Australia
Information for people who have lived in Australia and who were awarded a basic UK State Pension or bereavement benefit following the end of the social security agreement between the UK and Australia.
The social security agreement with Australia ended on 28 February 2001.
With the agreement of HM Treasury arrangements were put in place to protect the UK pension position of those people who have periods of residence in Australia up to and including 5 April 2001 on the same basis as applied before the agreement ended.
Until a change could be made in UK law, pensions based on this arrangement were made on a so called “extra statutory” basis, and did not carry any right of appeal. The UK law has now been changed, with effect from 18 November 2004, placing the pensions on a full legal basis. This means that anyone awarded a pension under the previous arrangement now has a right of appeal against the amount awarded.
The original notification of the award of your pension will have explained these provisions further.
You can get more information about these arrangements or your appeal rights from the International Pension Centre, Tyneview Park, Newcastle upon Tyne NE981BA. Telephone 0191 218 2828.