tongue, as one might when painting a wall or some such, stopping only to ask questions '... for security'. I gave my credentials. Finally he said 'That's fine, now can I help you?'
I related my plight and he said 'ahhh, yesss, I can see that nu-thing has been done with this application'.
I said 'Before we go any further, can you please check that the address has been changed?'
'Yes' he said and tum-ti-tummed as he ' ... got into the system'. 'Ahh, yesss, I can see your document with the new address but nothing has been done.'
'Well can you please change it?'
'Oh yesss, I will mark it to be done.'
I said 'I don't understand, you have had this information for three months and the pension should have been paid and you are telling me that nothing has been done about it?'
'Yess, that's right...'. And he went on to explain that it's about the covid, see, and that they get on with their work and when someone complains, like you, well, 'They get right onto it'.
'So, you are telling me that my application has been at the bottom of someones pile all this time and nothing has been done about it?'
'Yes, that's right, but I will email my colleagues and get them onto it right away, and they will contact you.'
'When will they contact me?'
'In about two weeks.'
'TWO WEEKS! To answer an email?'
'Well, I don't want to give you mis-leading information.'
So I gave my email and phone number for them to contact me by and asked him to repeat it back, and as it happened he got it wrong - quelle surprise.

By now I was feeling like I had entered the Twilight Zone, the soporific voice lulling me into a drowsy netherworld of pixies and elves and everything was alright after all. Except that it wasn't.
The upshot of all this was that I will be contacted, sorry you have no income 'I can see how that would be problematic' (thank you so much) and I was to expect a phone call today.

As I write this, I have just received a text from the DWP: 'We have processed your State Pension claim. We will send you a letter which will tell you everything you need to know. You do not need to contact us.'

Time will tell.

The moral of this is - you DO need to contact them, very much so.

Thank you for reading.

Update. Just got a call from a very nice lady, everything is sorted and pension will be paid. Very apologetic and she said the previous person was wrong to say the things he did. 
So, if you are still waiting I recommend a call to the office.


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