Life Certificate for a UK State Pension (IPC SU 698)

What is Life Certificate (IPC SU 698)?

The Life Certificate is how the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) checks that someone living outside the UK can still get a UK State Pension. The International Pension Centre sends it with a covering letter, and the form carries the reference IPC SU 698. GOV.UK is clear that you should not send one unless DWP has asked you to.

You fill in your details and any changes in your circumstances, then sign the declaration in front of a witness — a professional person who isn't related to you and doesn't live with you. You show them a document with your photograph, such as a passport, national identity card or driving licence, and they complete their own section, sign and, if they have one, stamp it. DWP's letter says that if the form isn't back within 16 weeks, your payments may stop.

FileIt lets you complete the Life Certificate in plain English and prints your answers into DWP's own PDF, with accented and non-English letters printed properly. The pensioner's details can come from the People records in your FileIt vault, which helps family members who look after a parent's paperwork abroad. The witness's part can be filled in here too, or left blank for them to write by hand. You print it, sign it in front of the witness and post it yourself; FileIt never sends anything to DWP.

Who needs to fill out Life Certificate (IPC SU 698)?

• People getting a UK State Pension while living outside the UK who have received a Life Certificate from DWP.
• Family members, attorneys or others acting for a pensioner abroad — the form is always about the pensioner, not the person filling it in.
• Professional people asked to witness a Life Certificate, who complete questions 12 to 21 and sign the witness declaration.

When to use Life Certificate (IPC SU 698)

• When DWP sends you a Life Certificate or asks you to complete one — GOV.UK says not to send it otherwise.
• Straight away: DWP's letter asks for it back within 16 weeks of the date on the letter, or your payments may stop.
• Use question 11 to report changes of circumstances that the notes sent with the form list, such as a new address.

What you need before you start

• The pensioner's name, National Insurance number (if known), date of birth, full address including the country, and a phone number with its international code.
• Details of any changes in circumstances to report, using the notes DWP sent with the form.
• A document with the pensioner's photograph on it to show the witness: a passport, national identity card or driving licence. If you can't get one, the form says to contact DWP on +44 191 218 7777.
• A witness who is a professional person — for example a police officer, teacher or lecturer, bank officer, doctor, nurse, pharmacist, lawyer, notary, civil servant, councillor, magistrate or minister of religion — and who isn't related to the pensioner or living at the same address.
• The witness's name, job title, email, work phone number and office address.

What’s on Life Certificate (IPC SU 698)

The 2026 edition has 8 pages. FileIt asks for it in 4 parts, and it is signed by Pensioner and Witness:

1. About you (01–05)Pensioner
2. More about you (06–11)Pensioner
3. Customer declarationPensioner
4. About the witness and the witness declaration (12–21)Witness

How to fill out Life Certificate (IPC SU 698), step by step

1 About you (questions 01 to 05)

Title, first name, middle names and last name, then the National Insurance number. If you don't know it, say whether you have ever had or used one. If you are filling in the form for someone else, give their details, not yours.

2 More about you (questions 06 to 11)

Date of birth, full address including the country, and a phone number DWP can reach you on with its national and local code. A mobile number is optional — give one if you'd like a text confirming DWP has received the form — and so is an email address.

Question 11 is space to tell DWP about any change in your circumstances; the notes sent with the form give examples of what to report.

3 Customer declaration

You declare the information is correct and complete, and that knowingly giving incorrect or incomplete information can lead to prosecution or other action. This must be signed in front of the witness. Print your full name and the date, and sign by hand when you are with them.

4 About the witness (questions 12 to 17)

The witness's first and last name, job title, email address, work phone number, and office name and address including the country. FileIt lets you fill this in if you know the details, or leave it for the witness to complete by hand.

5 Witness declaration (questions 18 to 21)

The witness repeats the pensioner's full name, date of birth and National Insurance number, and ticks each photographic proof they have seen — passport, national identity card, driving licence or other — with its country of issue and reference number. They certify the declaration was signed in front of them, that they have seen photographic proof and that they aren't related to the pensioner, then sign, add their official stamp if they have one, and date it.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Sending a Life Certificate DWP hasn't asked for.
• Signing before meeting the witness. The pensioner must sign in front of them.
• Choosing a relative, or someone at the same address, as the witness — or someone who isn't in the kinds of profession DWP lists.
• Forgetting to show photographic ID, or the witness not recording its country of issue and reference number.
• Emailing the form. DWP asks for it by post only, and says the enquiry email address must not be used for it.
• Missing the 16-week deadline, which can stop State Pension payments.

After you fill it out

Print the Life Certificate from FileIt. Take it and your photo ID to the witness, sign the customer declaration in front of them on page 6, and have them complete and sign the witness declaration on pages 7 and 8.

Post it back — the form gives Pension Service 11, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1LW, United Kingdom, and DWP's letter asks you to use the address at the top of the letter. Don't email it. DWP checks the certificate when it arrives.

Keep a copy in the pensioner's FileIt folder with a note of when you posted it, so you can follow up with the International Pension Centre if payments are affected.

Life Certificate (IPC SU 698): frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Blank form (PDF), published by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) — International Pension Centre: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6979e3a3316fd8f8015520b8/Life__Certificate__form.pdf
• Official instructions and guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/life-certificate-form
• Edition shown on this page: IPC SU 698 01/26 (Version 6.0) (checked 2026-09-28).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) — International Pension Centre or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-09-28.

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