Mark Powell (left), counsellor for political and economic affairs at the U.S. Embassy, chats with Mark Waller, press and political officer at the British High Commission. They were attending a reception on board a Venezuelan army vessel in May. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

The following is information about the changes to the way some persons receive their British pension or other British benefits in Jamaica.

What is this about?

Many British pensioners in Jamaica have recently received letters from the United Kingdom (U.K.) Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). These letters advised customers of a change in the way that some of them will receive their pensions.

This change only affects customers who receive their U.K. pension (or other U.K. benefits) directly into their bank account in Jamaica in pounds sterling, U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars or any other foreign currency.

Not everyone who has received a letter is affected by the changes and those who did not receive a letter are not affected at all.

Who does this affect?

Only those customers who get their benefit payments directly into a Jamaican bank in pounds sterling, U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars or any other foreign currency. Most people already receive their payments either in Jamaican dollars or via an overseas bank.

Only a small percentage (not more than 2,600 of our 21,000 customers) are affected by this change and will need to take action.

Letters were sent to all 15,000 customers receiving payments directly to Jamaican banks to make sure that all customers who might have made arrangements with their banks to receive their benefit in foreign currency had the opportunity to take action to ensure that their benefit payments are not subject to delay.

Why has this change happened?

The DWP policy is, and has always been, that payments are sent throughout the world in the currency of the country in which the recipient bank is located. It recently came to light that some pensioners in Jamaica have an arrangement that allows them to receive payments into Jamaican bank accounts in U.K. currency or U.S. or Canadian dollars.

What to do next?

If you receive your pension directly into a Jamaican bank account in pounds sterling, US dollars, Canadian dollars or any other foreign currency, you need to contact DWP to provide information as follows:

Give DWP details of a Jamaican dollar bank account and receive future payments in Jamaican dollars; or give DWP details of another currency bank account you wish your benefit paid into.

Who to contact for help?

The DWP has set up a dedicated line to deal with all customer enquiries relating to this. You can contact them on +44 191 2186702. The DWP will call you back if you ask them to.

You can also get advice from the International Pensions Office at the British High Commission in Kingston, on 510 0722

- British High Commission