Hi, I am writing on behalf of a friend who will be 66 this month and has lived in Spain for 30 years. Before leaving the UK he accrued approximately 18 years of National Insurance Contributions and since living in Spain and running his own business has paid in 18 years of Social Security payments. Can anyone tell me if he is likely to get a pension from Spain based on his contributions and how much this will possibly be. I know the pension rules are complex but would appreciate any information you may have. Thank you

The answer is yes, you have to have paid 15 years for a Spanish pension, and although I am not too sure about the UK one, I think that the NI is taken into consideration and increases the pension according to how much has been paid in the UK.

So its a win win situation for your buddy...

I believe there is a pension forecaster on the UK government pensions website. Haven't looked at it for a few years as it was very depressing to realise how little I was likely to receive!!

If I remember correctly, don't you have to apply to the country you last worked in?

I have heard that, and if he is 66 this month, if it was automatic is should have been sorted out by now.

Thank you for your swift responses. I will tell my friend and he can get it sorted out starting in Spain. Thanks again.

He will get a pension from the U.K., and one from Spain.

More from Spain and free holidays too.

The UK pension is not automatic, they may or may not notify you but you still have to claim it.
The advice from them is to put the claim in two months before retirement, in my own case despite doing that it was four months after retirement before they paid anything into my bank, though they did then pay me from the date of my retirement.

If you believe what they say then it is automatic ... but you're right. My wife applied several months before it was due as we had received no notification or paperwork from them. We still didn't get the first payment on time.

That is correct.

The EU page says:-


Where should I apply for my old-age pension if I have worked in more than one European country?

You should apply for your old-age pension in the country where you live, once you reach the legal retirement age there.

The pension institution in that country will then forward your pension application to the other European countries where you have accumulated pension rights.

The EUlisses site is at

http://ec.europa.eu/employment_socia.../homepage.psml

I applied by phone for my State Pension in October 2009 (eligible January 2010), they told me how much it would be and that my first payment would be February 1st 2010, all went as they said and the money was there on that day for the amount they said.

This was claiming in the UK though, I don't know what happens if you have to claim your UK Pension in Spain. I tend to think it would not be straightforward as no bureaucracy is in Spain.

Thank you all so much for the very informative information, it is really helpful and will get the ball rolling. Kindest regards.

A friend got a state pension from Spain and she certainly didn´t work 15 years in Spain as she left when she was 18.

The 15 year rule only applies if the Spanish pension is your only pension.

If you have accrued pension rights in other EU countries they all get added together so it is possible to get a pension having never met the minimum requirement in any country.