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A Spanish State pension may be payable to those foreigners who have made more than the minimum social security payments required to qualify. In most cases this is 15 years. Each EU country adds together the insurance contributions from all EU countries. Then each country sees how much state pension (if any) a person would get if the insurance contributions had all been paid into that country's own social security scheme. Each country pays part of a person's pension; how much depends on how much has been paid into its scheme.
The Spanish State Pension System
The Spanish pension system is based upon earnings-related schemes which cover both employees and self-employed (Autonomo) persons.
Pensions are calculated on the individual's earnings in the 15 years previous to retirement. A full pension is reached after 35 years of contributing and at the age of 65*. However, this may be topped-up for low-earners after means-testing.
Claiming a Spanish State Pension
Each EU country where a person has paid into social security towards a pension, including Spain, will look at the contributions under its own scheme. It will then work out how much pension is available, also under its own rules.
Any social security contributions made in another country or EU-reciprocal agreement country may be taken into account if it will help to get a State pension, or a higher State pension. Spanish Social Security Seguridad Social can supply further details or forms.
- Tel: 900 16 65 65
Calculation of Amounts
Each country sends details of a person's social security record to the other countries. In brief, each country adds together a persons contributions made in all countries. Then each one sees how much State pension would be allowed if all contributions had been paid into its own social security scheme, for example Spain. But each country only has to pay a part of this depending on how much was paid in to it.
Claiming Pension from a Home Country ( Such as the UK ) Each country decides how it will pay a State pension; further information is available from and the authorities who run the country's State pension scheme.
For example:
- A foreigner from the UK should ask the International Pensions Centre and complete the claim form IPCBR1
- A person who is some time away from retirement age can complete the form BR19 which gives a State pension forecast of the benefits available from the UK
Both forms are available from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Apart from identifying pension benefits it is imperative that a claimant remembers to contact all previous employers. An enormous amount of money is lost in unclaimed, forgotten pensions.
* The Pension Reform came into effect on January 1st 2013, which brought the age of retirement from 65 to 67 for both men and women. The increase will be phased in gradually, and scheduled to take full effect by 2025. The minimum period of contributions to qualify for a 50% reduced pension remains 15 years, but increases to 22 years minimum to qualify for a full pension. You can read more by clicking >> Here <<
BHW : I am sure that you already know that the minimum number of years you must make to quilify for a Spanish Pension is 15 years. This amount of contributions currently entitles you to claim EU340 per month, paid double in December & July - so basically EU4760 per year.
I am a UK national but resident in Spain and have just completed 15 years paying social security contributions as 'autonomo' (circa 300 Euros per month). I am 69 years old. Can you give an indication of the amount I may receive under the Spanish pension system ?
Hi, I,m writing to inform you that a lot of people who receive their pensions from UK might not realise that if their bank has merged with another bank, their Swift and Iban number will be changed and pensions Department will not be able to pay it into their account in Spain, contact pensions Department in Uk after getting your new swft and Iban from your bank, hope this is helpful to some people.
Sr Valino : This site is generally concerned with UK citizens moving TO Spain - NOT vice-versa - so you will have to excuse us if we are not up to speed with the exact procedures.... if you are asking about how to claim a Pension from Spain whilst living in the UK I would suggest that the Spanish Embassy in London may be a good place to start.
I am claiming a retirment pension in England from Spain, but yearly I have to produce a "fe de vida" - what is that, and more important, where can I get it ?
I am having a problem claiming my uk pension as I worked for 4 years autonomous in Spain, the form they have given me to fill in is in complicated spanish & they want copies of my kids birth certificates, does anyone know anything about these forms can I get them in English, why do they need my kids birth certificates ?
Tony : If you are working and making social security contributions here in Spain you should ask the Spanish authorities (the INSS) about any Spanish pensions rights you may have from those contributions.
Any entitlement you have in Spain would be in addition to your United Kingdom State Pension (i.e you would receive a pension from the UK and a separate pension from Spain).
HOWEVER, I would add that personal circumstances and situations vary so you should check to ensure that this will be the case for YOU.
If I have paid in the full amount in the uk
and 20 years in spain.
Will I only get the full spanish pension as I live in spain
or will I also get some from the UK too ?
Tony : This very subject was recently discussed in our forum, please click HERE to see if any of the comments answer your question.
I have paid 30 years pension contribution in the UK
And 20 years pension Contribution in Spain
Can I claim Both ?
Janet, where are you legally resident at the moment ?
I can claim my UK pension from may this year, but have been told by UK works and pension dept that I have to claim through Spain because I have worked in Spain for the last 10 years, could you tell me which form I have to ask for when applying please ?
I am divorced from my former spouse while I was in the USA, and now live in Sevilla, and am not working anywhere, becouse I am on Disability in both countries : USA and in Spain. I do not work as a self-employed or anything else - am I entitled to claim any pension ?
Now 65, I am claiming my Spanish pension after having worked and contributed in Spain for 24 years as an autonomo. I paid UK ex-pat contributions and have been receiving in my UK bank account my (not full) UK pension since I was 60. Will I be able to get the full Spanish pension (or 24 years' worth) AND keep my UK one? if not, why not as I paid for both separately? Thanks Susana
Ian, sorry for late response. When I came to Spain almost 10 years ago I was 58 but paid the rest of my contributions in the uk in other words 7 more years payments that of course concluded my input to the uk.
I then started paying into the Spanish system for 7 years before retiring. My uk pension was basic plus serps and my spanish pension paid seperateley or should I say credits because I had not completed 15 years. My spanish was originally 240 euros pm but was recently reduced by 94 euros because of my wifes death. My solicitor says this is basically theft, but is the same in the uk if your wife dies.
Sir, I retire in july 2012. I plan to be living back in the UK by next July, and will have accrued 13 yrs into the Spanish system. DO I QUALIFY FOR AN EXTRA SMALLER PENSION FROM SPAIN AS WELL?
Regards.
Sam, can you clarify regarding the number of years you had credit for, is it 44? If so did the extra 14 years get credited to Spain and added to your 6 years here? Also what amount did you originally receive from Spain?
Thanks
Before I left the uk in 2002 I had paid up all contributions to my state pension. I worked another 6 years here in Spain and on retirement got my UK pension plus the credits from working here in Spain, so I am paid my UK pension from the UK and receive a small pension here re the credits. I have received a notification today to turn up at the seguridad social with all my papers to prove I am resident in Spain and that I get the UK pension also. I have also noted that they have lopped off almost 100 euros from my Spanish pension. I am in the uk at present so can't do much, have you had any thing like this before ? Thanks
Guys, please accept my apologies for the slow response. You may find quicker, different and maybe even more up to date replies to your questions by checking out the 'Pensions & Benefits' section of our Forum, by clicking HERE
Buzz : I honestly don't know, but will look into this one. It seems a bit odd and I can only wonder if it is indirectly linked to carers benefits and so on ...?
Steve : Yes, you can apply for these contributions to be transfered. It is normal practice for the UK to take this into account just before you apply to receive your final Pension, due to the fact that you situation could change several times between now and that point in time. It would do no harm, though, to contact the International Pensions Centre at the DWP in the UK on 0044 191 218 7777 to ask them if there is any paperwork you should be collating in order to make the process easier for you in the future.
Bev : Obviously things can and probably will change between now and in 17 years time, but at the moment yes, you will be entitled to both.
I'm so relieved to have found your website. I've worked in Spain for well over 20 years and am finally reaching 65. I already receive my UK pension since reaching 60 and have now got an application form for my spanish pension. I don't know if I'm over reacting but one of the questions on the form is to give the names and details of my adult children (also british) who do not live with me. Is this really necessary under European regulations? Appreciative thank yous
Hi I have paid 12 years social security payments in Tenerife.
Iam now living back in UK and have not paid NI contributions since that time.
My question is that can i transfer all/part of these social payments back to UK to top up my NI contributions?
Many Thanks
Hi Again,
With these changes now in place will this still mean that by the time I retire in 17 years time, and I would have paid 17 years Spanish atonimo and have paid FULL UK stamp will this still mean that I will be able to claim full UK pention and a small Spanish pension??
Many thanks again for your wonderful support to all us expats
Cheers
Bev
S.J. : Whilst I appreciate that it doesn't answer your question, you may find today's news of interest to you - Click Here...
Thanks for the detailed reply. However, I tend to be pretty 'thick' about these things. What I am still unsure of is, whether, when I reach my 65th birthday in April 2013, will I be able to claim a Spanish pension or will I have to wait until my 67th birthday? Another issue regards my wife's pension. She has been receiving her UK state pension since Oct. 2009 (17 years of UK contributions). By Oct. 2014 she will have contributed at least 15 years into the Spanish Seguridad Social for her pension. Will she have to renegociate her British & Spanish pension to receive a single sum from one or the other or will the Uk pension remain as at present and receive an additional pension from Spain? Complicated eh!! Hope that you can work it all out and shed a glimmer of light on our predicament. Thanks again S.J.
SJ : Yes, you still qualify to receive the minimum Spanish pension, as you will a 22/30th pension from the UK, however the increase in retirement age from 65 to 67 will start to be phased in from 2013, becoming fully effective by 2025.
I am 63 and have contributed for 15 years towards my Spanish State Pension (not autonomo). I am, at present, receiving unemployment benifit following my redundancy 12 months ago. I was assured at that time that my Social Security contributions would be continued. I accepted the redubdancy on the understanding that 15 yrs was the min. to qualify for a Spanish pension. Following the changes in late 2010, do I still qualify with 15 yrs contributions and will I get it at 65 or will I have to wait till 67? I also have 22 years contributions in UK.
Based on the DWP website, my understanding of the situation is this :
If you have paid into the social security scheme of another EU member state for at least 1 year, your entitlement to pension from that state will be considered under the EU Regulations.
You need to have paid at least 15 years of Spanish insurance to get a pension under Spain's rules.
Under the EU Regulations, Spain can use your insurance record from the UK to help you qualify for a Spanish pension, but Spain will only pay the proportion of pension based on Spanish insurance to you.
You will therefore get two pensions - one from the UK and one from Spain.
HOWEVER - Any years of UK insurance over the 30 years now required to get a full pension CAN NOT be passed to Spain. Insurance is not transferable from one state to another UNLESS you have paid less than 52 weeks of contributions in any one member state.
I will be 65 in November 2011 and I have 42 qualifying years in the UK. I am self employed here in Spain and will have contributed 6 years to the INNS. Will the UK transfer the surplus 12 years to Spain? Also added to the 6 years I have, will Spain pay me a half pension? Thank you
You should speak with the International Pensions Centre at the DWP in the UK on 0044 191 218 7777 - ask for a Pensions Forecast for yourself at the same time.
I qualify for U.K. pension january 2012 having contributed for 10 years.I live in Spain with my husband. He has contributed as a self employed person for 15 years here. He will be 65 this November, and will draw his pension then. He will get a small allowance for me because I have never worked in Spain. Can I recieve my pension in U.K. and have it paid into a relatives bank account as I do not have one of my own. If I claim my pension will my husband lose the small proportion he gets for me as a dependent. Or can the pensions be combined as it makes 25 years and we have no other savings or income.
No, you can not claim that money back - but you can arrange for the contributions that you have made to be 'moved' back to the UK to count towards your contributions there.
What happens to moniey the i have paid into social security in spain,t i have paid in for over 6 years,and have now left Spain and returned to UK because of family. iam now coming upto 65 but i am still on the spanish electral roll can i claim any money back that i have paid in??,
Bev : I have spoken with my contact at the DWP in the UK and he assure me that you WILL be eligible to claim both Pensions seperately. The amount you can claim will depend upon the contributions you have made - so in your case the UK max Pension, and the Spanish min pension (whatever amounts they may be at that time).
sorry to confuse you. I have paid 28 years therefore have 2 years left to which I will be pating over the next 2 years to top me up.
Now I am paying into the Spanish system and it is my understanding that if I pay my autonomo for 15 years I will then be able to claim a full UK pention plus the lower Spainish pension is this correct???
As I am 50 now, I shall reach both pension ages at the same time.
This would then so I am told, give me roughly £400.00 per month from the UK and 800euros from Spain.
Many thanks
Bev
Bev, just to clarify : You have to date paid 2 years UK contributions, but plan to make voluntary NI contributions in the future in order to top this up. The minimum no. of NIC's you need to have made in order to get the Max. UK pension is 30 yrs, and the min. years you need to have made contributions for in order to get a reduced UK pension is 10/Men & 9/Women.
- If you are wanting to consider claiming BOTH a UK AND Spanish pension, but will reach the eligible age for the UK pension before the Spanish one, you should claim from the INSS in Spain as opposed to from the UK as the system allows you to do this (at the moment, at least).
Hi
I have been living in Spain for 7 years and have for the past 6 months I have been selfemployed here and paying Autonomo. I have only 2 years contributions needed for my full pension in the UK(which I plan to pay seperately) but plan to stay here working for the 15 years so that I can obtain both a UK & Spanish pention but reading the above makes me wonder if I am being misinformed that I would not be allowed to claim full UK and Minimum Spanish pensions. Please advice me.
The situation regarding private pensions is a complex one, and accurate advise would require knowing much more about your personal situation. A good starting point for no-obligation advice would be by contacting our "Pensions" partner by clicking on the "Savings, Pensions & Investments" Button on the toolbar, above.
I recently changed my local authority pension to private. I was informed that on the 6th april for the next 5 years, I can withdraw min of £3700 per year. Can i sell these rights? Are there companis who would buy them from me? Can I get a loan against these? The 1st payment is due on the 6/4/2011. I now live in spain, thankyou for your time.
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