Bureaucracy

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Allan
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Bureaucracy

Post by Allan »

Early this year, I became eligible for a UK state pension. The official line was that I should apply through my pension provider (CIPAV) in France who would then consolidate my pension from the UK and my pension from France.

I wrote to them in January and heard nothing so I telephoned the UK pensions office who said it was fine to claim through them and they would notify the French authorities. The UK processed my claim and have been paying me since April.

Today I finally heard from CIPAV (after 11 months) with no information just a form to fill in.

I try not to indulge in French-bashing but this just seems like bureaucratic incompetence.

I have since found out that because I am still working, if I claim my French Pension then they will still continue charging me as in the past but those contributions would not count towards my pension.

So my advice to anyone is claim through the UK and be careful when you claim your French pension.
martyn94
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Re: Bureaucracy

Post by martyn94 »

Allan wrote:Early this year, I became eligible for a UK state pension. The official line was that I should apply through my pension provider (CIPAV) in France who would then consolidate my pension from the UK and my pension from France.

I wrote to them in January and heard nothing so I telephoned the UK pensions office who said it was fine to claim through them and they would notify the French authorities. The UK processed my claim and have been paying me since April.

Today I finally heard from CIPAV (after 11 months) with no information just a form to fill in.

I try not to indulge in French-bashing but this just seems like bureaucratic incompetence.

I have since found out that because I am still working, if I claim my French Pension then they will still continue charging me as in the past but those contributions would not count towards my pension.

So my advice to anyone is claim through the UK and be careful when you claim your French pension.
The delays in paying out ordinary French pensions became such a scandal that the Govt had to bung the caisses a wodge of extra money to reduce the backlog, and then passed a décret, in force just recently, saying that it has to be paid within 4 months (!) of your submitting your dossier. So long as it's considered to be complete, which still leaves room for a world of grief. More here


http://www.social-sante.gouv.fr/informa ... 14828.html

Not my own situation happily.

Thanks for the news that the UK will still pay it direct (contrary, as you say, to the official line). I was quite happy with the prospect of some income in sterling and was mildly disappointed that the possibility seemed to have disappeared.
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