Useful Info · 9 guides
Pensions & Social Security
The State Pension, Universal Credit and other benefits, disability and later-life support.
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All guides on this topic (9)
Eight mistakes immigrants often make with benefits in the UK: never checking, ignoring NRPF, not reporting changes, time abroad and paying middlemen
Points that cause problems according to official pages: never checking benefits despite having ILR, not checking an NRPF condition, not reporting changes (penalty £350-£5,000), forgetting time abroad and bank transactions, not completing a UC claim in 28 days and not knowing the free helplines.
Can ILR holders get Universal Credit? Conditions, monthly amounts, the 55p taper, the £16,000 savings limit and sponsor undertakings
GOV.UK says an ILR holder can apply for benefits if eligible. Universal Credit needs age 18+, under State Pension age, living in the UK and savings of £16,000 or less; single 25+ gets £424.90 a month. Sponsor undertakings and habitual residence are checked separately.
Help in later life: Pension Credit (£238 / £363.25 for couples), Winter Fuel Payment, Warm Home Discount (£150) and the free bus pass
GOV.UK: Pension Credit tops weekly income up to £238 (single) or £363.25 (couple); savings up to £10,000 are ignored. People born on or before 27 June 1960 may get Winter Fuel Payment (taken back if income exceeds £35,000). The Warm Home Discount is £150.
Disability and carer benefits: PIP, Attendance Allowance and Carer's Allowance; weekly rates, the "2 of the last 3 years" residence test and the sponsor exception
GOV.UK: PIP daily living £76.70 / £114.60, mobility £30.30 / £80; Attendance Allowance £76.70 / £114.60; Carer's Allowance £86.45. All three need you to have spent at least 2 of the last 3 years in England, Scotland or Wales and not be subject to immigration control.
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Can You Pay Voluntary Bağ-Kur Premiums While Living in the UK?
The UK is an exception that allows for voluntary social security contributions in Turkey without the requirement of residency in Turkey. However, this must be evaluated alongside retirement conditions, healthcare rights, and employment status.
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Can my UK and Turkish working years be combined? Can I get a pension from both countries?
As of October 2026, in general: the UK-Turkey convention lets periods in both countries be counted together, and each country pays its own share separately. No amount is guaranteed; the official bodies must be asked.
If someone lives in Turkey, how do they claim the UK State Pension from abroad, and does it go up every year?
As of October 2026, GOV.UK says the State Pension can be claimed from abroad through the International Pension Centre. Turkey appears on the annual-increase list, but the only date shown on that list page is 2014.
How many years of National Insurance do you need for the UK State Pension, and how can missing years be filled?
As of October 2026, GOV.UK says the new State Pension needs at least 10 qualifying years. The general rule for the full amount is 35 years (the calculation differs if your record began before April 2016). Gaps can sometimes be filled with voluntary Class 3 payments.
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Can people living in the UK pay voluntary Turkish (Bağ-Kur) insurance premiums?
As of October 2026, we found no clear, single rule on SGK pages for people living in the UK; the pages frame it differently. Voluntary insurance and buying past periods abroad are different things. The question should be put to SGK in writing.