Overseas pensioners

Information you may need to know

On this page

Bank account

How can I be paid and how do I change my account details?

Income tax and tax code

How can I change my tax code?

Address

receiving post overseas and "care of" addresses

Certificate of Existence

What is this and what do I do?

Bank account

If I live overseas can my pension be paid into a UK bank account?

We can continue to pay your pension into your UK bank account whilst you live overseas however we will request sight of a signed bank statement listing your full name and address alongside the account number and sort code.

Can my pension be paid into my bank account outside of the UK?

We currently make payments through Convera (Western Union) who can convert the funds into the receiving bank's currency. Convera do not charge for this service, however your overseas bank may place some charges for receiving the funds. Convera will use the exchange rate at the time and date of the transfer of funds.

How do I change my overseas bank details?

If you wish to amend your bank details whilst living overseas, please contact the Pension Fund Office as we will be able to provide you with a country specific bank mandate form for you to complete.

Income tax and your tax code

Your pension is part of your annual earned income and is therefore subject to tax under the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system. Whether you pay tax on your pension will depend on your personal circumstances.

We are under instruction from H.M. Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to deduct tax using a 1257L tax code on a Month 1 Basis when your pension first comes into payment, which will be adjusted when we receive a revised tax code. Following your initial payment, and our subsequent notification of payment to HMRC, you will typically receive a revised tax code, which will automatically update our system. If you do not receive a revised code or have any questions about your tax please contact the HMRC.

If you pay your tax in your country of residence, and wish to do the same with regards to your Imperial pension, please contact HMRC using their overseas contact telephone number: +44 135 535 9022

We are unable to make any changes to your tax code unless instructed to do so by HMRC.

Address

We understand that whilst living in some areas of the world, the postal service may not be as efficient as you would wish and you may therefore worry about receiving important correspondence. We are able to send post to a "care of" address, however only the Pension Fund member may make this request and must have the permission of the address holder. Should you provide a 'care of' address, we will still be required to know your physical address.

Certificate of Existence

Each year we write to all our overseas pensioners to check on their continued existence and that pension payments are reaching the correct beneficiaries. When you receive this letter, we ask you to complete the requested information, make any corrections to your details that are necessary and return the whole letter to our office by email or post.

This website aims to provide a helpful summary of the provisions of the Fund and is intended for information only; it does not give rights to benefits for or in respect of you. Your rights to benefits under the Fund arise from the Trust Deed & Rules. Every effort has been made to reflect accurately the Trust Deed & Rules on this website but if there are any differences, the Trust Deed & Rules will always take precedence. Furthermore, please note that information on this website is based on current understanding of English tax and pensions law, which are subject to change at any time in the future so this site may not always accurately reflect current regulations or legislation, which would take precedence in the event of any discrepancy or claim.

Members