Pension question, UK
What happens to my UK State Pension if I move abroad?
gov.uk states you need 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any of it, and 35 qualifying years for the full rate if your record began after April 2016. Below 35 it is paid as a proportion, so a short UK working life produces a smaller but permanent weekly income rather than nothing.
- Source: gov.uk, The new State Pension, read 3 October 2026
What to do next
- Keep your National Insurance number and a record of each UK job with you when you move.
- Tell the UK authorities where to write to you, so letters about your record reach you.
- Run our free check to see what else your working life may have left in other countries.
Check your own working life for free
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.
Run the free checkQuestions people also ask
Is it paid automatically at State Pension age?
The State Pension is not paid automatically: it must be applied for.
Do years abroad help me reach the threshold?
If you have fewer than 10 UK years, gov.uk states that contributions you made in the EEA, Switzerland or a country with a UK social security agreement can be added to your UK years to carry you past the 10 year threshold, with the amount still based only on your UK years.
- Source: gov.uk, The new State Pension, read 3 October 2026
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.