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  2. Pensions and retirement planning
  3. Retirement planning

Retiring abroad

If you're retiring abroad, or considering doing so, it's important to look into the effect this will have on your finances before you move. Find out about your entitlement to State Pension, whether and how you will 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 the page at the link below:

  • Living or working overseas and the State Pension

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.

  • Tax in retirement
  • Tax when retiring abroad or back in the UK

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.

  • Jobs and Benefits offices

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, visit the following pages:

  • EU citizens in the UK: benefits and pensions in a ‘no deal’ scenario
  • UK nationals in the EU: benefits and pensions in a ‘no deal’ scenario

More useful links

  • Travelling abroad
  • International Pension Centre
  • Planning for retirement
  • Getting a State Pension statement
  • Contacting 08 and 03 numbers
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Retirement planning

  • Complaining about your pension scheme
  • Early retirement - effect on your pension
  • Find a lost pension
  • Getting credits towards your State Pension
  • Getting information and help with pensions
  • Guide to opportunities in retirement
  • How much income will you have in retirement
  • Introduction to workplace, personal and stakeholder pensions
  • National Insurance after State Pension age
  • Opportunities in retirement
  • Planning for retirement
  • Retiring abroad
  • Voluntary National Insurance contributions
  • Working past State Pension age

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