Broadly speaking most people’s pensions come from one or more of the following, a company pension plan, a personal pension plan and/ or the State pension.

Northern Ireland Pension Centre

Contact the centre with general enquiries, reporting changes in your circumstances, making a State Pension claim or applying for Pension Credit.

Contact details

Northern Ireland Pension Centre
PO Box 42
Limavady
BT49 4AN

State Pension Claim Line: 0808 100 2658

Pension Credit Application Line: 0808 100 6165

Enquiries: 0800 587 0892

There are a number of independent organisations that can provide you with advice and guidance when it comes to choosing and managing your pension.

Pension Wise is a government service from MoneyHelper that offers free, impartial pensions guidance about your defined contribution pension options. For further information please visit The Money Helper website

Company (Occupational) pensions

Company (Occupational) pensions are provided by most employers. There are different types of arrangements available, with each working in a different way.

Personal or Stakeholder pensions are available from banks, building societies and life insurance companies, who invest your savings on your behalf. There’s no limit on the number of personal pension schemes you can set up and you can save as much as you like into a personal pension. Each year you’ll be able to get tax relief on your pension contributions.

The State Pension is administered and paid by the Pension Service, part of the Department for Work and Pensions. It is based on the number of qualifying years gained through National Insurance contributions (NICs) you’ve paid, are treated as having paid or have been credited with throughout your working life. You can find out how much State Pension you could get, when you can get it and how to increase it if you can. For further information please visit – NI Direct – Check Your State Pension Forecast 

If you are in receipt of a State pension and decide to move to another EU country e.g. ROI, you will still be eligible for the State pension. If you wish it can be paid directly into your Irish bank account. For further information please contact the International Pension Centre 

You can contact the International Pension Centre (IPC) by email, using the online enquiry form. https://secure.dwp.gov.uk/ipc/personal-details

Telephone

State Pension

Telephone: +44 (0) 191 218 7777
Textphone: +44 (0) 191 218 7280

Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm

Frontier Workers

If you have worked in Northern Ireland and one or more EU state e.g. ROI, your Social Insurance contributions from each EU state will be added to your National Insurance contributions to help you qualify for the State Pension. For more information you may contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre. If you are resident in ROI you should contact the International Pension Centre Tel: 0044 191 218 7777

Southern Resident

A Southern resident working in Northern Ireland is eligible to apply for the UK pension when they reach the UK pensionable age – UK State Pension Age Calculator They should make their application for the UK pension via the Department of Social Protection, Pension Section based in Sligo – tel: 00353 (0)71 915-7100 or Lo-call: 1890-500-000

When they reach Irish retirement age they can then apply via Sligo for their Irish pension. The Pensions Section will contact the UK for a record of Social Insurance Contributions paid in Northern Ireland. This information will then be used to assess the pension application and a pro-rata pension may be awarded.

Northern Resident

A Northern Resident working in the South is eligible to apply for an Irish Pension when they reach the Irish pensionable age. They can make their application via the Department of Social Protection, Pension Section based in Sligo Phone: (071) 915-7100 or Lo-call: 1890-500-000 or they can contact the UK International Pensions Centre which can make the application on their behalf – Telephone 0191 218 7777

When they reach the UK age of retirement (UK State Pension Age Calculator)  they can contact the UK International Pensions Centreto make an application for a UK pension. To be eligible they would usually need to have paid at least ten year’s National Insurance contributions in Northern Ireland or the UK. They can use time spent working in the South to make up the ten qualifying years. The Pensions Centre will contact the Southern Authorities for a record of Social Insurance contributions paid and a pro-rata pension may then be awarded.

See also: 

• Border People – Frontier Workers – State Pension  
• Border People  – FAQs – Retirement and pensions
• See also:
• Border People – Older People Benefits in Northern Ireland 
• Department of the Communities – Pensions
• NI Direct – www.nidirect.gov.uk/state-pension
• NI Direct – State Pension for people living overseas
• Pension age calculator tool – State Pension calculator
• Money Helper – Pensions and Retirement
• European Commission – Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion – Pensions 

Page last checked: June 2022

This webpage is for general information purposes only and while we endeavour to keep it up-to-date, errors may occur. It is very important that you check with the relevant body to ensure the information is current and is applicable to your situation.

If you would like to suggest amendments or highlight new information that could be useful to others please don’t hesitate to get in touch.