Leaving the UK. Am I entitled to any UK benefits from NI contributions if I move back to Poland?

czesc.

just wanted to know - my husband's polish and i am a non-eea national. if we've been working here in the uk for about five years and then decide to move back to poland after, what sort of benefits are we entitled to from the uk government (as we've been paying our n.i, contributions over the same period - 5 years)?

can we get our money back from them?

do we get all of the contributions that we've paid?

or is it just a portion of what we've paid as stated on the national insurance rebate website?

or do we just start receiving pension from the uk government as well when we reach our retirement age?

dziekuje bardzo.

I bloody well hope not.

Yes, you'll receive something if you do nothing with the contributions. It won't be that much, but it'll be something.


No. How it works is that you can either keep the money in the UK system, or transfer it to another country depending on if there's a social security agreement betwee the UK and the country in question. In the case of Poland, it's quite straightforward to transfer the contributions here, though ZUS will be awkward and difficult, as is to be expected.


Why not? They paid NI, they're entitled to a pension if they leave the money in the UK.

So they work a few years in the UK and receive a pension for it?

Its a well known fact that the Poles milk the UK system for every last penny and it p1sses me off.

My Polish wife worked for years in a decent paid UK job, the last thing im going to do is start asking for that poxy NI money back. I'd rather the UK keeps it based on moral issues.

Of course. It's proportional, so if they work 5 years in the UK (and pay 5 years worth of NI), they'll be entitled to 5/30ths of the current full basic pension. Or in real terms, if they were retiring now, they'd get about 15 quid a week.


Most of the "Well known facts" are just bollocks - for instance, Poles can't claim UK benefits unless they've been in the UK for a year, working legally under the Worker Registration Scheme. Most of them haven't been legally registered - do you really think Pawel and his mates on the farm are working legally?

Other examples are the fault of the UK government - why on earth isn't Child Benefit linked to school attendence, for instance?

Anyway, there's nothing stopping us milking the Polish system. It's very well known that Brits take advantage of the ability to write off many things that are of dubious business merit - things that wouldn't be allowed in the UK in a million years.


So she'll claim a UK pension instead then? It's up to you - you've got the right to transfer those contributions anywhere you want, as long as there's an agreement.

I wouldnt say most. Besides its the employer who takes the risk aswell.


No there not, they milk it and why not. Dont tell me youve never ben the victim of a scam in Poland, they know all the tricks and the UK has so many flaws they are exposing them for every penny.


Now that bollocks IMO.


Seeing as you like to dual compare, what would a Brit be entitled to in Poland under similar circumstances?

True, but by all accounts, they're not really bothered by Polish workers working without the WRS permission - they're far more bothered about real illegal employment.


I think it's more a case of simply taking everything that they're entitled to - savvy really, wouldn't you do the same if Britain was the poor country and Poland the rich one?


Ask anyone who has a business and what they can write off. Poland is way, way less strict than the UK in this respect - Ben of the British in Poland blog wrote something about the very subject. My accountant advised that as long as you can justify it, then it's possible - unlike the UK where there exists rules for practically everything.


It's tough to compare, because Poland relies more on increased personal tax allowances rather than benefits. The UK tax credit system is the worst thing ever designed - I bet you must know some people who've been royally ****** over with it?

But under the same circumstances (working for 12 months, legally resident with the EU residence permit, etc) - there's some benefits available, though nothing on the scale of the UK.

If you ask me, they should bring in the Polish system into the UK where you need to work for 12 months before getting anything from the unemployment office. It's not a bad idea, and means you don't get students sitting around on the dole because they refuse to take menial jobs.

really? would you be able to give me a rough guide on the procedures?


that may be true but on the uk border website, it says that if you wont register, you are considered illegal.


i totally agree

Why do you think you are entitled to anything? There are people that have lived and worked her all their life who struggle. Go back and claim money from your own country.