Can my UK and Turkish working years be combined? Can I get a pension from both countries?

Who does this apply to?

This is general information for people who have worked or paid social security contributions in both the UK and Turkey. It is not personal advice.

It rests on the UK-Turkey Convention on Social Insurance, signed in 1959 and in force since 1961. SGK's table says it was revised in 1999. Health insurance (GSS) and unemployment are not covered by this convention.

The UK rules below are about the new State Pension. GOV.UK says it applies to men born on or after 6 April 1951 and women born on or after 6 April 1953. People born earlier get the basic State Pension, which has different rules and is not explained here.

Details

How are periods combined?

• The convention calls this "totalisation" (adding periods together). Each country also counts the other country's periods when it checks whether the conditions for a pension are met.
• Then each country works out a pension as if all the years had been completed under its own law. It pays only the share that matches its own periods out of the total. This is called "pro-rata" (a proportional share).
• The convention text says that if the total contribution periods in one country are under 6 months, that country pays no pension. This is only one condition; others may apply. Ask the official bodies how it works in practice.
• Periods that overlap are not counted twice.

The UK side

• GOV.UK says you usually need 10 "qualifying years" for the new State Pension. These are years on your National Insurance record that count.
• GOV.UK says contributions in countries that have a social security agreement with the UK can help with eligibility. The page does not name Turkey. For Turkey, the basis is the convention text.
• The amount paid is based only on the years on the UK National Insurance record.

Can a pension be paid by both countries?

• GOV.UK says a person might be eligible for an overseas state pension as well as the UK new State Pension. Each country decides separately under its own conditions and pays its own share.
• The convention text says a person with a pension right in one country can keep receiving it while living in the other. Ask the official bodies about payment conditions.

The option not to totalise

• Under the convention, a person may choose not to use totalisation. Then each country applies only its own law.
• The convention also allows a pensioner to make a new choice in some situations. The official bodies can say whether it applies.

The Turkish side

• On the Turkish side, SGK records decide which days count. Age and premium-day conditions are set by Turkish law. These were not checked for this post.

Points to watch

• The convention text is published on legislation.gov.uk in its revised form from 2014. The rules here rely on Articles 14, 16, 17 and 25. SGK mentions a 1999 revision, so the current text should be confirmed with the official bodies.

What can you do?

1. For the UK side, the International Pension Centre (IPC) can be asked. GOV.UK gives +44 (0) 191 218 7777 from abroad, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm (as of October 2026). A call-back and an online form are offered. Online replies may be slower than usual.
2. GOV.UK says that to claim State Pension from abroad you must be within 4 months of State Pension age.
3. For the Turkish side, SGK or the Labour and Social Security Attaché in London can be asked. Check SGK and the Attaché's website for current contact details.
4. Questions often put to the official bodies: How will my periods be combined? Which Turkish days are counted? How many qualifying years are on my UK record? What follows if I choose not to totalise?