Thanks to the many Connexion readers who have contacted us to give feedback on UK ‘life certificates’, following an article highlighting a pensioner’s issue with the system.
Jane McIntosh, 72, saw her payments stopped in December 2025 for allegedly failing to provide a certificate to UK pension services, despite her telling us she had sent the letter three months prior.
The issue was resolved and payments reinstated after The Connexion contacted the DWP, however it seems Ms McIntosh was not alone in facing difficulties.
‘Life certificates’ are mandatory forms sent to UK pension recipients living abroad used to confirm that the recipient is still alive and eligible for the pensions they receive.
They must be witnessed by a responsible person in the area, for example the local mayor or a GP.
Payments stopped, complications
Several readers have encountered similar issues with payments suddenly stopping. We show a selection of comments below:
M.F. “My pension payments were stopped without notice in February this year despite sending the life certificate back in July 2025. I telephoned the UK Pensions Department and eventually managed to persuade them that I was indeed still alive.”
T.I. called the issue “a perennial thorn” and finds it difficult to have the letter witnessed. “My banker refuses to sign on the basis that he won't sign something he can't understand, and I would take exactly the same stance. [Last time] I managed to persuade my pharmacist to sign as he has known me for a long time,” he said.He contacted the service to ask for a French version of the form – this can be requested and can make witnessing easier - however the most recent life certificate sent to him came in English, causing renewed frustration.
I.D. “I received my form in early December. The name on the envelope was not mine but the address was. I completed the form and had it witnessed by my GP before sending it back by tracked delivery. The form was tracked as being delivered a few days later.
“In mid-February, I received a letter from the DWP stating that they had not received my form and my pension had been stopped… I called [and] pointed out that I had proof of delivery of the form to the DWP. The agent finally confirmed that they had received my form and that the letters must have crossed (not possible since my form reached them six weeks before they wrote to me) and were vague about when my payments would recommence.”
M.G. "I also had a letter saying my pension would be stopped because the DWP had not received the life certificate. I phoned the DWP and a very helpful lady checked and said they had received it but for some reason it had missed being "scanned" by them... I always take a copy and write on the copy the date it was posted."
S.S. "I had Similar experience with life certificates. Signed by the local Mayor as usual. Sent back immediately with a stamp [but my] Pension stopped. Phoned immediately and they admitted they had the form! My Pension restarted with back payments made but it took a few weeks."
Are postal services responsible for delays?
As many issues are caused by non-receipt of the returned life certificates, or certificates not arriving at recipient’s homes, some believe postal services are at fault.
R.H. “I have noticed that ‘official letters’ (DWP, NS&I etc.) are sent via Holland and all ‘official' communications that I have received have been dated at least three weeks before the post-marked envelopes. I can’t help wondering if mail is saved up and sent in batches.”
J.K. “La Poste sometimes doesn’t recognise that the pre-paid UK envelopes sent out with the life certificate request are valid for use across Europe.”
C.M. who saw her payments briefly stopped said "I had a similar situation but I think Royal Mail were the culprits. I sent a proof of life statement at the end of November [but received more letters in December]. I sent a second statement at the beginning of February. Payments stopped.
“I phoned to ask if they had received my statement, yes it had arrived a couple of days before, in early March. It was that first statement dated November,” she added.
M.S. “I do wonder if some secure online method of proof of life could be devised by the DWP to simplify the matter."
Some readers believe that a digitised system could reduce issues, potentially based on the French model.
R.P. "Personally I have found the UK pension service to be very helpful in sorting out my cancelled pension problems but the point is there would have been no problem if the system was digital in the first place. It is 2026 and the UK still has a horse and carriage system."
B.W. "I have the reverse situation, being a French retiree having lived in England for 40 odd years. My French pension provider emails me a reminder, I log in, download and print the document, take it to our local authority and they fill it in and sign it after checking my passport. The document is both in French and English so easily understood. I then scan it , upload it and send it to the French pension provider. They acknowledge safe receipt within 2 or 3 days. The French system is very quick and easy."
E.M. "Last year my private pension supplier asked for a photo of me holding my passport open on the photo page, which I sent to them by e mail with my signature on the form. Easy and I could do it on my own."
However, even in cases where electronic systems are in place (for certain private pensions) issues persist.
P.D. “My husband wasn’t checking his emails and missed three emails from Teachers Pensions asking him to verify that he was still alive. I only saw the last reminder in December and replied for him. But they stopped his December payment and despite secure messages to them and confirmation that the missing payment would be sent shortly, it still hasn’t been received.”
Some readers criticise the DWP directly for the length of time communication can take.
P.P. “I received a letter and Life Certificate Form from DWP in September last year. It was entirely my fault that I misplaced the letter and didn't deal with it until mid-December - a week after the deadline. I didn't hear any more until I received a letter on January 20, dated December 30… the letter said that my pension would be stopped. It would have been far more useful for the DWP to send an earlier reminder instead of a letter saying the pension would be stopped.”
In some cases, readers noted they did not receive the certificates to complete in the first place.
L.T. “I had mine stopped last year. It was not until I telephoned them and sent an email…that they said they had not received the life certificate. I informed them I had not received the certificate. They emailed me one directly, had they done this in the first instance there would not have been a problem.”
A.S. agrees. "I have no idea why in this age of online processes the DWP still relies on a bit of paper to prove you are still alive. Firstly, despite them supposed to be annual checks, they aren't. Secondly, virtually every institution including gov.uk use alternatives via passport and facial recognition, so why is the DWP wedded to the 19th century?
"I despair of the DWP whose sole aim appears to be to make life as difficult as possible especially if you live overseas. I challenged them on this and did not receive any response let alone an acknowledgement that I had contacted them. Perhaps it was because I used email rather than snail mail!"
Readers offer solutions
Some readers offered solutions to any issues that can arise.
R.W. “Telephone immediately. My wife's form was delayed… so I called the agency, had my wife speak to them and that was it. She had no need to find a person [to witness the letter].”
M.S. also recommends “a simple, quick telephone call well before the potential date of pension stoppage” to check all is in order with the form."
Some readers, however reported lengthy waits on hold to the service to speak to an adviser.
Have you had issues with the life certificates process? Let us know your experience via feedback@connexionfrance.com
