Hello - Please can someone help? What happens when a person who lives in France and receiving UK state pension upon death? Are the payments automatically stopped upon notification by the French authorities?
I was not aware that the French Authorities notify DWP in UK. Are you sure that they do ???
I thought that ânext of kinâ had to inform DWP.
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The DWP needs to be told. It is not automatic. Telephone in first instance, and then will probably be asked to send in death notice
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I think itâs really important to check all these things out beforehand. I have a UK state pension and some other odds and sods of pensions from various employers. One is the princely sum of ÂŁ1.40 something per annum from BP. 
A couple of years ago I had some health issues and rather than leave OH dealing with all of this afterwards, I phoned all the pension providers (including state) to understand what would need to happen, who to contact and would he be a beneficiary of a reduced pension from mine.
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Sally you mention French bank a/c in your title. Is there something else you meant to ask?
My OH was well under UK sstate pension age when he died but I still had to inform Newcastle of his death and send a copy of the act de déces to proove it. They offered me a one-off death payment for this and now that I receive a UK state pension I also get the allowance for him included automatically so yes, the surviving spouse/family MUST inform the UK themselves plus why would the french pension know anything about the deceased if they never worked in France nor received a french pension either??
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I thought I read somewhere online that the French bank informed pension providers. Thank you for your reply.
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Thanks for getting back to me, Iâd like to know whether her state pension automatically stopped paid into her French bank account on the day of her death. I could of course contact the French bank. However French is not my forte!
Are you here in France? Or in the UK? Sally, you may need to give us a bit more info if we are to advise you. Iâm not sure a bank would be prepared to discuss someone elseâs account with you unless you are a direct relative. Someone else may be able to clarify that for you.
Is there someone you know who does speak French who could help you with this?
Itâs possible an additional payment may have gone into the account if the DWP have not been informed - they set up their direct debits well in advance as it sounds like itâs been a currency transaction. (I have my state pension paid straight into my French bank account in euros.)
Certainly you (or someone) needs to be discussing this with the DWP precisely because, if the money needs to be paid back there will be currency exchange variations.
Perhaps someone else on here has had experience of dealing with this directly and can help you.
This is what I did and all they asked of me later was a copy of our marriage cert, as âyou may be due an enhanced pensionâ. Not seen one yet though.
I did the same for my wifeâs local authority pension too, but they forgot about it and sent her next pension payment anyway. I told them about that too and they then chased me for a repayment and in the end I paid them by card over an arranged phone call.
You just call the DWP in the UK. Their main number has a number of options that will take you there. Or you can google it look for DWP and bereavement.
They make it easy as they really want not to overpay and tben have to recover. And they are relentless in recoverng said a famly member.
Where itâs being paid is totally irrelevant and as soon as you call them they will stop payments then the rest can be sorted out after that.
I would have thought best to call with their National Insurance number and full name. And ideally have their last address for the DWP at hand. But donât let not having tbem delay you calling them as the right team there will be used to people who in the circumstances are not thinking straight.
Phone numbers on post 2 above 
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Thanks for your reply. Iâm the deceasedâs daughter living in London. On reflection the French side of the estate is in the hands of the notaire (and my sister, who after six and a half years is quite happy to occupy the whole family house and leave the settlement unsigned. thus denying me my share ⊠Itâs okay I have a lawyer)
This is obviously complex. Did your mother have a will, if so was it a UK or a French will (and that in itself is an area of contention currently). If UK then are you the executor? Unless you have a legal responsibility or liability to do so donât go off contacting anybody without professional advice.
Sure, but by who and in what capacity Jane?
Executor, next of kin or solicitor handling probate .
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She has a French Will dividing her French assets between my sister and myself. My sister lives in the French family house.
Iâve just seen the other thread on this and all I can say FFS. If one is serious about getting such complex matters resolved one doesnât rely, or even IMO solicit, online advice to do so. Itâs like Googling a rash and self diagnosing melanoma instead of seeing a doctor. With all due respect to our collective knowledge and experience I would consider this problem beyond our remit.
But fire away
Sally, this is complex. What professional advice have you sought?
I refer you to the initial post here, I asked a relatively simple concise question⊠Itâs gone off at a tangent predictably and forum threads tend to do.