Join us at Mini India, Duquesa for an Away Day Lunch on Thursday 25 July at 1.30pm. If you plan to come can you please let me know on 603 846 698 so I have an idea of the numbers. We shall order and pay on the day. Thanks.
Important update from the British Embassy in Madrid for those UK citizens over 80 who receive a UK pension.
Dear All, I am writing to you to ask for your help in spreading an important message to British people living in Spain who are aged over 80 and receiving a UK state pension. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) sent out a letter on 7 January 2024 to check that over-80s of any nationality who are drawing a state pension in Spain are still eligible. They are called ‘life certificates’ and they require the recipient to complete a form and have a witness sign it before returning it in the post. Full instructions are provided in the letter.
This is a routine process, with certificates sent by DWP on a regular cycle to specific groups drawing a UK state pension. To date, the number of life certificates returned to the DWP from Spain is lower than expected. The DWP have therefore extended the deadline to 31 July 2024 to give over-80s more time to complete the process.
It’s really important that all British state pensioners over the age of 80 complete this process as soon as possible. Failure to do so could lead to the suspension of pension payments by DWP (although these can be reinstated at any point if eligibility is subsequently proven). We would be extremely grateful for your help in spreading this message to your contacts and members and if possible, supporting them to complete and return the life certificate.
If any state pensioners over-80 have not received a letter or has changed their address without notifying DWP, they can request a new one here: https://www.gov.uk/international-pension-centre . As for state pensioners under-80, there is no action currently required but they will be receiving a letter towards the end of the year. We therefore recommend that all state pensioners check their address registered with DWP is correct if they have recently moved house. They can do so here: https://www.gov.uk/international-pension-centre.
Finally, for state pensioners over-80 that have already received their letter and returned their life certificate, no further action is required.
Thank you very much in advance for your help. We hope that, by working together, we can ensure that eligible state pensioners who are living in Spain can continue to receive their pension.
Yours sincerely, Hugh Elliott British Ambassador to Spain and Andorra.
THURSDAY LUNCHES
As we are currently struggling with kitchen volunteers for the cooked Thursday lunches, on the occasions that we are unable to cook lunches, we will be providing tapas from the bar, with the specials proving popular.
Our New Newsletter
Our printed magazine has now been retired and we have moved into the digital age! Betty, who has been creating our Magazine and more lately, our Newsletter, has now retired and Denis Fountain, a new member, will be creating our monthly Newsletter that will be delivered direct to your inbox. As with any normal email, you can then read and digest it from your screen or print it out to read at your leisure.
Each new issue will arrive on the 1st. of the month. Please keep a lookout for it, in case it goes into your Junk/Spam folder. If it doesn't arrive then, either, 1. We don't have a correct email address for you, in which case, please contact us on info@theiceclub.es with your details, so you can be added to the distribution list, or 2. You don't have an email address! in which case you can pick up a printed copy from the Clubhouse.
