Relocation services for British Columbia, Canada

UK State Pension

When you leave the UK for Canada you are entitled to any United Kingdom state pension you have built up. And you can get your pension paid into your Canadian bank account.

However, once you move to Canada, your pension is frozen. You will not receive any increases that are payable to pensioners in the UK, or even to UK pensioners in a number of other countries (the EEC, Barbados, Bermuda, Cyprus, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey and Guernsey, Malta, Mauritius, Philippines, Switzerland, Turkey, USA, Yugoslavia).

There are an estimated 147,000 UK pensioners in Canada.

There is a campaign to get the law changed, but for the moment the estimated 147,000 UK pensioners in Canada do not get any pension increases.

Annette Carson, a pensioner living in South Africa, has been fighting this case, so far without success. Her case went to the House of Lords on February 28th, 2005. Unfortunately the Law Lords ruled against her and your pension in Canada will remain frozen.

In the latest news, March 2010, the European Court also ruled that the UK Government need not unfreeze overseas pensions.

Reference:

Guardian report on European Court ruling

Fight On...

See also the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners - BC Branch which is our local BC action group fighting the cause to get British pensions paid in Canada index linked.

Want more help with pensions?

The following links are worth following if you are moving from the UK or have already come from there.

Moving to Canada? Move you pension plan too - make it grow quicker and avoid a potential tax liability.
www.TransAtlanticTransfers.com

Living in Canada? Got a UK pension Plan? Bring it over, make it grow quicker and avoid a potential tax liability.
www.PensionTransfer.ca