Already drawing state pension & investigating moving to Australia

rockymountainuk

Hi - I’m looking at joining my only daughter who is a citizen of Australia & has dual resistance.
i am drawing my UK state pension and have a couple of private pensions that I live off ( I do not work ).
canyou advise what will happen to my UK pension as I have heard that as soon as you move abroad (Australia) the state pension is frozen, is there any way around this?

a) if I give a UK address but not live there
b) have my Uk pension paid into a Uk bank 

do I have to tell anyone I am leaving the Uk ( is it against the law )

would any of the above matter regarding continuing to drawing the pension

I am aware that there are a lot of hoops to jump through but need to know positively if there will be no increments on the state pension if I make the move, I’m not sure about the private pensions but I presume they will not be frozen 

molerat

You are happy to commit benefit fraud ?

The state pension will not increment above what it is on the date you leave.  Your other pensions will continue in accordance with the rules of the scheme.

Cressida100

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

rockymountainuk

molerat said:

You are happy to commit benefit fraud ?

The state pension will not increment above what it is on the date you leave.  Your other pensions will continue in accordance with the rules of the scheme.

Off course not - I’m too old for all that, what I meant was if I did long term rents rather than sell my property so I would still have a UK property

eastcorkram

rockymountainuk said:

molerat said:

You are happy to commit benefit fraud ?

The state pension will not increment above what it is on the date you leave.  Your other pensions will continue in accordance with the rules of the scheme.

Off course not - I’m too old for all that, what I meant was if I did long term rents rather than sell my property so I would still have a UK property

Even if you kept a property here, presumably you wouldn't be a resident?

TheSpectator

rockymountainuk said:

molerat said:

You are happy to commit benefit fraud ?

The state pension will not increment above what it is on the date you leave.  Your other pensions will continue in accordance with the rules of the scheme.

Off course not - I’m too old for all that, what I meant was if I did long term rents rather than sell my property so I would still have a UK property

Fraud is fraud no matter how you dress it up.

Brie

Cressida100 said:

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-if-you-retire-abroad

This doesn't say what happens if you are already claiming and then move abroad.  As far as I'm aware it would continue to get yearly increases but you are best off checking on that as molerat seems to be saying it will be frozen at the amount when you leave.   I must admit I find the whole thing about reciprocal agreements for state pensions confusing.

A crucial thing will be whether you are sure it will be a permanent move.  There's nothing the matter with you having a prolonged holiday with your pension continuing to be paid in the UK while you make up your mind.  And then once you know for sure you are going to stay there then give DWP your new bank details in Australia.  I assume that as you have family there will be no blocks on you moving there permanently if you wish to?

rockymountainuk

This doesn't say what happens if you are already claiming and then move abroad.  As far as I'm aware it would continue to get yearly increases but you are best off checking on that as molerat seems to be saying it will be frozen at the amount when you leave.   I must admit I find the whole thing about reciprocal agreements for state pensions confusing.

A crucial thing will be whether you are sure it will be a permanent move.  There's nothing the matter with you having a prolonged holiday with your pension continuing to be paid in the UK while you make up your mind.  And then once you know for sure you are going to stay there then give DWP your new bank details in Australia.  I assume that as you have family there will be no blocks on you moving there permanently if you wish to?

So very confusing:-
Just checking out Visas with Australian government , you can travel normally with a yearly visa for 3 months a year
you can apply for a family visa which apparently take around 30 years to be agreed and you have a bridging visa while you wait ( that will see me out anyway ).
it’s so difficult I think I will have to pay a specialist pensions advisor to advise, I think the state pension will be frozen regardless of what visa I get, I will probably have to just go out for 3 months at a time for a couple of years and see if I like it but 3 months is not really long enough…..

xylophone

who is a citizen of Australia & has dual resistance

Ohm  y .

rockymountainuk

Spoken to the pension office and if you leave the UK for 6 months you are classed as leaving the country regardless of your residency status in the country you are visiting at this point your state pension is frozen .
if you return after the 6 months your pension is released and you continue to receive the normal UK rises.

cfw1994

Is there a way you could visit for 5-5½ months perhaps?

(in case it isn’t obvious, I have no idea how Oz holiday visas work….but am hoping for a 2 month trip in 2026!)