Paphos Life

Many comments on Facebook this week from UK state pensioners that they have received a letter and form to complete and return to Department of Work and Pensions to prove they are still alive and therefore continue to receive their UK state pension.

Yes I have had one. Letter dated 22nd of Dec only got on the 19th January. Have to reply with in 12 weeks or they stop your payment.
Husband not got one.

Filled and sent recorded delivery.

The wife and i got one dated 22nd December it said we have 16 weeks to reply.Word has it in our local that the government are so strapped for cash it maybe they are stopping the state pension for anyone living permanently abroad

No, I doubt they will stop paying pensions abroad but this 'mean' government could do what they have done to government & service peoples pensions and deduct the UK tax from them before sending them abroad. Fortunetly by the time the civil service gets round to organising it the UK could be saved by a new government.

I too, received the form. I filled it in, got it signed and stamped and took it to the post office, and now it is on it's way to the UK... This happens every few years and is no big deal

It's every two years. At least you are given plenty of time to return the form. I have a Scandinavian friend who says they do something similar but it's every year and online.

clive of payia wrote: ↑Sat Jan 31, 2026 4:38 am No, I doubt they will stop paying pensions abroad but this 'mean' government could do what they have done to government & service peoples pensions and deduct the UK tax from them before sending them abroad. Fortunetly by the time the civil service gets round to organising it the UK could be saved by a new government.

The change in taxation of pensions was part of the new Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) put in place in 2018 that had transitional provisions to end of 2024.

So nothing to do with this UK government.

The "new" system agreed between Cyprus and the conservative UK government where government (so police / civil servants / military etc) pensions are taxed in by the state paying them is the standard model for DTAs. The old DTA between Cyprus and the UK was the one out of sync with most DTAs.

But heh, why let the facts get in the way of bashing the current government..