Pension arrangments while working outside UK

richarduk

I'm a British citizen and have lived/worked in the UK for all my life until I got transferred with work to Vienna in October 05.

I'm no longer a UK tax resident and pay local Austrian taxes. I expect to remain outside the UK for at least a full UK tax year.

My employer has switched me to our local Austrian pension scheme, but due to Austria pension rules I lose all the benefit if I don't remain in Austria for at least 3 years.

As it's very doubtful that I'll manage 3 years here (Vienna is beautiful, but a bit of a village!) I want to make some pension contributions back in the UK (where I fully expect to retire).

Am I allowed to make pension contributions to a private plan while I'm not a UK tax resident? Or can I only save and make contributions when I finally return to the UK?

Any experience would be most helpful!

EdInvestor

You can make voluntary contributions to keep up your entitlement to the state pension.Class 3 conts are very inexpensive.

I doubt you can start a new private pension, anyway there's no point, as the reason for having the pension is to get tax relief, which won't apply to you.

Just continue to save/invest in the normal way, an asset doesn't have to be in an account labelled "pension" to be useful in retirement.