Pensions
Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Spain.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
If you retire in Spain, you can claim:
- your UK State Pension or new UK State Pension
- your Spanish and UK State Pension from the Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social if you were living in Spain before 1 January 2021
- pensions from working in other EU countries
Read the Money and Pension Service guidance on pension and retirement changes for more information on cross-border pensions.
Life Certificates for UK State Pensions
If you get a life certificate from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don’t.
Benefits
Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Spain.
You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.
Check which benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.
Many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.
Spanish benefits
You may be entitled to Spanish benefits. To find out if you are entitled to Spanish benefits and how to claim, you can:
- speak to a social worker (trabajador social) at your local town hall (in Spanish) (ayuntamiento)
- visit your nearest Instituto de Mayores y Servicios Sociales office (in Spanish)
You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.