Pensions

Understanding the UK pension system is an important part of planning your move to and from the UK.  

The UK State Pension is a regular payment from the government that you may be entitled to receive when you reach State Pension age. Entitlement is based on your National Insurance (NI) record.

Most people who reach State Pension age after 6 April 2016 receive the new State Pension. The amount you receive depends on the number of qualifying years of National Insurance contributions or credits on your record.

In general:

• You normally need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to receive any State Pension.
• Most people need around 35 qualifying years to receive the full new State Pension. However, individuals with National Insurance records before April 2016, particularly those who were contracted out of the additional State Pension, may require more or fewer qualifying years to receive the full amount.
• You may still qualify for a UK State Pension if you have worked in the UK for a shorter period, depending on your circumstances and any applicable international social security arrangements.

The age at which you can claim the State Pension is known as State Pension age. State Pension age is currently 66 for both men and women. This will increase to 67 between April 2026 and March 2028.

You can check your eligibility at: State Pension forecast and National Insurance record.

National Insurance contributions help fund certain state benefits, including the State Pension. If you work in the UK as an employee, National Insurance contributions are usually deducted automatically through payroll. Self-employed individuals may also be required to make contributions.

Periods during which you are not working may still count towards your State Pension entitlement if you receive eligible National Insurance credits.

While State Pension and National Insurance arrangements are largely consistent across the UK, some occupational pension schemes and public sector pension arrangements differ between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Researchers should check the pension scheme available through their employer and the rules that apply to their specific scheme.

Scottish and Welsh taxpayers may be subject to different income tax rates from those applying elsewhere in the UK. This can affect the value of tax relief received on pension contributions, although pension eligibility and core pension arrangements remain broadly consistent across the UK.

In addition to the State Pension, all employers must provide a workplace pension scheme. This is called ‘automatic enrolment’,

Your employer must automatically enrol you into a pension scheme and make contributions to your pension if all of the following apply:

• you’re classed as a ‘worker’
• you’re aged between 22 and State Pension age
• you earn at least £10,000 per year
• you usually (‘ordinarily’) work in the UK (read the detailed guidance if you’re not sure)

Your employer usually does not have to automatically enrol you if you do not meet the previous criteria or if any of the following apply:

• you’ve already given notice to your employer that you’re leaving your job, or they’ve given you notice
• you have evidence of your lifetime allowance protection (for example, a certificate from HMRC)
• you’ve already taken a pension that meets the automatic enrolment rules and your employer arranged it
• you get a one-off payment from a workplace pension scheme that’s closed (a ‘winding up lump sum’), and then leave and rejoin the same job within 12 months of getting the payment
• more than 12 months before your staging date, you left (‘opted out’) of a pension arranged through your employer
• you’re from an EU member state and in an EU cross-border pension scheme
• you’re in a limited liability partnership
• you’re classed as a ‘director’ without an employment contract and employ at least one other person in your company

You can usually still join their pension if you want to. Your employer cannot refuse.

Personal pensions are pensions that you arrange yourself. They’re sometimes known as defined contribution or ‘money purchase’ pensions. You’ll usually get a pension that’s based on how much was paid in.

RESAVER is a pan-European pension arrangement designed to support researcher mobility. It aims to make it easier for researchers moving between participating institutions and countries to build pension savings throughout their careers.

Researchers interested in RESAVER should check whether their institution participates in the scheme and whether it is available in the countries where they work.

Many international researchers spend only part of their career in the UK. Even if you work in the UK for a relatively short period, the National Insurance contributions you make may help you build entitlement to a UK State Pension.

Your eligibility will depend on factors including:

• how long you worked in the UK;
• the number of qualifying years on your National Insurance record; and
• whether the UK has social security agreements or reciprocal arrangements that apply to the countries where you have also worked.

Researchers should retain records of employment, payslips and pension scheme membership, particularly if they expect to move between countries during their career.

Researchers often build careers across different countries and sectors. Pension rights may be protected through international agreements that help coordinate social security benefits between countries.

The UK has social security agreements with a number of countries. Depending on your circumstances, periods of work completed in different countries may be taken into account when assessing eligibility for state pension benefits.

The rules vary depending on the countries involved and the dates during which contributions were made. Researchers who have worked in more than one country should consult the relevant pension authorities for guidance on their individual circumstances.

Researchers moving between countries should keep records of employment periods, pension scheme membership and social security contributions, as these may be needed when claiming pension benefits in the future. You can receive advice from the International Pension Centre if you’ve lived or worked abroad.  

For further information, visit:

• GOV.UK State Pension information
• GOV.UK Check your State Pension forecast
• GOV.UK National Insurance guidance
• GOV.UK Pension Tracing Service
• MoneyHelper pension guidance and retirement planning tools
• The Pensions Regulator guidance on automatic enrolment
• RESAVER
• EURAXESS Europe guidance on pensions for researchers

Pension rules, eligibility criteria and contribution requirements can change over time. The information provided here is intended as general guidance only and should not be considered financial, legal or tax advice. Researchers should consult official government sources, their pension provider or an independent adviser for advice relating to their individual circumstances.