Preparing for retirement in the UK

If you are planning to retire in the UK, there are a few things that you should know to be absolutely prepared. Whether you are a citizen or a foreign national, retiring in the UK can be a good idea for the high quality of health care and the standard of living that is offered. Our London real estate agent has a few tips on what you should keep in mind when preparing for retirement:

Table of Contents

Valid documents

When retirement planning, it is important to make sure that all your documents are valid and up to date. These documents will include your:

Passport
Visa (if applicable)
Proof of pension or income
Recent six months bank statements
Proof of home ownership if any
Proof of last address dated within three months from start of tenancy date

Make sure that all your documents are up to date and fulfil the requirements. You can find more information here.

Health Insurance

No matter where in the UK you are planning to retire, you need to make sure that you have good health insurance. If you are eligible for free healthcare from the NHS, you don’t have to get private health insurance. However, foreign nationals who are preparing for retirement and are not eligible for free treatment should look at their options.

Pension

To get a full State Pension in the UK after retirement, you have to have be of a certain age and have to have 30 qualifying years or more of National Insurance contributions. If you have between 10 to 30 qualifying years, you could be entitled to partial pension, but will need to check the requirements for your situation. There are various criteria that can make you eligible for a pension, you can find all the details here.

Eligibility

And finally, before you decide to retire in the UK, as a foreign national, you will need to check if you are eligible to settle here. The UK has agreements with a number of countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand as well as several European countries whose citizens can relocate here. However, the rules could change after Brexit, so it would be better to check again then.

We hope you found this information from our London realtor on preparing for retirement useful.

If you are looking to rent or purchase a home in the city, speak to our estate agent London today. We can help you find a home in the heart of London. Contact our Soho office on 020 7734 4062, fill in the form below or pop in to our office on Broadwick Street and we can point you in the right direction.

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