Worried about getting back to the UK in our senior years

I thought I was all set but apparently not as I noticed when reading the guidelines for appendix 2 that as our finances are met under the pension category they need 6 months bank statements with the pensions deposit appearing in each.

That's not true.

You only need to show that the pension has been paid into the account for at least 28 days... and you only need to provide 1 bank statement to show this.

The official documents required for Pension income are listed in both Appendix FM 1.7 and Appendix FM-SE:

From Appendix FM-SE:

e) To evidence a pension:
(i) Official documentation from:

(1) The Department for Work and Pensions (in respect of the Basic State Pension and the Additional or Second State Pension) or other government department or agency, including the Veterans Agency;
(2) An overseas pension authority; or
(3) A pension company,
confirming pension entitlement and amount (and, where applicable, reflecting any funds withdrawn from the pension account or fund).

(ii) At least one personal bank statement in the 12-month period prior to the date of application showing payment of the pension into the person’s account.

(iii) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (i), War Disablement Pension, War Widow’s/Widower’s Pension and any other pension or equivalent payment for life made under the War Pensions Scheme, the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme or the Armed Forces Attributable Benefits Scheme may be treated as a pension, unless excluded under paragraph 21 of this Appendix.

(https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-fm-se-family-members-specified-evidence)

I'm so disappointed after all this time, to discover I can't go ahead till I receive August's statement 

You're fine. You can go ahead and apply now.

I thought I was all set but apparently not as I noticed when reading the guidelines for appendix 2 that as our finances are met under the pension category they need 6 months bank statements with the pensions deposit appearing in each.

Where did you see this, because I can't find anything in Appendix 2 that states you need 6 months of bank statements for Category E: Pension Income.

It says that for Category A (Employment Income), you need to show continuous employment for 6 months, and for Category D (Cash Savings), you need to show your savings have been in your account for 6 months, but there's nothing about needing 6 months of bank statements for Category E (Pension Income).

Thank you Ksand24 
That's amazing news.....I obviously got very confused yesterday reading several guidelines,  I don't have a printer and a friend printed out a whole bunch of paperwork weeks ago.  Yes I was clearly not concentrating and mixed up pensions with the stipulations for employed. ...it was definitely a senior moment 
I have until June 13 to submit the online form and I should be able to complete that this week.

Would it be OK if I send you my list of documents?  I don't need to mess up again lol.

Would it be OK if I send you my list of documents?  I don't need to mess up again lol.

Sure .

Feel free to post it here in this thread if you like .

Thank you Ksand24
These are my documents :-

My sponsorship letter for my husband.
Letter from friend in UK offering us accommodation
Accompanying land registry document.
Our birth certificates
Our marriage certificate
Our divorce documents from previous marriages
My husbands passport
Notiarised photocopy of my passport.
2 passport sized photos of husband.
Letter from DWP confirmation of my UK pension
Letter from SS confirmation of my US pension
Letter from SS confirmation of husbands pension
Letter from financial savings institute showing husbands savings
1 joint bank statement showing pensions,
Tax documents in both names 2014-2016
Life insurance policy showing myself as beneficiary
E tickets from our trip to the UK 2015
Wedding photos and 2 other photos of us since our marriage 2014
A selection of cards sent since we met in 2012
Copy of online application
Receipt for money paid

Can you please let me know what else I need?

Hi Janette,

Don't forget appendix 2.

Is your combined pension income greater than 18,600gbp?
If it is not and you need to top it up with your husband's savings, you would need 6 months of bank statements, not just one.

I'd include a little more relationship evidence, joint utility bill/ lease/ mortgage statement etc.

Yes our combined pensions exceed the amount asked
I'm not able to include anything else in joint names as we rent here and that was taken out in my husbands name before we married. Same with utilities all in his name. ..was I silly thinking tax documents from the year we married to the present date, and joint names on the bank statement, together with the life insurance policy naming me as beneficiary would be sufficient?  There really isn't anything else I have except affidavits from two people who have known us from the time we met in 2012 and were at our wedding and who are still close friends,

You don't need either of your birth certificates, so you can take those out.

If you're using pension income and applying under Category E, then you don't need to include any evidence of savings, because they will not be considered and won't be looked at.

You only need 2 photos maximum - I'd go with one from the wedding and one recent.

You don't need e-tickets from your UK trip because you live together in the US. You only need to show e-tickets/boarding passes if you live in separate countries and only see each other on visits.

Same with cards - they are not needed because you live together already.

So, instead of e-tickets and cards, you need to include evidence of living together in the US. Things like annual tax returns and joint bank statements are fine. However, you'd need to show that they cover the whole time you've lived together... so instead of just one bank statement, go with 2 or 3 per year.

You can also include separately addressed documents as well - so if the utilities are in his name, you can include a couple of those, and then add a couple of things in your name from the same time period (i.e. phone bills, doctor's letters, DMV letters etc.).

Yes our combined pensions exceed the amount asked
I'm not able to include anything else in joint names as we rent here and that was taken out in my husbands name before we married. Same with utilities all in his name. ..was I silly thinking tax documents from the year we married to the present date, and joint names on the bank statement, together with the life insurance policy naming me as beneficiary would be sufficient?  There really isn't anything else I have except affidavits from two people who have known us from the time we met in 2012 and were at our wedding and who are still close friends,

No, you should be fine with what you have (I was being greedy)

You'll also need to include your priority payment receipt (on top of your pile) IHS receipt. Shipping information. And Appendix 2.

You don't need the birth certificates or the letter regarding savings as you are not using savings.

Thank you Ksand24
I'll look out more bank statements and letters addressed to us individually at this address.

Thanks for the advice larrabee and for the reminders about receipts and shipping labels 
By the way is there a preferred way to pack the documents for shipping to the UK?  Envelope or box ?

Thanks for the advice larrabee and for the reminders about receipts and shipping labels 
By the way is there a preferred way to pack the documents for shipping to the UK?  Envelope or box ?

I just used the large plastic envelope that the UPS store provided.

Thanks good advice leave it to UPS for secure packaging  ...but I'll need another envelope for the return of the documents, so 2 then 

but I'll need another envelope for the return of the documents, so 2 then 

Nope - you don't need to include a return envelope, just a shipping label, so you'll only need one.