Nearly half a million British expats will miss out on higher State Pension payments during the 2026/27 financial year because they live in countries without a reciprocal social security agreement with the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) figures show that around 453,000 pensioners residing overseas will not benefit from the annual uprating, which this April increased the New State Pension to up to £241.30 per week and the Basic State Pension to up to £184.90 per week.
Three Groups at Risk of Missing Full State Pension
The DWP data indicates that at the end of August 2025, approximately 1.1 million people receiving the State Pension were resident overseas. Of these, 453,000 live in countries that do not have a reciprocal agreement with the UK Government, meaning their pension is frozen at the rate when they first retired abroad. This group is one of three most likely to miss out on full State Pension payments. The others include people who have not accrued enough qualifying National Insurance years and those who were 'contracted out' before 2016.
Impact on Expats and Campaign Efforts
The End Frozen Pensions campaign has been lobbying the UK Government to review this policy. The campaign highlights that many expats receive significantly less than their counterparts in the UK. For instance, 49% of affected pensioners receive £65 per week or less, and an estimated 86% were not informed that their State Pension would be frozen upon emigration. Some pensioners reportedly receive as little as £20 per week. Campaigners had hoped that the appointment of former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney as Canadian prime minister would open dialogue, as over 100,000 expats in Canada are affected.
John Duguid's Statement
John Duguid, Chair of the End Frozen Pensions Campaign, commented: "The Chancellor found the words, and the money, to help protect pensioners from inflation at home, while offering nothing to the hundreds of thousands of British pensioners overseas whose incomes are being eroded year after year. Once again, we are left out of sight, out of mind and out of pocket. And the fact that most of the affected countries are members of the Commonwealth adds insult to injury. The Government appears content to grow a chasm between its pensioners residing at home and abroad. This is a gross injustice, made all the more outrageous as the Government's own figures confirm that fixing this injustice would cost the Chancellor a mere £63m in the first year, a drop in the ocean of the total pension spend."
How to Check Your State Pension
Anyone can check their State Pension forecast online at GOV.UK. This shows your current National Insurance record, whether you are on track for the full amount, how much you are estimated to receive, and whether you can improve your entitlement. To qualify for the full New State Pension, most people need 35 qualifying years of NI contributions or credits. Those with fewer than 35 years receive a reduced pension proportionally. Voluntary Class 3 contributions can sometimes fill gaps, but strict time limits apply.
