· NextMigrate Team
UK State Pension Frozen Abroad: Which Countries and Why
Since you are here, you already know your UK State Pension can follow you overseas, just not always at full value. This page is for people who want the exact frozen-country list, and the real cost, before choosing where to live.
In January 2025, DWP told Parliament that 203,699 people with an overseas UK State Pension lived in Australia and 110,860 lived in Canada (written answer UIN 21551, figures for the quarter to May 2024). None of them gets the yearly increase.
The short answer: As of November 2026, your UK State Pension only rises each year if you live in the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, Gibraltar, or a country whose social security agreement with the UK provides for increases. Everywhere else, it is frozen. That includes Canada and New Zealand, even though both have an agreement with the UK (GOV.UK, November 2026). The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week in 2026/27 (DWP benefit rates, 2026). On 5 November 2026 the government said it has "no plans to review" the policy (written answer UIN 39720).
The frozen pension at a glance
| Rule | Figure (checked November 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full new State Pension, 2026/27 | £241.30 a week | DWP |
| Full basic State Pension, 2026/27 | £184.90 a week | DWP |
| Where it rises each year | EEA, Switzerland, Gibraltar and 16 agreement countries and territories | GOV.UK |
| Agreement countries with no increases | Canada and New Zealand | GOV.UK |
| People abroad on a frozen pension | Around 480,000 (March 2022), 84% in Australia, Canada and New Zealand | DWP |
| Estimated cost of ending the freeze | £930 million in 2026/27 | DWP |
| Voluntary Class 3 contributions, 2026/27 | £18.40 a week | GOV.UK |
| Currency conversion charge on payments | 0.39% | GOV.UK |
What "frozen" really means
A frozen pension is paid at the same weekly amount for as long as you live in a frozen country. It is set at the rate you got when you first became entitled, or at the rate on the date you left the UK if you were already a pensioner then (House of Commons Library, 2021).
You still get paid. Nobody takes money away. But the UK raises the State Pension every year by the highest of earnings growth, price inflation or 2.5% (GOV.UK, November 2026). In a frozen country, none of those rises reach you. Each year, the same pounds buy a little less.
Where your UK State Pension still goes up
GOV.UK lists two groups (DWP, countries where we pay an annual increase, November 2026).
The EEA and Switzerland. The EEA countries listed are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. GOV.UK says people living there "will usually get an increase". After Brexit, increases continue under the Withdrawal Agreement and the UK and EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (House of Commons Library).
Social security agreement countries that allow increases. These are listed exactly as GOV.UK lists them:
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Gibraltar
- Guernsey
- the Isle of Man
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Jersey
- Kosovo
- Mauritius
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- the Philippines
- Serbia
- Turkey
- USA
GOV.UK then adds: "The UK has social security agreements with Canada and New Zealand, but you cannot get a yearly increase in your UK State Pension if you live in either of those countries."
Where it is frozen
Everywhere not on those lists. GOV.UK puts it simply: "You will not get yearly increases if you live outside these countries" (GOV.UK, November 2026).
The best-known frozen countries are Australia, Canada and New Zealand. DWP says the agreements with Canada and New Zealand, and the former agreement with Australia, "do not provide for up-rating" (DWP explanatory memorandum, SI 2016/224). Because they are not on the GOV.UK list, other popular retirement places, such as South Africa, India and Thailand, are frozen countries too.
A worked example (illustrative)
This example uses official rates. It is a simplified illustration, not your own forecast.
Imagine you reached State Pension age in April 2016 with the full new State Pension, then moved to Canada. In 2016/17, the full rate was £155.65 a week (DWP rates from 6 April 2016). Your neighbour moved to Spain the same week.
| 2026/27 weekly pension | Living in Canada (frozen) | Living in Spain (uprated) |
|---|---|---|
| Full new State Pension | £155.65 | £241.30 |
| Full basic State Pension (older rules) | £119.30 | £184.90 |
On the new State Pension, the gap is £85.65 a week. Over 52 weeks, that is £4,453.80 a year, and the gap grows each time the UK rate rises. Ten years on, you get about 35% less than your neighbour for the same National Insurance record. Would you choose differently if you had seen this table before you moved?
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Moving, visiting and coming home
Coming back to live in the UK. "Your pension will go up to the current rate if you return to live in the UK" (GOV.UK, November 2026). Tell the Pension Service your return date and contact details, and call HMRC (GOV.UK).
Visiting the UK. DWP has said that if you return to Great Britain and tell the department, your pension "will be paid at the current applicable rate for the period they remain in Great Britain" (DWP FOI 3186/2013). It goes back to the frozen rate when you leave.
Moving from a frozen country to one where it rises. GOV.UK ties increases to where you live, so a move to Spain or the USA should mean future increases apply. We could not find an official page that says exactly how your rate is reset on such a move, or whether any past increases are paid. Ask the International Pension Centre and get the answer in writing before you move.
Splitting the year. You cannot be paid in one country for part of the year and another for the rest. You must choose one (GOV.UK).
If you are weighing up a return, see our guide to moving back home after retiring abroad.
How many people are affected
The official counts have drifted down slowly:
- September 2014: around 560,000 people were in countries where the pension is not uprated, out of 1.24 million paid abroad (DWP explanatory memorandum, SI 2016/224).
- May 2020: 492,176 people, with 84% in Australia, Canada or New Zealand (House of Commons Library, February 2021).
- March 2022: around 480,000 people, again 84% in those three countries (DWP, July 2023).
DWP estimates that raising all frozen pensions to the level they would have reached would cost £930 million in 2026/27 alone (DWP, July 2023).
Is the frozen pension policy changing?
Not on current evidence. On 5 November 2026, answering a written question, DWP said: "There are no plans to review the policy on uprating State Pensions for recipients resident overseas" (UIN 39720). In 2021 it said the policy "has been supported by successive Governments for over 70 years" and that "the decision to move abroad remains a personal choice" (PQ HL 11595, quoted by the House of Commons Library).
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Frozen British Pensions has called for a review, and the policy has faced an unsuccessful legal challenge (House of Commons Library). Campaigns continue, but plan on the rule staying as it is.
Voluntary National Insurance from abroad: the April 2026 change
You usually need 10 qualifying years to get any new State Pension, and 35 for the full amount if your record started after April 2016 (GOV.UK, November 2026). Many people abroad fill gaps with voluntary contributions. The rules changed from 6 April 2026 (GOV.UK, voluntary National Insurance, November 2026):
- Class 2 is gone for time abroad. From the 2026/27 tax year, you cannot pay voluntary Class 2 for time spent abroad.
- Class 3 needs 10 years. To pay Class 3 for time abroad after 5 April 2026, you must have lived in the UK for 10 years in a row, or paid 10 years of qualifying contributions. Before, it was 3 years.
- A transition rule. If you applied for 2024/25 or 2025/26 on or before 5 April 2026, you may still use the old 3-year rule, if you pay by 5 April 2027 and apply for 2026/27 by the same date.
- Cost and deadline. Class 3 is £18.40 a week in 2026/27, and you can usually only fill gaps from the last 6 years (GOV.UK).
Voluntary contributions can raise the amount your pension starts at. They do not stop it being frozen if you live in a frozen country.
How to claim from abroad
- Claim close to State Pension age. You must be within 4 months of it (GOV.UK, November 2026).
- Contact the International Pension Centre, or send the international claim form to the address on it. The IPC phone line is +44 (0) 191 206 9390, Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 3.30pm (GOV.UK).
- Choose how to be paid. Every 4 or 13 weeks, into a bank where you live or a UK account. Local currency payments carry a 0.39% conversion charge.
- Return every life certificate. DWP may send one to check you are still eligible. Payments can be suspended if you do not send it back (GOV.UK).
Tax, in one line: you may be taxed by the UK and your new country, but where a double taxation agreement applies you only pay once (GOV.UK); see countries that do not tax foreign pensions.
Choosing where to retire with the freeze in mind
If your UK State Pension is a large part of your income, where you live matters for decades. Spain, Portugal, France and Ireland are in the EEA list, so your pension keeps rising: see Spain's non-lucrative visa, Portugal's D7, France's long-stay visitor visa and Ireland's Stamp 0. In Asia, the Philippines is on the uprating list (SRRV guide), while Thailand is not (Thailand guide).
If family pulls you to Canada, Australia or New Zealand, read can I retire in Canada, the UK, Australia or New Zealand. For workplace and private pensions, see pension and social security portability. To compare all your options, start with the best countries to retire abroad.
Frequently asked questions
Is the UK State Pension frozen in Australia?
Yes. Australia is not on the GOV.UK list of countries where yearly increases are paid. DWP says the former UK and Australia agreement did not provide for uprating. Your pension stays at the rate you first got there.
Is the UK State Pension frozen in Canada?
Yes. The UK has a social security agreement with Canada, but GOV.UK says you cannot get a yearly increase if you live there. The same applies to New Zealand.
Which countries get the yearly UK State Pension increase?
The EEA countries, Switzerland and Gibraltar, plus Barbados, Bermuda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey, Kosovo, Mauritius, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Philippines, Serbia, Turkey and the USA. Everywhere else is frozen.
Do I get the full rate when I visit the UK?
DWP has said that if you come back to Great Britain and tell the department, you are paid at the current rate for the time you stay. When you leave, your pension goes back to the frozen amount.
Can I still pay voluntary National Insurance from abroad?
Yes, but the rules are tighter since 6 April 2026. Class 2 is no longer available for time abroad. Class 3, at £18.40 a week, needs 10 years of UK residence or 10 years of qualifying contributions.
Will the government end the frozen pension?
There is no sign of it. On 5 November 2026, DWP said there are no plans to review the policy. Plan your retirement on the basis that the freeze stays.
Your next step
A frozen pension is not a reason to give up on family abroad. It is a number to put into your plan before you go, not after. Take our free migration assessment to see which countries fit your income, family and plans.
This article is general information, not legal, financial or tax advice. Rules and figures change. Always confirm with the official source, the International Pension Centre and a regulated adviser before you act.
