International Pension Centre

Frequently asked questions

How much State Pension will I get?

We cannot tell you exactly how much you will get until you make a claim. If you are more than four months away from UK State Pension age you can request a State Pension forecast which will tell you what UK State Pension you can expect to get.

A State Pension forecast tells you in today's money values:

  • the amount of State Pension you have earned already and
  • the amount of State Pension you can expect at State Pension age based on what you have earned already and what you might earn before you reach State Pension age

But it will not include any insurance contributions you may have paid in another country.

Find out more about State Pension forecasts in our A to Z section or if you are abroad from the HM Revenue & Customs website

How do I claim my pension?

If you have paid National Insurance contributions in the UK we will send you a claim form about four months before you reach UK State Pension age. This form asks you to tell us about any insurance and residence you may have in other countries.

If you are living in any EEA country you should claim as follows:

  • if you have worked in the country you are now living in your claim for your UK State Pension should be made through the pension institution in that country. You should contact that institution for details of what you need to do, if you have not already done so
  • if you have not worked in the country you are living in then you should claim your UK State Pension direct from IPC, unless you have worked in another EEA country since leaving the UK, in which case you should make your claim through the last institution you were insured with

Find out more about National Insurance contributions on the HM Revenue & Customs website

Contact The Pension Service from overseas if you are less than four months away from State Pension age and you have not received a claim pack.

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When can I get my UK State Pension?

The earliest you can get your UK State Pension is from age 65 for men and age 60 for women. The State Pension age for women will increase gradually from 2010, so that by 2020 it will be 65.

The increase in the State Pension age will not affect women born on or before 5 April 1950. Women born between 6 April 1950 and 5 April 1955 (inclusive) will have a State Pension age between 60 and 65. Women born on or after 6 April 1955 and before 6 April 1959 will have a State Pension age of 65.

The state pension age for both men and women is to increase from 65 to 68 between 2024 and 2046, with each change phased in over two consecutive years in each decade.

The first increase, from 65 to 66, will be phased in between April 2024 and April 2026; the second, from 66 to 67, will be phased in between April 2034 and April 2036; and the third, from 67 to 68, between April 2044 and April 2046.

Our State Pension age calculator will tell you the date you will reach State Pension age.

Can I take up my State Pension later?

If you're thinking of taking up your State Pension later, find out more in our State Pension deferral section

What about other countries where I have been insured?

If you claim a State Pension in another EEA country or in some countries with which the UK has a social security agreement, that country will pass details of your claim to the UK.

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How will my claim be worked out?

Each EEA or agreement country where you have paid insurance contributions towards a pension will look at your contributions under its own scheme and will work out how much (if any) pension you can have under its own rules.

Any insurance contributions you have made in another EEA or agreement country may be taken into account if it will help you to get a state pension, or a higher state pension.

Will I receive a pension from each country?

Yes, you will receive a pension from each EEA or agreement country where you have made insurance contributions, if you have at least the minimum amount of insurance contributions required in each country to qualify.

Each EEA country adds together your insurance contributions from all EEA countries, they then see how much state pension (if any) you would get if your insurance contributions had all been paid into that country's own social security scheme.

However, each country pays you part of your pension. How much that country pays you depends on how much you have paid into its scheme.

Find out more about EEA or agreement countries

Can my UK pension be paid to me while I am in another country?

You can be paid a UK State Pension anywhere in the world, but you will only get annual increases if you live in any other EEA country, or any country with which the UK has a social security agreement that allows increases, the Isle of Man or Sark.

Find out about how much State Pension you might get in the A to Z section or
by getting a State Pension forecast from HM Revenue & Customs, who deal with overseas customers.

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How will my pension be paid to me?

You can receive your payments every 4 weeks or 13 weeks, the choice is yours, unless you receive less than £5 per week, then you will be paid every 52 weeks. Our payments are always made in arrears.

Before going abroad please consider how you would like your money paid. The Pension Service cannot pay by direct deposit in all countries abroad. In countries where we cannot pay by direct deposit we will post a sterling cheque, either to your home address or to your bank.

Please be aware that we have no control over the post in other countries, and payments may be delayed due to circumstances beyond our control. In some countries the banks have internal procedures that require funds from us before your account is credited, if you have any questions about this, please contact your bank.

For more details on how payments are made in each country please refer to the country specific information

Can I get extra for my dependants?

If you get a State Pension from the UK, you may also be paid extra for certain adults who depend on you.

You may get this extra payment even if the person who depends on you is in the UK. The extra pension will be worked out in the same way as the rest of your State Pension.

Find out more in our State Pension deferral section

What if I have children and am living in another EEA country?

If the EEA country you live in pays you an old-age pension, it should pay the benefits for your children, too.The EEA country that you live in will base your children's benefits on its own scheme. If you do not get a pension in the country where you live, and you and your husband, wife or civil partner are not working, the benefits for your children will be paid by either:

  • the country that you get a pension from or
  • if you get a pension from two countries, the country where you were paying insurance contributions for the longest time.

The National Insurance contributions you have paid in the UK may be used by other EEA countries when they decide what benefit you can get.

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What is an EEA country?

The European Economic Area (EEA) is made up of all European Union countries - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

The UK is also part of the EEA. UK means England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Gibraltar is treated as another EEA country by the UK. Other EEA countries treat Gibraltar as part of the UK.

Switzerland is not a member of the EEA, but as the result of an agreement with the EU that came into force on 1 June 2002, the majority of EU rules on social security also cover Switzerland. However, EU rules do not apply to Swiss nationals going to or coming from Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway or nationals of these countries who are going to or who are coming from Switzerland.

Which countries does the UK have a social security agreement with?

The countries referred to in the these FAQs which the UK has social security agreements with are: Barbados, Bermuda, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey and Guernsey, Mauritius, Montenegro, Philippines, Serbia, Turkey, USA, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Find out about social security agreement with other countries on the Department for Work and Pensions website

What if I have lived in Canada, New Zealand or Australia?

There are special agreements with Canada and New Zealand which allow periods of residence in those countries to count towards your pension in the UK, as long as you are actually living in the UK.

The Social Security Agreement between the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia ended on 28 February 2001. However, its terms continue to apply after that date to anyone who was already in receipt of benefits under the agreement before it ended.Separate arrangements apply from 1 March 2001 to protect those people who would have relied on the agreement for their State Pension or bereavement benefits.

For persons who live permanently in the UK, these arrangements can allow periods of residence in Australia before 6 April 2001 to be treated as periods for which UK National Insurance contributions were paid for UK basic State Pension or bereavement benefits.

A person whose marriage or civil partnership has ended by death or divorce/dissolution may be able to rely on their former or late spouse’s/civil partner’s residence in Australia. The rate of UK benefit awarded under these arrangements may be reduced if any Australian pension or benefit is being paid.

Any pension or benefit awarded under these arrangements is only payable while permanently resident in the UK.

For Australia contact International Pension Centre by telephone, email, fax or post

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What about other benefits and entitlements?

Contact us for enquiries on other benefits and entitlements

What about Winter Fuel?

You can find information on Winter Fuel payments for overseas residents in the Winter Fuel section of this website.

What if I am not living in the EEA or an agreement country?

If you want to find out more about State Pensions for those living abroad, you can contact the International Pension Centre by phone, fax or email through The Pension Service website.

Is my State Pension taxable?

The UK State Pension is not taxed at source, but may be taxable in your country of residence.

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Will I be entitled to Free Health Care when visiting the UK on holiday?

Visitors to the UK will only receive emergency treatment free of charge. You may have to pay for other treatment.

Find out more information from the Depatment of Health

I am going to live in another EEA country. What medical treatment does the form E121 entitle me to?

A person who has left the UK and has a UK-issued E121 gets the same State provided treatment as someone who lives in that country.

Why does my mail from IPC have a postal stamp for another country?

All IPC mail is posted and franked with the appropriate postage mark in the UK and flown directly from the UK to the destination country by daily flight. The mail is then handed over to the National Postal Authority in the country in which you live for final delivery.

It is the post mark of the postal carrier used that is shown on your envelope, either La Poste (French), Philippines, Deutche Post, Brunei Post, Malta or Suisse post.

Can I pay additional National Insurance contributions to enhance my basic State Pension?

You may be able to purchase additional contributions under current rules.

Find out more about National Insurance contributions on the HM Revenue & Customs website

There is also new legislation in the Pensions Act 2008 which allows certain people to buy up to an additional six years of voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions. This is over and above those permitted under the current time limits. The new rules come into effect from 6 April 2009. The new measure applies to individuals who reach State Pension age between 6 April 2008 and 5 April 2015 and already have 20 qualifying years (including any full tax years of Home Responsibilities Protection). Individuals who reach State Pension age between 6 April 2008 and 5 April 2010 must have at least one qualifying year from paid or treated as paid National Insurance contributions.

For more information on this important change please see State Pension - Paying Class 3 National Insurance contributions

More information

Information on tax credits, information about tax for non-residents and guidance on international tax issues is available from HM Revenue & Customs website

Enquiries about National Insurance contributions for overseas customers are dealt with by HM Revenue & Customs.
Find out more on HM Revenue & Customs website

Contact the International Pension Centre by phone, fax or email

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