Secrets for contacting FBU?

FYI, I've today received a response to an email I sent to the FBU in early June.  Almost 3 months.

Yay!!

So for me to want to my SS to start early February 2025 I will apply in November through the FBU.

Yay!!

So for me to want to my SS to start early February 2025 I will apply in November through the FBU.

I saw that you'd mentioned Feb and I meant to reply ... but didn't obviously.  If you want to start receiving your SS in Feb, I'd get in touch with them right now.  BTW, I contacted them by sending a message via their website.  In your message you could mention when you're entitled/when you want to start taking it.  I did it a few years ago - sent the message in early August, received a phone call (I think) in December, which was just to arrange an "interview" in January.  I sent the message in August because I became entitled at the start of Oct, so I thought I'd done it in plenty of time.  Ha!  If the response time to emails is anything to go by they are even slower now.

BTW, I think I mentioned before to be aware re having backdated payments in a lump sum - because it could put you in a higher tax bracket if you're not careful.

Just as an update, I still haven't heard back from FBU - message sent over two months ago (via their online message function; I forgot to record when I sent it, but definitely over 2 months ago). As far as calling FBU is concerned, I've given up completely.

I sent an email to them today requesting the start of my SS benefits.  I see that they haven't changed their auto-reply message saying they will be in touch within 10 working days 

I will update this thread as things progress, or not.

Thank you for contacting the Federal Benefits Unit at the U.S. Embassy in the United Kingdom. We will respond to your inquiry within ten (10) business days. Please do not follow-up on your inquiry unless you have not received a response within ten (10) business days. We respectfully request that you avoid sending multiple emails as this may cause delays.

I sent an email to them today requesting the start of my SS benefits.  I see that they haven't changed their auto-reply message saying they will be in touch within 10 working days 

I will update this thread as things progress, or not.

Good luck and don't hold your breath!  It'll be interesting to hear how you get on because my wife is now entitled to spousal benefit.

Good luck and don't hold your breath!  It'll be interesting to hear how you get on because my wife is now entitled to spousal benefit.

I've just had a response to the email I sent on Aug 3rd.

I've just had a response to the email I sent on Aug 3rd.

That’s about the same response time my wife had a few years ago. Promising.

That’s about the same response time my wife had a few years ago. Promising.

Mind you, that's merely a response to a query I sent about my WEP.  And all they did was send me a form.  If you're thinking of applying for your US state pension, I doubt whether you'll get a meaningful response within 6 months - and they'll need to schedule your "interview".  But who knows - they may have improved.

Following this thread with interest, so disappointing to read about the decline of the FBU who were so helpful to my wife when she applied for her SS in 2020.  I will be applying for my SS towards the end of the year so am obviously likely to be very frustrated at the lack of response from the FBU. I wonder if I would be better off applying online through my SSA account instead of going through the FBU.

Were you able to apply through the SSA account? Online application would be so much easier. 
I have been calling and calling and same experience as others here. I filled out the contact form, but also no response.

Were you able to apply through the SSA account? Online application would be so much easier. 
I have been calling and calling and same experience as others here. I filled out the contact form, but also no response.

Yes I did apply online which worked great but since Nov 12 the status is “waiting for review by an agent in London “

Others in the USA I know have also applied online for SS and it always goes to a review by an agent in their area.

I managed to contact the FBU today by phone.  First I contacted the 020 7499 9000 which gave me a lady’s voice and I was asked to enter the extension (23926).  This gave me a male voiced message saying that the FBU were busy and I should try to connect later at 020 7891 3926.  So I tried this direct number several times but received that same male voiced message.  I went away and had a coffee for fortification, then I tried again - using the direct numbet.  If the male voice message came up I ended the call immediately and redialed.  After about 15 redials I got an American voicemail message saying I was being connected to a representative or something like that.  But then it connected to another voicemail saying I should try and contact them Tuesdays or Wednesdays between 9.30 am and 1.30 pm (it was Tuesday 11am!).  So I tried the direct phone number again and again - ending the call if the male message was heard and holding if the American female message was heard.  Finally, after exactly 66 attempts I was put through to a representative.  She was able to look at my wife’s application and send  back to the US for final processing.  Another representative is due to call me tomorrow to deal with my application.


So having applied online in September 2024 for social security to start in January 2025 I think that we are almost there.  Thank goodness for redial!

I managed to contact the FBU today by phone.  First I contacted the 020 7499 9000 which gave me a lady’s voice and I was asked to enter the extension (23926).  This gave me a male voiced message saying that the FBU were busy and I should try to connect later at 020 7891 3926.  So I tried this direct number several times but received that same male voiced message.  I went away and had a coffee for fortification, then I tried again - using the direct numbet.  If the male voice message came up I ended the call immediately and redialed.  After about 15 redials I got an American voicemail message saying I was being connected to a representative or something like that.  But then it connected to another voicemail saying I should try and contact them Tuesdays or Wednesdays between 9.30 am and 1.30 pm (it was Tuesday 11am!).  So I tried the direct phone number again and again - ending the call if the male message was heard and holding if the American female message was heard.  Finally, after exactly 66 attempts I was put through to a representative.  She was able to look at my wife’s application and send  back to the US for final processing.  Another representative is due to call me tomorrow to deal with my application.


So having applied online in September 2024 for social security to start in January 2025 I think that we are almost there.  Thank goodness for redial!

Well done. When I tried I did the same as you but gave up after 45 attempts. A week or so later I received an email that it had been moved back to the USA. After a couple of months I eventually called the SSA in the USA. They had a telephone queuing system and after 3 hrs 15mins got through to an agent, 10 minutes later she had flagged and progressed it. 4 days later it was approved.

I also had applied in September 2024, to start in February, and my first payment is now scheduled for April.

I hope your US processing goes through, should be processed in 20 days or less.

Well done. When I tried I did the same as you but gave up after 45 attempts. A week or so later I received an email that it had been moved back to the USA. After a couple of months I eventually called the SSA in the USA. They had a telephone queuing system and after 3 hrs 15mins got through to an agent, 10 minutes later she had flagged and progressed it. 4 days later it was approved.

I also had applied in September 2024, to start in February, and my first payment is now scheduled for April.

I hope your US processing goes through, should be processed in 20 days or less.

Thanks for that useful information Durhamlad.  Hopefully I will know a little more after the call from them tomorrow. 

I managed to contact the FBU today by phone.  First I contacted the 020 7499 9000 which gave me a lady’s voice and I was asked to enter the extension (23926).  This gave me a male voiced message saying that the FBU were busy and I should try to connect later at 020 7891 3926.  So I tried this direct number several times but received that same male voiced message.  I went away and had a coffee for fortification, then I tried again - using the direct numbet.  If the male voice message came up I ended the call immediately and redialed.  After about 15 redials I got an American voicemail message saying I was being connected to a representative or something like that.  But then it connected to another voicemail saying I should try and contact them Tuesdays or Wednesdays between 9.30 am and 1.30 pm (it was Tuesday 11am!).  So I tried the direct phone number again and again - ending the call if the male message was heard and holding if the American female message was heard.  Finally, after exactly 66 attempts I was put through to a representative.  She was able to look at my wife’s application and send  back to the US for final processing.  Another representative is due to call me tomorrow to deal with my application.


So having applied online in September 2024 for social security to start in January 2025 I think that we are almost there.  Thank goodness for redial!

Further update - the FBU representative that should have called me  back on Feb 12th to progress my own application didn’t call.  So I called them back on the following Tuesday (18th).  Their phone system was acting strangely - I used the direct dial phone number and I was told that I should dial during their open hours - which it was.  After trying all morning (over 100 attempts) I got through to a very helpful lady who went through my application and she said she would send it over to Baltimore before she went home.  Later in the day she called me back just to ensure that my bank details were correct, she was a little confused with the IBAN and how it separated the sort code from the account number.  So I assume my application is now in the US waiting to be processed.  She said I can expect a letter from Social Security concerning my successful application but that I would probably see the payment arrive in my bank before the letter arrives.  Fingers crossed!

Further update - the FBU representative that should have called me  back on Feb 12th to progress my own application didn’t call.  So I called them back on the following Tuesday (18th).  Their phone system was acting strangely - I used the direct dial phone number and I was told that I should dial during their open hours - which it was.  After trying all morning (over 100 attempts) I got through to a very helpful lady who went through my application and she said she would send it over to Baltimore before she went home.  Later in the day she called me back just to ensure that my bank details were correct, she was a little confused with the IBAN and how it separated the sort code from the account number.  So I assume my application is now in the US waiting to be processed.  She said I can expect a letter from Social Security concerning my successful application but that I would probably see the payment arrive in my bank before the letter arrives.  Fingers crossed!

Reassuring to know from recent posts that it is possible to get through, albeit after a lot of attempts!