Retiring abroad from the UK: Complete guide

Thinking about retiring overseas? Whether you’d like to spend this period of your life relaxing on a beach or exploring a new culture, it will require some planning. Especially after Brexit, UK retirees need to gain residence in a foreign country in order to retire there.

That’s why we’ve prepared a guide to retiring abroad from the UK, including the best countries to retire to and what happens to your State pension when you move. We’ll also cover the best countries to retire to and the benefits of retiring abroad.

We’ll also introduce a cost-effective way to manage your money when retiring abroad. With the Wise account from the money services provider Wise, you can send, spend and convert money in 40+ currencies at great mid-market exchange rates and low, transparent fees*. It’s not a bank account but offers some similar features, and your money is safeguarded.

Looking to take your savings with you? Wise can also help you with large transfers.

Learn more about the Wise account

Where can UK citizens retire abroad?

So, where can UK citizens retire abroad? There are virtually no limits to this, as any country that allows immigration generally accepts applicants from the UK. As long as you meet the visa requirements, you’ll likely be able to move.

However, some countries are easier to move to than others, so it’s important to take that into consideration when making your decision.

Can you retire to Europe after Brexit?

Yes, UK citizens can still retire in a European country after Brexit¹, but now with an appropriate visa.

Best countries to retire to from the UK

Some of the most important factors when choosing a retirement destination are the climate, affordability and quality of healthcare. Although your preferences will determine your personal best country to retire to from the UK, we have some suggestions.

Malta offers a Retirement Programme open to UK citizens, which can be a convenient route to residence.² With a high-quality healthcare system, relatively low cost of living and sunny climate, Malta has plenty to offer. Plus, English is an official language, so you’ll have no problem communicating and making connections.

Portugal is also a popular choice among UK expats, including retirees. The laid-back lifestyle, friendly locals and Mediterranean weather are all appealing. But what often convinces people to move is the affordable cost of living. Your money goes further, with more affordable options for housing, groceries and daily expenses.

If you’d like to reduce your living costs even more, while enjoying stunning scenery and delicious food, Thailand could be a great choice. There are two retirement visa options available, so you won’t need to explore alternative routes to stay long-term.³

How to retire abroad from the UK

Let’s go through a step-by-step guide explaining how to retire abroad from the UK. The exact steps will differ based on where exactly you’re moving to, but this is the outline:

1. Choose the destination – it’s advisable to do some research and compare cost of living, weather, healthcare and other important factors.
2. Study all visa options in your country of choice – do your research and make sure you qualify for the visa you want. In some countries, there are multiple routes for retirees available, so consulting an expert might be helpful for this step.
3. Collect the necessary documents – get all paperwork in one place and fill out an application. Check if the visa you’re applying for requires you to have evidence of residency in the country, in which case you’ll need to find housing before you apply.
4. Contact your local council – get in touch and inform them that you’ll be retiring abroad, so you can stop paying Council Tax. They’ll ask you for a forwarding address, so it’s important to take care of housing before this.⁴
5. Get in touch with the International Pension Centre – ask them whether your pension will be affected by your move. You’ll get yearly State Pension increases only in certain countries.⁵
6. Tell HMRC that you’re leaving the country – how you’ll inform them depends on whether you usually complete a Self Assessment tax return.
   • If you do, you’ll need to complete the SA109 form and send it by post. To avoid penalties for missing the deadline, consider consulting an accountant.
   • If you don’t, you should fill in form P85 and include relevant parts of form P45 if you have one.⁶
7. Find a place to live – you can do this online or by travelling and scouting in person.
8. Arrange for your belongings to be shipped – make sure you get quotes from multiple moving companies so you could compare them and find the best option.
9. Register for healthcare in your new country of residence – if you’re already living in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you may be eligible for state-funded healthcare under the UK’s S1 scheme.⁷ If you’re not, make sure to understand how the local healthcare system works and consider getting private health insurance.
10. Open a local bank account – you may be able to keep your UK bank account and receive your pension there, or, if it’s more convenient, have it paid into a local bank account in your country of residence. You can also consider opening a Wise account to cost-effectively manage your finances across borders and multiple currencies.

State pension when retiring abroad

You’re likely wondering – what happens to my UK State Pension if I move abroad? The answer depends on where exactly you’ll be moving to. For starters, if you’ve paid enough UK National Insurance contributions, you’ll be able to claim your State Pension abroad.⁸

If you plan on retiring in the EEA, Switzerland or Gibraltar, you’ll get a State Pension increase each year. You’ll also get an increase if you live in any of the countries that have a social security agreement with the UK, except for Canada and New Zealand. In case you choose to retire in any other country, your pension will remain frozen.⁵

Your State Pension can be paid into your UK bank account or your local account in the country you’re living in. If you choose the latter, you’ll get paid in the local currency. This means you likely won’t get the same amount each month due to currency fluctuations.⁵

How long can UK pensioners stay overseas?

As a British citizen, you can live outside the UK however long you want. This won’t affect your citizenship in any way and there’s no risk of losing it. The only limits you should look out for are the ones set by the officials of your new country of residence.⁹

The only way you could lose citizenship is if you renounced it yourself or if it gets revoked by the government in certain situations. This includes involvement with terrorism, fraud.⁹ In all other cases, you're free to decide how long you’ll stay abroad, without worrying about your citizenship status.

Benefits of retiring abroad

There are many benefits of retiring abroad, especially if you’re an adventurous person. Meeting new cultures never gets old and there’s no reason for you to stay in one place once you’re retired. Starting a new chapter abroad will surely bring many exciting experiences and enrich your life.

Retiring abroad could also make your life easier and more comfortable. You might be able to move to a country with lower living costs, including rent and groceries, leaving you with more money to spend.

Last but not least, spending your retirement years abroad can make your life more enjoyable. This is reason enough to move, whether you’d just like to enjoy more sunny weather or you’ve always dreamed of living someplace else. Retirement years are special since you can really dedicate time to yourself and everything you were too busy to do in the past.

Wise - A smart way to manage your money across borders

With the Wise account, you can send, spend, hold and convert money in 40+ currencies, for low, transparent fees* and mid-market exchange rates close to what you see on Google. It's not a bank account but offers some similar features and your money is safeguarded.

You can also get a Wise card for a one-time fee of £7 (or the Wise virtual card for £0) to spend like a local in 150+ countries. This clever card automatically converts your pounds to the local currency whenever you spend, only adding a tiny, upfront currency conversion fee* – or it’s fee-free if you already have the local currency in your Wise account.

✅ Sign up with Wise for free

**Capital at risk. In the UK, Interest and Stocks are provided by Wise Assets — this is the trading name of Wise Assets UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Wise. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised as an investment firm and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our FCA number is 839689. We do not give investment advice, and you may be subject to pay tax. If you're not sure, seek qualified advice. You can find more information about the funds on our website.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 20-May-2025