Morocco’s rich culture, affordable property and a very cheap cost of living makes it an attractive retirement destination. Food, necessities and transport are all a fraction of the price you pay in the UK so it is no wonder people are making Morocco their home, where their UK pensions will go much further. If you are currently paying into a pension scheme in the UK then you won’t need to worry what happens to it when you move to Morocco as you can take your pension with you!

Your UK state pension will not be affected by your move to Morocco. When you do move, check with the Pensions Advisory Service whether you can have it paid direct into an account in Morocco. If not, you can have it paid into your UK account and then use a currency specialist, such as Smart Currency Exchange, to transfer it abroad. If you move to Morocco before you retire then you may wish to make voluntary National Insurance contributions as this will preserve your state pension and you will be entitled to the full amount. If you choose not to continue paying contributions, you will still be entitled to the pension you earned up until the date you moved to Morocco.

Whilst everybody’s circumstances are different you may want to contact the Pensions Advisory Service to get advice on your pension and how to manage it. You should also look into getting a pension forecast done if you are coming up to your claim date. The forecast will give you a good indication of how much you can expect to receive and can be requested four months in advance of your pension beginning.

If you decide to spend part of the year in Morocco and the rest in the UK then you will still be able to claim your full state pension without having to make NI contributions. Please note that in order to qualify, you must spend more than 6 months of any one year living in the UK. It will only be possible however to have your pension paid into one account; either in Morocco or the UK.

Start your hunt for a home in Morocco here…
If you’re searching for a Moroccan property, a good place to start is the Morocco Buying Guide’s new property search facility. To start your search now visit
http://www.moroccobuyingguide.com/content/morocco-properties