Changing circumstances

My situation over the last 12 months has changed dramatically, & I’d like to get some idea of what the implications might be.
I will be spending a lot more time in the UK, & as I have a 10 year cds, I understand that there are limits to time spent abroad, & the retention of rights as a resident.
I suppose that I will become just another owner of a 2nd home…but how will this impact upon my pension rights etc.?
All information gratefully received…thanks in advance.

Pension in which country? And are you working in either country?

I was talking about my pension in France…I’ve largely given up hope of getting anything from UK

We’ve been able to make additional Class 2 NI contributions to ‘top-up’ our UK state pension, cost was £3.15 per week.

When the time comes for you to retire there is I believe some complex magic that puts all your contributions together and which works out which country will actually pay your pension, and how much you will get based on your entitlement from various countries. Because you arrived before Brexit this will still happen for you I believe as Franco-anglo accord still holds.

So very much depends on what you do between now and then, and where you end up when “then” arrives.

Thank you.
Admin & I are uneasy bedfellows.

Doubt whether admin would be no1 on anyone’s list for a cosy night a deux!! But very sensible of you to think of this now, while room for manoeuvre.

Don’t do what I did which is to swan off to France in the happy assurance that I had enough years NI to get my UK pension, and pay absolutely no attention to changes. Only to discover years later they’d changed the rules so no longer entitled to full pension without years of topping up. Fine out what your contributions entitle you to in France and UK now, so you know what you need to do to maximise your pensions as that could influence some choices.

With a 10 year card you can leave for 5 years, and become tax resident in the UK during that time without losing your right to return. Alternatively you spend no more than 183 days a year in UK and retain being French tax resident, so nothing changes.

This would be on self - employment? Were you able to obtain the S1 on the back of this?

Sorry, assuming you are France resident / tax resident!

Yes I’ve been mostly self employed since my teens.
I was also once I moved to France in 2002.
I stopped in 2016, & was employed for 2 years.
Since then I’ve done part time & CESU.

We’re French tax residents and are self-employed, not able to get an S1 when we hit retirement age.

Once you have worked in France and paid into system then France will be one’s competent state if you continue to live here and you’re not eligible for an S1.

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Thanks Tim, sorry I gave you two questions in a row - my first was for Class2 contributions for the UK state pension you would be registered as self employed for HMRC?

I was wondering because am considering becoming part time, (salaryman at the mo), - and wondering how part time I could be and have HMRC still see me as ‘self-employed’. Presumably they’d want to see some earnings at some point?

This might help

" If you pay social security in the country you’re going to

You might be able to make voluntary class 2 National Insurance contributions while you’re paying social security abroad.

Your payments will protect:

  • your benefit entitlement if you return to the UK
  • your State Pension whether you choose to return to the UK or stay living abroad

Voluntary National Insurance contributions do not cover your health insurance in the country where you live.

Contact HMRC to find out if you’re eligible.

To apply to pay voluntary contributions, read leaflet NI38 and fill in form CF83 (found at the back). Send it back to HMRC using the address on the form."

If you are self employed in France you would not also be registered as self employed in the UK.

Thanks, yes, that answers my question e.g. “Self-employed with income of £1,000 or less”…

I think I need a few more years to get the max new state pension. (if I’m still alive)

edit - I’ve seen these pages before, but they seem to have changed??? Don’t recall specific numbers for earnings.