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Written question asked by Viscount Waverley (Crossbench) on Wednesday, 13 April 2016, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 27 April 2016. It was answered by Baroness Altmann (Conservative) on Wednesday, 20 April 2016 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad

Question

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the event of the UK leaving the EU, UK citizens living in EU member states will retain all of their UK pension rights and will continue to be treated the same as if they were resident in the UK.

Answer

The Government’s view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off in a reformed EU.

As set out in the Government’s White Paper: ‘The process for withdrawing from the European Union’, published on 29 February, the withdrawal process is unprecedented. No country has ever used Article 50 – it is untested. There is a great deal of uncertainty about how it would work. UK citizens living in the EU currently enjoy a range of specific rights to live, to work and access to pensions, health care and public services that are only guaranteed because of EU law. There would be no requirement under EU law for these rights to be maintained if the UK left the EU.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL7606
Session
2015-16
Subjects
British nationals abroad EU countries EU withdrawal Pension rights State retirement pensions UK membership of EU
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk