French State Pension contributions – do they get counted as UK NI contributions ?

Ooh_La_La

Does anyone have experience of how NI-type contributions into the French system get treated when you retire in the UK ?

I think the possibilities are :

1. Handled completely separately from the UK state pension scheme. This would mean that any years worked in France would not count towards your 44 years UK NI contributions requirement (soon to be 30) and thus might reduce your UK state pension. However, the French pension earned by your contributions made over there would earn a French pension – which hopefully could be paid to a UK bank account.
2. The reciprocal arrangements between France and the UK (and other EEA countries) would mean that years worked in France got credited towards your UK state pension. This would mean that your UK state pension was not potentially reduced by the years you were working in France. However, it would also mean that you didn’t get a French pension in its own right.
3. A mixture of the 2 ?

The situation is that I worked in France for a few years some time ago and had deductions from my pay for various things including social security stuff and pension contributions. I lived and worked in the UK before and after my French period and am a UK citizen/resident..

Looking at the numbers for me, I’d prefer it if option 2 applied. I’ll have enough years (44 or 30) for a full UK state pension without needing the years I worked in France. The French pension (currently valued at about £2000 per year) would be a big bonus.

Having looked at the UK Pensions Service website, it seems that option 3 may apply though.

Anyone have relevant knowledge/experience ? I could wait till I'm near retirement and I believe the DWP will chase up foreign pensions for me then, but it would be useful to know the answer now.