Tag: State Pension
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Latest HMRC National Insurance Report Feb 2026
The UK took more money in NIC receipts this year – some highlights from a recent HMRC National Insurance report. “Receipts” just means the cash the government actually collected in that tax year. “As a proportion of GDP” means “as a share of the UK’s total output”, so it shows how heavy these taxes were…
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Contracted Out: Explained
Quick answer: If you were contracted out, your State Pension forecast can look lower because some of what you would have built up in the state system got pushed into your work pension instead. That’s why “35 years means full pension” is not always true for everyone. A lot of people see a big list…
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Moving to NZ? Super and UK State Pension
The rules for combining the New Zealand Super and UK State Pension If you retire in New Zealand and you also (plan to) get a UK State Pension, you need to know one rule before you do anything else. New Zealand can treat your UK State Pension as an overseas pension for its own payments.…
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UK Confirms HUGE Class 2 NI Changes For Expats
Voluntary National Insurance contributions are getting more expensive. From April 2026, British expats will face big voluntary Class 2 NI changes for future periods overseas. Only Class 3 rates will be available. 1. HMRC Guidance HMRC quietly issued a policy paper on changes to voluntary contributions for expats. No more Class 2 rates ongoing. Other…
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20 Year State Pension? A Warning
In our earlier piece, Raising the State Pension age to 75: a betrayal, we argued that pushing the State Pension age into people’s mid seventies would break the basic deal workers and voluntary contributors have relied on for decades. Since then, the argument has shifted up a gear. A 20 year State Pension. Former pensions…
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HMRC might owe you money – National Insurance Refunds
If you’ve been paying voluntary Class 3 National Insurance contributions while working overseas, you can now get a refund. Being employed or self-employed means you should have been paying Class 2 (much cheaper). I got this email recently. It was quietly published but refunds are now on the table for many people who’ve been contributing…
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Raising the State Pension age to 75? A betrayal
Calls to push the UK State Pension age (SPA) towards 75 have resurfaced as government restarts a formal review and revives a Pensions Commission. The argument goes like this: we’re living longer, the bill is ballooning, so everyone should work longer. It sounds pragmatic but in our opinion it’s a blunt, regressive policy that shifts…
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UK Government Revives Pensions Commission to Confront Crisis
The UK government has announced the revival of the landmark Pensions Commission, tasking it with confronting what many fear is an impending retirement crisis. The move is widely seen as a recognition that the current system is failing to deliver adequate retirement outcomes for future generations. For British expats, particularly those relying on the UK…
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Triple Lock and State Pension Sustainability in the Media
UK media has warned that the State Pension’s annual “triple lock” increases could make pension spending an ever-larger share of the economy. In fact, the triple lock – a government guarantee to raise pensions by the highest of inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5% – does add to public costs. Official forecasts show that spending…
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Frozen State Pensions
How the UK is short‑changing its own pensioners abroad If you’re reading this, you dont need to imagine working your whole life in the UK, paying your obligatory National Insurance and retiring with the promise of a state pension that’s meant to support you in retirement. Now consider that pension shrinking year by year because…