How does my UK pension system work when I am in Ispra ?
A. Well before you leave the UK, write to your local inspector of taxes to ask if you can continue to pay regualr pension contributions while you are abroad. This is necessary if you are “opted out” because you will be getting a UK contribution to your private pension. It is possible to just leave the matter entirely and pay it all in a lump sum when you get back to the UK. Your private pension scheme (e.g. Norwich Union) may well need to be re-started with a new policy simply becaue you are out of the UK (mine did), and your pension advisor may not know this until they actually tell the pension scheme operator. So give them lots of notice and prompt them regularly until they check properly.
