Effective Dates: 01/12/2023 - Present Previous | Next

TN 4 (01-23)

GN 01719.120 Totalization Benefits under the U.S. - United Kingdom (U.K.) Agreement

Under the Agreement, if a Number Holder (NH) has at least six quarters of U.S. coverage, but not enough to be insured for regular U.S. benefits, the NH's credits under the U.K. Social Security system can be added to his or her U.S. coverage to permit the NH (or any dependents or survivors) to qualify for U.S. Totalization benefits.

A. Adjudicating the claim in the U.S.

1. Field office (FO) Responsibilities

When a NH does not have enough U.S. coverage to meet fully insured status, but the NH has at least six QCs, FO technicians must take an initial claim to process the insured status denial. This will automatically generate a denial notice to inform the applicant that he or she does not meet the insured status requirements based on U.S. coverage alone, and that we will request the applicant's U.K. earnings record.

The FO should route the claim to the Office of Earnings and International Operations (OEIO), Division of International Operations (DIO) at the following address:

Social Security Administration
OEIO - DIO
P.O Box 17769
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7769
FAX number: 410-966-1861

NOTE: If a courier service is used, mail to:

Social Security Administration
Division of International Operations
6100 Wabash Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21215

For more information about processing Totalization insured status notices for claims for U.S. benefits, see GN 01702.315 through GN 01702.325.

2. Division of International Operations (DIO) responsibilities

DIO requests and converts U.K. periods of coverage on the U.K. earnings record to U.S. QCs before adjudicating the claim.

B. Crediting U.K. coverage

SSA will credit one U.S. QC for every 13 weeks of U.K. coverage in a calendar year. The U.K, except for Jersey, credits periods of coverage in weekly increments. Jersey coverage is credited in terms of annual contribution factors with each factor of 1.00 representing a year of coverage.

However, no credit will be given for:

  • •

    any week in a calendar quarter that is already credited as a U.S. QC; or

  • •

    more than four QC's for any calendar year.

C. Computing benefits in the United States

When SSA establishes U.S. insured status is established based on combined U.S. and U.K. coverage, the amount of the U.S. Totalization benefit will be determined using the computation method described in GN 01701.200.

The Agreement permits anyone who would be entitled to receive U.K. benefits in the United Kingdom to receive those benefits, along with any cost-of-living increases which apply to the benefit, while they reside in the U.S.

D. References

  • •

    GN 01702.315, Processing Totalization Insured-Status Notices in Claims for U.S. Benefits

  • •

    GN 01702.325, Summary of Field Office Development and Processing of U.S. Totalization Claims and Foreign Claims (Regular and Totalization)

 

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0201719120
GN 01719.120 - Totalization Benefits under the U.S. - United Kingdom (U.K.) Agreement - 01/12/2023
Batch run: 01/12/2023
Rev:01/12/2023