What happens to UK Pension Contributions made by EU citizens returing to their country of origin? 

Dear All

I work for an advice service in Brighton and I am working with a client from Spain who intends to return to Spain later in the year. What will happen to the pension contributions he has made via his benefits?

The client is aged 58, single and a Spanish passport holder that has been resident in the UK since 1996.

The client worked in the UK for just over one year when he first arrived but then became ill and claimed Income Support (on grounds of illness or disability) until he was migrated over to income related Employment and Support Allowance at the beginning of 2015. The client has also been receiving Disability Living Allowance for a number of years.
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Will any contributions he has made here in the UK automatically be transferred through to the Spanish Social Security system? Will they be claimed separately or as part of the pension he may or may not qualify for in Spain?

Does anybody have experience of this or know where I might be able to get the advice I need for my client? . I can find out lots of information about UK citizens retiring in other EU countries but very little regarding my clients situation.

I have already sent an email to the International Pension Centre and I am thinking about contacting the Future Pension Centre for a copy of the clients pension statement.

Does anybody have any further ideas, can anybody signpost me in the right direction with this?

Many thanks,

Tim Holt
Advice Worker
Health, Wealth and Happiness - THT South

They can be aggregated with Spanish contributions to meet conditions in Spain (or any other EU state). Claim in state of residence, let them know about work in other state and they should do the work behind the scenes. See p1598 of our handbook or p196 and p254-255 of our migrants handbook. If no contribution in Spain, only in UK, then can claim UK pension as no residence/presence rules.

In terms of practical experience, my Mum who lives in France ‘aggregated’ her French and UK contributions when claiming her pension in France without too many problems I think.

Thanks for taking the time to post your reply hkrishna, It’s starting to make sense now!