Re: Spanish State Pension
 

the current deal is a min of 15 years contribution at an autonomo rate of 250e pcm gives you a pension of 700e net pcm at 65. This is all likely to change as the country is swiftly running out of money.

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

I think Fred James wants my job!

The minimum of 15 years only applies if you haven't worked in any other EU state.

Basically, as Fred has said, if you work for anytime at all in Spain you have to make your pension application to both Spain and the UK through the INSS. On the application form you can put in details of your work in the UK. The INSS will then send the claim to the UK for them to work out their side of the pension.

What happens is both countries will use the national insurance contributions made in the other EU state as if they were made in their own, then work out a pro-rata pension, or in some cases a full one, based on those contributions. you will then receive separate pensions from both countries.

As for the E121, if you're in receipt of any pension from Spain you won't need one, as the Spanish will pay for your healthcare. If you don't qualify for a Spanish pension and you're getting a pension from two other EU countries, it's the country that pays the biggest pension that normally issues the E121.

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

If you already have enough years to be entitled to a full UK state pension then start contributing to the Spanish social security system for say five years, does that mean that you will get some additional pension from Spain?

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

I currently have 24 continous year's of contributions in th UK, do I understand all the above correctly, in that these 24 year's will be transfered to Spain, all subsequent contribution's in Spain will then be added to them, to produce a final total, at which point my pension will be calculated ?

As oppossed to recieving two diff pension's from UK, and Spain ?

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

No, they are separate pensions paid by both the UK and Spain.

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

I am not sure how this will work for me. Currently I am Autonomo, and have paid this for 7 years. I reach pension age in Uk next July (at age 60 years and 2 months).

To claim my UK State Pension I should apply through INSS. But when I apply they will not recognise me as a pensioner as the qualifying age in Spain is 65. How will they do the totting up process as I may be paying another 5 years Autonomo. I am getting quite concerned as I do want to take my UK pension as soon as I can.

I have a friend who has been trying to claim her UK Pension here since April 2008, with no luck yet. She has had so many forms to deal with, with questions regarding her husbands pension which should not even come into it. Her solution is to cancel her Autonomo payments and return to UK for a month, stay with her daughter and make her claim in UK. Then once she is receiving it to come back to Spain. But that seems to be so drastic just to get something one is entitled to.

I do not want to have to go through the same process as she plans to do, but what is the solution?

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

There is some information here.

http://ec.europa.eu/employment_socia...2&name=Faq#492

Essentially it says that you apply in the country you are living in at the time you wish to claim your pension and the age that you can take your pension is governed by the rules that apply to the pension in each individual country.

You apply through the INSS in Spain and they will contact the UK regarding the UK pension.

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

Thanks for the link. I read it two different ways.

"You can apply to receive your old-age pension once you have reached the legal retirement age in the country where you will claim your pension (usually the country where you live)".

Now, if I am living in Spain, I should claim in Spain. so far so good. But will they deal with a claim from me at age 60 for my UK pension, if they consider the legal retirement age in the counrty I live in is 65? It is difficult to know how to interpret the sentance!! I hope I am not worrying too much, but would love to hear from someone who has managed to make such a claim.

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

Yes it is a little ambiguous.

Maybe if we wait for DWPinSpain to come along, she can answer it for you.

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

Can some one explain to me what the INSS and where is it situated! I have 7 years of social security payments towards my Spanish pension which until now I did not think I could claim on! (so thanks for that) and I receive my UK pension. I would now like to go along and see if I can organise the Spanish side of things for when I reach 65:thumbup:

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

INSS is the Spanish social security operation.

The offices are listed at

http://www.seg-social.es/stpri00/gro...ario/27918.pdf

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

Oh thanks for that! every little helps. I hadnt done anything because I was under the impression like the rest that you had to pay in more than 15 years worth!

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

15 years will give you a * basic * pension.

I don't know the truth in it but a couple of Spanish accountants have told me that it doesn't really matter how much you pay in each month over most of the years, the important ones are the last couple of years payments so if you boost the payments for your last 2 to 3 years then the returns will be very much greater and not be any less than if you had made the same payment for several or more years. If there is any truth in it then I am sure this will change before too long!

Re: Spanish State Pension
 

My wife retired having only worked in UK so no problem with the pension, efficiently dealt with by Newcastle. Obtained Form 121 from Newcastle for her and for me as beneficiary, we went to Social Services, Cadiz, no problem she now gets Free Health Care and prescriptions and was able to nominate me as a beneficiary for free health care (I am 62). I don't know if I will have to pay for prescriptions. (Although of course if she was Spanish the benefit would not start until age 65).
Can I get early retirement from Spain I worked 38 years in UK and 4 years in Spain before being made redundant, since then I have lived off other income but read that you can retire from age 61 in Spain, at a reduced rate, anyone with any answers please.