State Pension if you've lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand
Changes to how your UK State Pension is calculated if you live in the EU, EEA or Switzerland and previously lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand.
The rules on how the UK State Pension is calculated are changing if you move to live in, or move between, an EU or EEA country or Switzerland and you have previously lived in:
- Australia, before 1 March 2001
- Canada
- New Zealand
This is because the UK has left the EU.
From 1 January 2022, you will no longer be able to count periods living in Australia (before 1 March 2001), Canada or New Zealand, towards calculating your UK State Pension if both the following apply:
- you are a UK national, EU or EEA citizen or Swiss national
- you move to live in the EU, EEA or Switzerland on or after 1 January 2022, including if you move to live in another EU, EEA country or Switzerland on or after 1 January 2022
The change will affect you whether or not you have claimed your UK State Pension yet. Your UK State Pension will be calculated, or recalculated if already in payment, using only your UK National Insurance record.
Who the change does not affect
You are not affected by the change if you either:
- live in the UK, whatever your nationality
- are a UK national, EU or EEA citizen or Swiss national who was living it the EU, EEA or Switzerland by 31 December 2021
As long as you continue to live in the same country, you will still be able to count time living in Australia (before 1 March 2001), Canada or New Zealand to calculate your UK State Pension.
If you live in an EU or EEA country or Switzerland, your UK State Pension will continue to be increased each year in line with the rate paid in the UK.
Updates to this page
Last updated 9 August 2021 + show all updates
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Updated the guidance to confirm the change to the rules will come into force from 1 January 2022.
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First published.