Cypriot Pension paid to UK - is there anything else I can do?

[PhotoLady]

Excellent, Maggie
Thank you very much for that.
It means I can fly off on holiday at the weekend, feeling more settled about the future!

I shall sit back and keep an eye on my bank account.

Are Cyprus pensions paid on a specific date each month for everyone do you know?

I'm still trying to get my head around the 4 weekly payments from my UK government one. I've had to write it on a calendar for this year.
I think the double payment in one calendar month is in October for me.

Many thanks again for all your help Maggie xx

Cheers, Shell

[Maggie B]

Nae probs Shell.

Our pensions get paid monthly. Usually on the last Thursday or Friday of the month.

Easter is an exception when you get paid approximately 2 weeks early and then in December you will get a double payment because in Cyprus they make 13 payments per year.

Yep, just a wee bit different to the UK.

Have a FAB holiday.

Maggie B x

[PhotoLady]

Maggie B,

I got a short email from Cyprus this morning to confirm I will definitely be receiving a monthly pension payment.

That was a nice start to the day

We took ourselves off on the bus to Arrecife and had a wander around the old town area, where we sat and had a drink and a pizza at one of the bars around the small boat harbour there.

We're here for another week.

Cheers, Shell

[Maggie B]

Hey Shell, I hope you are enjoying the 'windy' Island. It was certainly windy the last time we were in Arrecife. Wonderful all the same.

Off to Kefalknia for us soon. Never been before so excited for a new adventure.

Hopefully, this topic will help others who find themselves in the same position as us. It can't just be the two of us. Can it???

Maggie B

[PhotoLady]

Hi Maggie,

I'm sure there must be more than just us and yes; let's hope it will help others who find themselves in a similar position.

Once I got in contact with Andreas it was like having a personal hotline and, oddly enough I was chatting online with a friend who moved to Cyprus at the same time as we did and they had to go through the same procedure, dealing with K. Andreas.

We each agreed, the man should have a pay rise

We have a few more days in Lanzarote, heading back to UK in the early part of next week.

Have an enjoyable trip to EFL.

We're not totally convinced Lanzarote is going to become a permanent winter destination for us. It certainly has lots of eateries, bars and restaurants as well entertainment but, the Irish influence is somewhat overpowering.

We liked the old town of Arrecife and also Tias, the old town area of Puerto del Carmen. A revisit to Costa Teguise was disappointing, although we did manage to find the apartment complex we first stayed at back in 1996.

Look after yourself Maggie and, thank you for your help here.

Cheers,
Shell xx

[PhotoLady]

A quick update to this thread....

Exactly as Maggie B advised - today (the last Thursday of the month), my first proper monthly Cyprus pension payment - has dropped into my newly created UK bank account.

It seems that my accumulated Social Insurance contributions payments whilst working in Cyprus for a little under 12 years, did count for something after all.

Someone told me in this thread, that I wouldn't get anything... So it really does show that each individual case scenario is different.

It felt like plaiting sawdust for a while, with providing information and paperwork without any indication as to whether my pension claim was eligible.

For anyone who has returned to UK after working in Cyprus, when you are 3 months away from your date to receive your UK pension - be sure to contact both the DWP office and the International DWP office (also based in UK).

I used the online Contact forms on the official website to start my claim. A lengthy process indeed, but don't give up!

[PhotoLady]

Hmmm, I just checked my online account and my monthly Cypriot pension payment doesn't appear to have hit my UK bank account today - anyone else in the UK experienced the same thing, please?

[Kissos]

Hubbi not received his here in Cyprus

[PhotoLady]

Thanks, sounds like something is going on then.

[PhotoLady]

Update:
Received this morning

[Maggie B]

Hi Shell

The other thing I meant to tell you is; after approximately three years they will send you a form to complete confirming you are 'still on this planet' and that you are entitled to receive your pension. You have to get it signed and stamped by a Notary, Solicitor etc. Our Solicitor always does it for free.

Kind Regards

Maggie B

[PhotoLady]

That should be fun!

It's something I had to do when I lived in Cyprus for one of my UK pensions, but without having to resort to a solicitor.

[Anarita John]

I'm sure your pension providors will be glad to know you are still alive.

[Anarita John]

I'm sure your pension providors will be glad to know you are still alive.

[PhotoLady]

Hi Maggie

My letter arrived when we were away on holiday.
Now, the task of finding someone locally who can sign and stamp it.
Apparently, Councillors can sign but I don't believe ours have an official stamp and we don't have a solicitor.

[Maggie B]

So sorry Shell, I have only just seen your post!

I honestly believe the Cypriot Authorities are not as pedantic as they used to be and you will be fine with a signature and some sort of 'Official' headed paper.

Kind Regards

Maggie B

PS. I always send my paperwork recorded delivery but don't expect a reply from them to say it has been received. Your pension would soon stop pretty quick if they don't have the required info.

[PhotoLady]

Hiya Maggie

Thank you for the info.

I will take a photo of it as well as the Registered Mail envelope once our post office ladies have done the necessary stackers and email the Cyprus Pension office a copy.

At least I will be able to track it.

Cheers and a Happy New Year to you xx

[PhotoLady]

UPDATE:

I finally found someone who could witness my declaration, sign and stamp it on Monday morning of this week.

My medical centre sat on it for 10 days, only adding a note into the system last Thursday after I went and stood in front of the reception desks and asked pertinent questions.

Got a message through the MyGP app on Friday morning to say they "no longer do this type of form"

Letter headed official paper, is not acceptable by Cyprus Pensions office - I emailed Andreas there a few weeks back. It has to be an official stamp.

So, more Google searches and phoning around, then eventually - Bingo!

A 12 mile trip in each direction, 10 minutes with a really nice guy who said they do quite a lot of "I'm still alive and kicking" forms.
A signature, some ID documents following my verbal declaration and, parting with the princely sum of a Five Pound note.

Perfect!

Emailed copies of the front and back to the pension office in Nicosia along with the tracking number for the posted form from UK Royal Mail, late in the afternoon and this morning, a response from my favourite person there - to tell me, it's Accepted

So, how often does this form signing happen for non-Cyprus residents?

I only started to receive my Cyprus pension in April 2025, although I was eligible sooner - but, being in the UK and my UK Government Pension being pushed back to age 66yrs, I had to apply for my overseas pension via the DWP International Dept, which took around 6 months.

At least I've found a notary in a solicitors office.

We celebrated with breakfast out in the town after the signing, in true 'Pensioner' style

[mikos939]

The wait times for cross-border pension transfers are notoriously long. Since you worked in Cyprus for about 12 years and paid SI contributions, you are definitely entitled to a portion. You might want to contact the Cyprus Social Insurance Services directly rather than waiting on the DWP.

[PhotoLady]

Thank you mikos939 for the reply.

But I started to receive my monthly pension from Cyprus in April last year, starting with a backdated lump sum, then continued monthly payments from May 2025.

But in November 2025, I received a form from the Cyprus Pension office in Nicosia, informing me I needed to provide a witnessed signature of a declaration that I was still eligible to receive it, as well as proof with photo ID etc.

The most difficult thing was the form has to have an official stamp from the person or office who was signing it.

Not an easy task these days as neither my GP has one, solicitors wanted a fee equivalent to 6 weeks of my pension and several looked down their noses at a Notary signature.

But, I finally got it signed this week and the original form is in the post already, with a scanned copy emailed to Nicosia - who have replied to me, to say the form has been accepted.

My only question now is - how often do I have to repeat the completion of this particular form and obtain a witness plus the official stamp?