Moving Abroad

Moving Abroad

If you decide to move abroad, you'll no longer be able to be an active member in the Scheme unless the school you're going to work at has been accepted in the Scheme. Schools that are members of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and were located in an EU member State outside the United Kingdom on 31 December 2020 can continue to participate in the Teachers' Pension Scheme, provided they were actively  participating in the scheme on the date and choose to remain a participating employer. Teachers who were members of the Teachers' Pension Scheme at a COBIS school before 1 January 2021 may rejoin the scheme if they take up a post with a participating COBIS school, choose to join the scheme and their employer agrees.

You can leave your benefits in the Scheme. It will not affect the sterling amount of your pension. However, once you claim your benefits, the amount you receive in the local currency may change based on currency rates.

It's important that you keep your contact details up to date so that we can let you know about any changes to the Scheme. The easiest way to do this is via My Pension Online.

Applying for retirement

If you’re living abroad and wish to apply for your Teachers' pension Scheme pension, the process is the same as applying from within the UK. The online application simply requires the name of the country you live in and your bank details (whether they are UK or International).

Death Benefits

Your death benefits are still payable if something happens to you whilst you're working overseas. If you're no longer an active member you'll receive deferred member death benefits. If you're an active member of the Scheme then you’ll be entitled to active member death benefits.

Returning to teaching in England or Wales

If you've built up an overseas pension with a non-pensionable employer abroad and return to teaching in England or Wales, you can transfer this in to the Teachers' Pension Scheme as long as it's a qualifying recognised overseas pension scheme for the purposes of Part 4 of the Finance Act 2004. HMRC provide a list of Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes.