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Pension question, UK

How far back can my UK State Pension be backdated?

DWP states the State Pension cannot be backdated more than 12 months before the date your application is received, and that the backdated payment carries no interest and earns no extra pension for that period. A person who lives abroad cannot lodge a UK State Pension application until they are inside a 4-month window before their State Pension age; the application is not open before that.

What to do next

  1. Work out your State Pension age and the date the application window opens for you.
  2. If you have already passed State Pension age without applying, read the UK deadline page next.
  3. Run our free check to see which other countries also set a clock on your pension.

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Tell us where you worked. The free check shows which countries may hold a pension for you, and which can be ruled out and why. No sign in, no charge.

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Questions people also ask

Is the State Pension paid without an application?

The State Pension is not paid automatically: it must be applied for.

Do you give advice on what to do?

No. We identify where a pension is likely held and the official route to it, and we name each source with the date we read it. We do not give financial, tax or legal advice.