Glen, I was told that it is not retrospective, but do try and see if you can claim for previous years and let us all know if you can. For all I know, I might well have been given the wrong information. I spoke to the Pensions people today as I noticed that the form asks you to base your answers on the week, 17-23 September, 2012 and they said that it was OK to send it in now and that to let them know if your circumstances change for that week i.e. you get sent to prison in the next three weeks or go into hospital for that week. I got the definite impression, though, that it is a straightforward case about us all getting the WFA, which is great! The number for the Pensions dept, if anyone wants it, is 00441912187777.
Tony, love your answer. I was 61 when we left and given they have cut my throat on the pension front, I shall take great delight in claiming this. I had it the winter before we left, sent to me unsuspecting and all. I had no idea, ironically because I spent a lot of time out of country when it became law. It does not go far but I have put into the UK exchequer by one means or another and never claimed, unless one wants to count my student are later research grants.
My husband will be claiming his with glee. We suffered three weeks of nearly -15 last winter and the extra will be very useful.
Can I just add a comment to my post. On the form, they ask the question: "Have you lived in any other country since you left the UK?" They really do!
Isn't that classic? "No, I have been on the cross-Channel ferry for the last 7 years" could be one answer", I suppose …