# Spanish pension after return to UK?



## Antonia (Apr 20, 2009)

Hi,
Apologies in advance if this is already discussed elsewhere - please do direct me to any relevant threads.
I lived and worked in Spain for 19 years and returned to the UK 11 years ago. 
I'm 52 and wondering if I need to do anything about my Spanish pension. 
Before leaving Spain I was told that all I had to do to be eligible for a Spanish pension was to work for two years after the age of 50 (or 51, cant remember). 
I have a copy of my Vida Laboral somewhere which shows I worked and contributed for at least 15 of those 19 years.

Do I need to do anything now or just wait till I'm 67 and then do the paperwork?
Does anyone know how Brexit might affect Spanish pensions for British citizens resident in the UK?
Any advice welcome!
Thanks
Antonia


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Antonia said:


> Hi,
> Apologies in advance if this is already discussed elsewhere - please do direct me to any relevant threads.
> I lived and worked in Spain for 19 years and returned to the UK 11 years ago.
> I'm 52 and wondering if I need to do anything about my Spanish pension.
> ...


I have a sneaking suspicion that in Spain you have to have worked the last three years before you retire to get a pension and in all the minimum number of years was 15. However I am sure someone more informed will help.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

kaipa said:


> I have a sneaking suspicion that in Spain you have to have worked the last three years before you retire to get a pension and in all the minimum number of years was 15. However I am sure someone more informed will help.


At the moment, the two EU pensions are sort of added together, so any years in either - or any EU country go towards the final pension. 


I don't know if Brexit will change that - anyone?


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

xabiaxica said:


> At the moment, the two EU pensions are sort of added together, so any years in either - or any EU country go towards the final pension.
> 
> 
> I don't know if Brexit will change that - anyone?


I am pretty sure it doesn’t.... but nothing official... and how easy it will be is another matter!


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

xabiaxica said:


> At the moment, the two EU pensions are sort of added together, so any years in either - or any EU country go towards the final pension.
> 
> 
> I don't know if Brexit will change that - anyone?


If you qualify for state pensions in the EU countries you have worked in, which I think might be the OP's case, they don't necessarily add it together. They work out what you'd get if they added it together, and what you'd get if you received the various pensions separately, and you receive the higher amount.

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/retire-abroad/state-pensions-abroad/index_en.htm



> The EU-equivalent rate
> Each pension authority will calculate the part of the pension it should pay taking into account periods completed in all EU countries.
> 
> To do so, it will add together the periods you completed in all EU countries and work out how much pension you would get had you contributed into its own scheme over the entire time (called the theoretical amount).
> ...


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Antonia said:


> Hi,
> Apologies in advance if this is already discussed elsewhere - please do direct me to any relevant threads.
> I lived and worked in Spain for 19 years and returned to the UK 11 years ago.
> I'm 52 and wondering if I need to do anything about my Spanish pension.
> ...


I don't think you need to do anything. When you claim the state pension in whichever country you are when you retire, you should get the chance to declare all the employment you've had in other countries. It's then up to them to contact the authorities in those countries to confirm the time spent working there, and then they have to do the sums.

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/work/retire-abroad/state-pensions-abroad/index_en.htm


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## fortrose52 (Nov 29, 2018)

I would imagine that it would be unlawful to deny someone a pension that they had paid into. It used to be the case here that if a policeman was sacked for gross misconduct or for having committed a criminal offence they also lost their police pension. Somebody challenged it in court and this policy was found to be unlawful.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

When you reach retirement age (UK) you will be able to apply for your Spanish pension. You will be able to do nothing at all about it until then. 

(I will ask about OH about the application process and get back to you)

It will take some time to arrive (up to a year) but when it does it will be backdated and you will receive a cheque for the backdated sum and then a cheque (sterling) monthly.

I don't know how the amounts are calculated. I would guess (based upon what you have said compared to OH's situation) that you might get around £200 a month)

You do not have to work for 15 years and you do not have to have worked in the last three years.

That's up until the 31st December - Gawd knows after that.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

xabiaxica said:


> At the moment, the two EU pensions are sort of added together, so any years in either - or any EU country go towards the final pension.
> 
> 
> I don't know if Brexit will change that - anyone?


My husband is in receipt of a small pension from Cyprus as well as his UK Pension. They are not added together, they are totally separate.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

jimenato said:


> When you reach retirement age (UK) you will be able to apply for your Spanish pension. You will be able to do nothing at all about it until then.
> 
> (I will ask about OH about the application process and get back to you)
> 
> ...


But you don’t have to wait a year for your U.K. PENSION do you?


We will have a full U.K. pension and then a small top up of the spanish one.

Can anyone shed light on the above for me as if we have to wait a year we will have to ensure we have contingency funds


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

fortrose52 said:


> I would imagine that it would be unlawful to deny someone a pension that they had paid into. It used to be the case here that if a policeman was sacked for gross misconduct or for having committed a criminal offence they also lost their police pension. Somebody challenged it in court and this policy was found to be unlawful.


I wasn't thinking that you'd be denied it after Brexit - but that the method of claiming it might change.

Atm you apply for your pension in your country of residence / where you last worked, & they ask about work in other EU countries. 


What I'm not sure about is whether in the future we'll have to claim each pension separately.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Megsmum said:


> But you don’t have to wait a year for your U.K. PENSION do you?
> 
> 
> We will have a full U.K. pension and then a small top up of the spanish one.
> ...


I can only really say in Antonia's circumstances which are the same as ours - i.e. living back in the UK, having a UK pension but able to claim a Spanish pension having worked for a period in Spain.

OH did not have to wait at all for her UK pension. 

Your circumstances are different - living in Spain and claiming a UK pension. I don't know how that works.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

jimenato said:


> ...
> (I will ask about OH about the application process and get back to you)
> ...


Much as Copera said.

When you reach UK pensionable age (you can't do it until then) - contact the UK pensions people and tell them about your work in Spain. They will put you on to the right department (International Pensions?) who will send you a form.

It will then all happen but rather slowly.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

jimenato said:


> I can only really say in Antonia's circumstances which are the same as ours - i.e. living back in the UK, having a UK pension but able to claim a Spanish pension having worked for a period in Spain.
> 
> OH did not have to wait at all for her UK pension.
> 
> Your circumstances are different - living in Spain and claiming a UK pension. I don't know how that works.


Ah , I misunderstood. I thought you were in spain and claimed a Spanish pensions and a U.K. one and waited a year for them 

Phew...


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