State pension question re working abroad

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My father is almost 65 and I have been helping him prepare his online claim for his state pension. He has 30 years of contributions in the UK and he also worked in the US for 15 years and paid contributions there to entitle him to a US social security pension.

One of the questions in the online claim for the state pension is "Have you ever worked abroad?" and if the answer is yes you then have to supply details of which countries, dates and equivalents to our NI number.

Will the 15 years in the US be added to the 30 years in the UK and effectively deleted in the US?

Thanks in advance
Alan

jennifernil

Generally, they use the info you supply to contact the country or countries involved on your behalf to find out if you are due any pension from them.

Probably you will then be contacted by the scheme in that country to supply more details and make your claim.

How it is handled depends on the country involved.
I think you could find some info on how it works if you dig a little.

My OH has pensions from 2 countries, mainly UK, but also an additional amount from Norway. His friend has pensions from UK, Norway and Denmark.

Your Dad will not lose any pension here by claiming from the US as well. If he has the 30 years required here he should get a full pension.

As he has quite a few years contributions in the US, I would expect him to qualify for an additional payment from there. How this works with tax in the US, I have no idea.

jennifernil

look here as a start.....

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/international/benefits/state-pension/state-pension-arrangements-in-social/#usa

Livemore

jennifernil wrote: »

look here as a start.....


Many thanks! Why couldn't I find that? Doh...

iolanthe07

I worked in the US for five years and get a small state pension from them - about £150 a month, depending on the exchange rate. It hasn't affected my full state pension here, in fact it was the Pensions Office in Newcastle who advised me to apply to the US authorities. Also, you are allowed to deduct 10% of the value of a foreign pension on your tax form, so you onbly pay tax on 90% of the pension.