Good day! i’m joan from the philippines. i have questions regarding getting the pension of my grand mother in spain.
  she worked in spain 19 years, from 1974 to 1993, after that she returned home (here in our country). but during her stay in Spain while working, she pays the the social security system there through salary deduction. According to the family that she worked before she will get a pension in return because she had pay for the said sss while working.

  My questions are; does she needs to go to spain in order for her to get the pension she should get along time ago? is there a possibility that she can still get her pension even if she didnt fix this for how many years? what are the requirements needed to get the pension? If she go to spain would that be an assurance that she can get her pension there?

    Thank you very much, i really need answers for this questions, before she decides to go back to spain to process the paper. she’s afraid that her money and time going there will be useless in the end.

Thank you very much and God bless..

Hi Joan

For your mum to claim for her Spanish Pension all she needs to do Is go to your local Social Security Office (Social) and ask for them to claim for your grand mothers Pension From Spain..

The People of Spain UK Holland Swiss US And Cananda all do the same thing as above.

Just make sure your gran has all her spanish documents with her when she goes….

As making a trip to Spain is just silly to claim a pension Unless you come here for a holiday of course 😊

Mac

Mac, are you qualified to give advice in general about pensions?
I need to sort my pensions out drastically, they are in a mess and I don?t understand them at all.

I was paying into a private one, then stopped and joined my UK company pension. I then “opted out”. The company pension then became “opted out” so i had to opt back in! what with all the opting in and out and now living in spain and paying my ss here I havent a clue where i am!

If i paid 16 years NI in UK will that entitle me to a UK pension?, can i link it with my SS contributions here? how many yrs do you have to work in Spain before you are intitled to a SPanish pension?

I haven?t a clue!

Thanks to anyone who does have a clue!

Hi Valton

Nope I am no Pension Analyst I just have experience Over years of Form Filling and Enquiries that I have done Since Working all round Europe & when I studied European law… I also have worked In Many Banks and Insurances for the last 16years I am currently (Until End Of May 2009) working for 3rd largest bank in the world.

I just know who to ask and what?s what…

To Answer your question opt in opt out and that your not sure!...

My advise to you is simple Is to

1) Write to all your pension Companies In the UK Explaining that you are not sure were you are with your pensions and that you are requiring answers.

2) As you are working in Spain (Hopefully Through an Employer) you will pay taxes and so on so you can claim a Spanish pension when you reach that glorious age of 60!... I know of someone in my mums village that worked 8 weeks in UK and is claiming 50p a year Pension!!!!!!!!!!!

Find out were you are with your UK pensions if your stuck more let me know I try my best to find out the answers for you 😊

Thats great thanks Mac. Yes fortunately i am employed by a company and paying taxes etc.

Just remember.. In what ever country you live and work in Europe (Or Outside EU) Always keep your payslips and Employment contracts to claim Pensions/Dole/so on. Let me know how you get on.

I just found out today… Holland will not allow Non-Dutch Citizens to claim Dole or State Pension!!!

This just really PEEVED ME OFF! I worked there for 2 years!..

You can only claim a “Private Pension”...

If anyone thinks i am wrong try proving other wise ... I just been told by the local council office / and tax office in Holland.

If i paid 16 years NI in UK will that entitle me to a UK pension?, can i link it with my SS contributions here? how many yrs do you have to work in Spain before you are intitled to a SPanish pension?

Yes of course 16 years contributions will entitle you to a UK pension which will be calculated on a pro rata basis - ask DWP for a quote

start here:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/penret/

The theory is for us that have moved around Europe that at pension age we should be able to take all the pension contribs from each country and make them into 1 pension - but I dont think many people have reached that stage yet so whether the EU rules will work out remains to be seen.

I think you have to make at least 15 yrs contribs in Spain though for any pay out.

The good news (for some of us) is that now you only need 30 yrs contribs (was 44) for a full UK pension this is as a result of the UK Pension Reform Act. So for many it is worth making extra contribs to make up the 30 yrs - more info on the the pension service web site.

If you want your Spanish Taxes/Social Security to be In conjunction with UK Pension (WHICH I STRONGLY DO NOT RECOMEND!) you will have to write to the INLAND REVENUE UK who will send you a nice thick pile of forms which will haunt you for the rest of your days!! 😊 after the form filling your Taxes will be transferred to UK When you declare it! Yeap every year you will have to declare your taxes to the uk Which UK Taxes are more expensive than Spain?s!
Yes you can claim a pension for 2days work as long as you paid tax… In Galicia were my parents live they get lots of people (Spanish Expats) who worked in the uk in 60s 70s As cleaners and Babysitters / fruit pickers so on so fourth! are now claiming for there Pensions… And yes my dad is dealing with a case were this guy wants to claim 2 days Work!!!! And get a pension in the UK

So I hope above is helpful I do not want to be rude but surely you are no were near the age of 60? or are you planning ahead?

I did forget to mention!

A full pension is 40 years

If you have not done 40 years work and say you have done a percentage of X Amount of years they calculate it and pay you accordingly So you may be paid every monthly Quarterly so on…

I hope this also helps

Regarding UK pension:

If you reach state pension age before 6th April 2010 you will not be affected by the Pension reform Act.

If after that date then there is a reduction in the number of qualifying years needed to be eligible for a full basic state pension. You will only need 30 yrs contribs. to qualify.

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

That will change like it always does….

Maybe but this will change it time - but this has been a major reform and it is now in force so people should understand and claim their rights.

Also I fail to understand your misleading comment:

‘after the form filling your Taxes will be transferred to UK When you declare it! Yeap every year you will have to declare your taxes to the uk ‘

Under the double taxation treaty between Spain and the UK you only declare and pay your income tax in 1 country ie If you are fiscally resident in Spain you will NOT have to also pay in the UK (unless your pension is from a Government job ie civil servant in which case you will have to pay tax in the UK but not in Spain)

Hi Rob…

Are you qualified in Pensions? I am certainly not… But I have Experience.

All government around the EU declare that you surrender your Yearly Bank statements and all payed jobs Payslips.. To make sure all is correct.. In Spain you have to declare your rent if you want to pay Spanish tax and work in UK for instance.

So in answer to your question my misleading comment it not misleading Its experience like all Expats of UK here in Salou they declare there Rent every year to the UK Inland Revenue when they get there pension or pay taxes for UK.

You also can confirm this with the people that you interviewed Consulate Alicante 😉

Mac

Hi Mac,

No I do not have pensions qualifications and neither do I need them to post the basic information which I posted earlier - it is based on my considerable personal experiences, attending DWP roadshows, talking to DWP personnel and researching the governments sites.

My posts were solely concerned with pensions and the information I have given is accurate - I have made no comments on rent or other forms of taxation which you introduced and in my opinion has made the whole thread rather muddled, at least to me.

Well Thank you for correcting me

Mac

If i spend the rest of my life working in spain would i be entitled to a spanish pension if so how much is it.