How Many UK Pensioners Live Abroad? 2026 DWP Statistics & Countries
Over 1.3 million British pensioners receive the UK State Pension overseas. Here is the full DWP breakdown by country, and what it means for your retirement planning.
According to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) November 2025 statistics, 1.07 million UK State Pension recipients live outside the United Kingdom — a figure that has risen steadily for two decades despite Brexit. When you include British-born retirees who no longer receive the UK State Pension (because they accrued full entitlements in their new country, or because their pensions are paid by other providers), the true number of UK pensioners living abroad exceeds 1.3 million.
How many UK pensioners are abroad by country?
The DWP publishes an annual breakdown of overseas State Pension recipients. The latest figures (November 2025) show:
| Country | UK State Pension Recipients |
|---|---|
| Australia | ~221,000 |
| Canada | ~102,000 |
| United States | ~88,000 |
| Ireland | ~80,000 |
| Spain | ~72,000 |
| New Zealand | ~58,000 |
| South Africa | ~43,000 |
| France | ~37,000 |
| Germany | ~34,000 |
| Portugal | ~27,000 |
| Cyprus | ~19,000 |
| Italy | ~14,000 |
| Thailand | ~12,000 |
| Netherlands | ~11,000 |
| All other countries | ~169,000 |
| Total overseas | ~1.07 million |
Note: figures are rounded and represent State Pension recipients only. Many British nationals abroad do not receive the State Pension (either they haven't reached UK pension age, receive it into a UK account, or draw only private or workplace pensions).
Which countries have the most UK retirees?
Australia hosts the largest single group of UK pensioners overseas — roughly 221,000 State Pension recipients — despite the UK–Australia frozen pension policy, which means the State Pension does not increase for residents of Australia. Many of these pensioners moved decades ago when Australian immigration was freer, and their pensions are frozen at the level they first claimed.
Canada is second (102,000), also a frozen-pension country. The large UK-Canadian community reflects post-war emigration patterns.
The United States (88,000) benefits from a reciprocal agreement — the UK State Pension is uprated annually for US residents, making it more financially attractive than Australia or Canada for new retirees.
Ireland (80,000) is popular partly because no visa is required for UK citizens under the Common Travel Area, and partly because the State Pension is uprated (Ireland is in the EEA).
Spain (72,000) is the largest EU destination after Ireland, and one of the fastest-growing since Brexit normalised the Spanish Non-Lucrative Visa pathway for UK citizens.
Is the number growing or shrinking?
The total number of overseas UK pensioners has grown in 18 of the last 20 years. Post-Brexit, there was a brief slowdown in EU movements (2020–2022) as visa pathways were established, but numbers resumed growing from 2023 onwards. Spain, Portugal and Cyprus have all seen the fastest growth among European destinations.
What does this mean for you?
If you are considering retiring abroad, the statistics suggest you will be joining an established community wherever you go. Key considerations:
Frozen vs uprated pension: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Thailand all freeze the State Pension. The EU, Switzerland, Gibraltar and the USA uprate it annually. Over 20 years, the difference on a full new State Pension can exceed £60,000 in cumulative payments.
Community support: Spain (72k), France (37k) and Portugal (27k) all have established British communities, English-language services and expat networks. Cyprus (19k) has the highest per-capita British community given its population size.
Healthcare: EU destinations offer S1-eligible public healthcare. Australia and Canada have strong public systems but not free at point of use for UK pensioners without reciprocal arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
How many British pensioners are in Europe specifically?
Roughly 300,000–320,000 UK State Pension recipients live across the EU27 and remaining EEA countries, with Spain, France, Germany, Portugal and Cyprus being the most popular.
Has Brexit reduced the number of UK pensioners in Europe?
Temporarily — there was a slowdown from 2020–2022 as the new EU visa pathways were established. From 2023, numbers resumed growing. The total number of UK pensioners in Spain, Portugal and Cyprus is now higher than pre-Brexit.
Why do so many UK pensioners live in Australia if the pension is frozen?
Most moved to Australia decades ago when immigration was easier (the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme, aka 'Ten Pound Poms', ran 1945–1972). Their pensions are frozen, but many have Australian Superannuation alongside, and the lifestyle is a powerful draw. New retirees are more likely to choose EU destinations to avoid the freeze.
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