Retiring abroad
If you're retiring abroad, or thinking about it, it's important to look into the effect it'll have on your finances before you move. Learn about your entitlement to State Pension, whether and how you'll be taxed and what other benefits you may be entitled to.
Personal and workplace pensions
If you're in a personal or workplace pension scheme, moving abroad shouldn't have any effect:
- your pension should continue to be paid in full
- you're normally entitled to any rises regardless of where you live in the world
Check with your provider
You should check the details of your pension scheme carefully before you move. In particular, check whether:
- your scheme will pay into an overseas bank account – some workplace schemes will only pay into a UK bank
- your annuity company will transfer money overseas free of charge (some companies will charge you for each overseas payment)
State Pension
If you are retiring abroad, you can continue to receive your UK State Pension. You can get pension increases yearly if you live in a European Economic Area (EEA) country or a country which has a social security agreement with the UK.
For further information go to:
Tax when retiring abroad
If you retire abroad, you might still have to pay UK tax. You will have to consider whether you could be classed as a UK resident for tax and whether you have to pay tax on any UK income.
Benefits abroad
Your entitlement to benefits abroad depends on where you live. You might be able to continue receiving or claiming a benefit if you go to a European Economic Area (EEA) country, or a country that has a social security agreement with the UK.
Before you leave Northern Ireland, it's important to check the social security agreement with the country you're moving to. You should also ask social security authorities in the foreign country if you're eligible to claim benefits there.
If you're already claiming benefits in Northern Ireland
You must tell the Jobs and Benefits office that you're moving abroad. They will tell you how your benefits will be affected. You can find your local office at the following link.
Leaving the European Union (EU)
For information on leaving the EU, including the impact on benefits and pensions if you are an EU citizen in the UK or a UK national in the EU, go to:
- Benefits and pensions for EEA and Swiss citizens in UK
- Benefits and pensions for UK nationals in EU, EEA or Switzerland