UK Pension for British National living in Germany

Pitlanepiglet

Hi all,

Please be gentle I'm new to this section.

I'm trying to guide my sister into making some decent financial decisions as currently after a sticky marriage break up she appears to have got her head in the sand about her future.

I need to raise these issues with her but would to be better informed than I am now before starting the discussion.

My sister left the UK aged 18, over 30 years ago. Her husband was German, she raised her family there and has stayed there since her marriage broke down several years ago. She worked for a few months in the UK before leaving but I'm not sure if she made any contributions it was a bit of a casual job.

She has worked on a part time basis on and off in Germany whilst the children were growing up and has worked more permanently in the last 7 or 8 years. I don't know what pension provision she has made for herself - I suspect little as her husband was in a profession where he was well looked after and the assumption was that she would be provided for through this scheme.

She is now 50 and I wonder what her pension entitlement would be in the UK if she returned home in the future? Presumably any pension entitlement that she has accrued in Germany will be paid to her? I wonder if she ought to be making UK NI contributions now if she thinks she might return?

This is a new subject for me and I'd be grateful for any advice that can be given - I've looked at the info on the HMRC website but it all seems very confusing.

Thanks

molerat

As a starting point

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/retire/state-pension-claims-and-calculation/index_en.htm

She also needs to seek legal advice in Germany re any pension sharing from her ex.

atush

Indeed, there is pension sharing here on divorce, I am assuming there is in Germany as well.

mania112

Well, as is widely publicised, anyone entering the country is entitled to some form of state benefits. We don't leave people with nothing.