Advice please for Australian pensioner moving to Spain

Hi

I wonder if anybody can give me some advice for a friend hoping to move to Spain to be closer to her son.  She is British but has spent many years working in Australia where she is living at present.  Her UK pension is minimal, however she has a good Australian pension.  Are there any Australian pensioners living over here, or do you know somebody in a similar situation?  She is worried that if she moves here permanently her Australian pension could be reduced.  Is anybody able to help reassure her?

Many thanks.

Sue

Sue financial advice  is required it seems perhaps a QROPS may be the best solution an IFA would be best placed to advise in this case 

Regards Rod

www.ournextholiday.co.uk

If she can come to Spain via the UK 1st she'd get her UK pension put back to the going rate & be entitled to future increases !

Thanks for your replies.  I think the only problem with going to the UK first is it would affect her Australian pension, which I gather is a lot more than her UK one!

Sue

I came across someone about 2 years ago who had some problem to do with UK/AUS pension and being resident in Spain.

It was something to do with while she maintained a UK address she was fine but otherwise she was in trouble and she did not wish to lie. I can't recall the whole story but it meant she lost one of her reciprical pension rights although she could have tried a claim directly to Aus. I think it might have been as long as she "lived" in UK UK would honour but not if she left UK and if that was the case start a Spanish/Aus application.

It was complex and no one seemed able to advise her .....

So your friend does need to be very careful

Assuming you're talking about an Australian state pension, surely the pension authorities in OZ are the best people to advise her?

I lived and worked in Australia for 2 years in the late 60's.  When I asked for a forcast for my UK pension these years weren't included, I was told that all I needed to do was provide two letters from people who knew that I had spent x amount of time in Australia and I would be credited with the missing years.

In 1975 all the NI/Pension records were computerized and the records prior to this have to be adjusted manually.

Seems strange that my years spent in Australia would be added to my UK pension contributions but that it doesn't work the other way.

Definately need to speak to the pension people in Austalia to understand the rules, maybe because of living in Spain (European country) will count as living in UK.

European countries are entitled to pension increases but Australia/New Zealand you're not.