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You may still be able to claim some benefits if you travel or move abroad, or if you鈥檙e already living abroad. What you鈥檙e entitled to depends on where you鈥檙e going and how long for.

Who to contact if you鈥檙e going abroad

Tell your local Jobcentre Plus or the office that pays your benefit if you鈥檙e going abroad. If it鈥檚 a temporary move, tell them when you鈥檙e coming back.

You must also tell HMRC if you鈥檙e leaving the UK.

Claiming when abroad

If you鈥檙e going to (or are already living in) a European Economic Area (EEA) country or a country with a special agreement with the UK, you may be able to claim:

• UK-based benefits
• benefits provided by the country you鈥檙e going to

You can also claim your State Pension abroad.

Claiming benefits in an EEA country or Switzerland

If you鈥檙e living in or planning to go to an EEA country or Switzerland you may be able to get some UK benefits.

Find out if you can get benefits in the EEA or Switzerland.

When you get your payment

The date you get your payment depends on which benefit you claim.

If you live abroad and your payment is due in the same week as a , it could arrive one day late. This is because a US company processes these payments.

Benefit fraud

You鈥檙e committing benefit fraud if you:

• do not tell the office that pays your benefit you鈥檙e going abroad, even if it鈥檚 just for a visit
• deliberately do not report a change in your circumstances while abroad, like buying a property, working, or claiming a pension or benefit from another country
• are dishonest in order to get benefits, like continuing to claim the pension or benefit of someone who has died overseas

European Economic Area (EEA) countries

If you鈥檙e living in or planning to go to an EEA country or Switzerland you may be able to get some UK benefits.

Find out if you can get benefits in the EEA or Switzerland.

Other countries with UK benefits arrangements

The following countries have social security agreements with the UK:

• Barbados
• Bermuda
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Canada
• Channel Islands
• Gibraltar
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Kosovo
• Mauritius
• Montenegro
• New Zealand
• North Macedonia
• the Philippines
• Serbia
• Turkey
• USA

You may be able to claim certain benefits in these countries but it will depend on the particular country.

If you go abroad, you can continue to get Universal Credit for one month.

You must:

• be eligible for Universal Credit when you鈥檙e going abroad
• remain eligible for it while you鈥檙e abroad
• tell your work coach that you鈥檙e going

You cannot get Universal Credit if you鈥檙e moving abroad permanently.

You cannot apply for Universal Credit if you鈥檙e already abroad.

Going abroad for medical treatment

You can continue to get Universal Credit for up to 6 months if:

• you go abroad for medical treatment
• you go abroad for a period of recovery that鈥檚 been approved by a medical professional (also known as 鈥榓pproved convalescence鈥�)
• your partner or child is going abroad for medical treatment or 鈥榓pproved convalescence鈥� and you鈥檙e going with them

If you鈥檙e a civil servant, diplomat or member of the armed forces

There are different rules for claiming Universal Credit while abroad if you鈥檙e a civil servant, diplomat or a member of the armed forces.

You may be able to make a claim or keep getting Universal Credit while you鈥檙e abroad if:

• you鈥檙e abroad due to work duties, for example posted abroad in the armed forces
• the UK was your main home immediately before you were sent abroad (you were 鈥榟abitually resident鈥� in the UK)

If you鈥檙e a member of the armed forces, you鈥檒l need to use a specific address when you claim.

You need to tell your work coach before you go abroad. They鈥檒l tell you which things from your 鈥榗laimant commitment鈥� you need to keep doing while you鈥檙e abroad.

If you鈥檙e a mariner or continental shelf worker

If you鈥檙e entitled to Universal Credit when you go abroad, you can continue to get it for up to 6 months.

There are 2 different types of Jobseeker鈥檚 Allowance (JSA):

• New Style JSA
• income-based JSA

You may get New Style JSA in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland for up to 3 months if you:

• are entitled to it on the day you go abroad
• register as a jobseeker at least 4 weeks before you leave
• are looking for work in the UK up to the day you leave
• are going abroad to look for work
• register at the equivalent of a Jobcentre in the country you鈥檙e going to
• follow the other country鈥檚 rules on registering and looking for work
• are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement

Find out if you can get JSA in the EEA or Switzerland.

Moving to a country not in the EEA

Some countries outside the EEA have social security agreements with the UK. This means that if you鈥檝e paid enough National Insurance contributions in the UK, you may be able to get unemployment benefits in:

• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Channel Islands
• Kosovo
• Macedonia
• Montenegro
• New Zealand
• Serbia

Help and advice on JSA

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

If you work for a UK employer in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you may get SMP as long as you鈥檙e eligible for it.

Find out if you can get Statutory Maternity Pay in the EEA or Switzerland.

If you work in a different country, you can still get SMP as long as your employer pays UK National Insurance contributions for you.

Talk to your employer about claiming SMP.

Maternity Allowance

If you cannot get SMP, you might be eligible for Maternity Allowance.

If you鈥檙e eligible, you may get Maternity Allowance in an EEA country or Switzerland.

Find out if you can get Maternity Allowance in the EEA or Switzerland.

You may also be able to claim it in:

• Barbados
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Channel Islands
• Gibraltar
• Israel
• Kosovo
• Macedonia
• Montenegro
• Serbia
• Turkey

Ask your local Jobcentre Plus for more information.

Child-related benefits

You may also get the following in an EEA country or Switzerland if you鈥檙e eligible:

• Child Benefit
• tax credits
• Guardian鈥檚 Allowance (you can claim this if you鈥檙e getting Child Benefit for a child whose parents have both died)

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

You can get SSP if you鈥檙e eligible for it and either of the following apply:

• you work for a UK employer in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
• you work outside the EEA and your employer pays National Insurance contributions for you

Contact your employer to claim SSP.

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

You can get ESA for up to 4 weeks if you go abroad. Talk to your local Jobcentre Plus before you go.

Going abroad for more than 4 weeks but less than a year

Tell your local Jobcentre Plus if you鈥檙e going abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You can carry on getting contribution-based ESA for up to 26 weeks if you鈥檙e going abroad for medical treatment for yourself or your child.

It does not matter which country you go to.

Going abroad for more than a year

You may get contribution-based ESA in the EEA or Switzerland if you:

• are eligible for ESA
• have paid enough National Insurance contributions
• are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement

Find out if you can get contribution-based ESA in the EEA or Switzerland.

Help and advice on ESA

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB)

If you鈥檙e getting Industrial Injuries Benefit for work-related accidents and illnesses, you can still get this abroad.

Contact the office dealing with your benefit if you鈥檙e still in the UK, or the International Pension Centre if you鈥檙e living abroad.

Help and advice on IIDB

What you can claim depends on:

• which benefit you鈥檙e claiming
• where you鈥檙e going and for how long

Going abroad temporarily

Tell the office that pays your benefit if you plan to go abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You can claim the following benefits if you鈥檙e going abroad for up to 13 weeks (or 26 weeks if it鈥檚 for medical treatment):

• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

You can carry on claiming Carer鈥檚 Allowance if you take up to 4 weeks holiday out of a 26-week period.

Going abroad permanently to an EEA country or Switzerland

You or a family member may be able to claim benefits if you:

• work in the UK or pay National Insurance in the UK because of work
• have paid enough National Insurance to qualify for contribution-based benefits
• are getting State Pension, Industrial Injuries Benefit, contribution-based ESA or bereavement benefits
• are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement

If you鈥檙e eligible then you may be able to claim:

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults care component
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living part
• Attendance Allowance or Carer鈥檚 Allowance

Find out if you can get benefits in an EEA country or Switzerland.

If you already live in an EEA country or Switzerland

You do not need to have claimed in the UK before you moved. But you must:

• be habitually resident in the EEA country or Switzerland
• have a genuine link with the UK, for example you鈥檝e lived or worked in the UK
• be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement

Find out if you can get benefits in an EEA country or Switzerland.

If you have a disability

If you鈥檙e eligible, you can claim the daily living part of either:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• , if you have a 鈥榞enuine and sufficient link鈥� to Scotland

If you currently claim PIP or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults and want to claim Adult Disability Payment instead, contact the Disability Service Centre.

If you currently claim Adult Disability Payment and want to claim PIP, .

You can also if you鈥檙e not sure whether you have a 鈥榞enuine and sufficient link鈥� to Scotland.

If you have a disabled child under 16

If your child is eligible, you can claim the care component part of either:

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children
• , if you have a 鈥榞enuine and sufficient link鈥� to Scotland

If you currently claim DLA for children and want to claim Child Disability Payment instead, contact the Disability Service Centre.

If you currently claim Child Disability Payment and want to claim DLA for children, .

You can also if you鈥檙e not sure whether you have a 鈥榞enuine and sufficient link鈥� to Scotland.

Make a claim or change your details

To make a claim or change any personal details, such as your address or bank account, write to the Exportability Team that deals with the benefit you are claiming.

If you鈥檙e making a claim, your letter should say:

• what benefits you want to claim
• where you live

Attendance Allowance Exportability Team

Disability Living Allowance Exportability Team

Personal Independence Payment 7 Exportability Team

Carer鈥檚 Allowance

You can claim Carer鈥檚 Allowance or report a change of circumstances online.

You can also write to the Carers Allowance Exportability Team.

Help and advice

Contact the Disability Benefits Exportability Team about Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

If you have a general enquiry about Carer鈥檚 Allowance, contact the Carer鈥檚 Allowance Unit.

If you鈥檙e a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use the if you鈥檙e on a computer. Find out how to . It鈥檚 available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

You may be able to claim an annual Winter Fuel Payment if all of the following apply:

• you were born before 23 September 1958
• you are getting a benefit paid by the UK, for example a State Pension
• you moved to an eligible country before 31 December 2020 and are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement
• you have a genuine and sufficient link to the UK - this can include having lived or worked in the UK, and having family in the UK
• you get a qualifying means-tested benefit from the country that you live in

Find out if you鈥檙e eligible and how to claim from abroad.

If you鈥檙e already getting a bereavement benefit when you move abroad, you鈥檒l still get it - it does not matter where you move to.

You may be able to make a new claim if you live in certain countries outside the UK.

European Economic Area (EEA) countries, Switzerland and Gibraltar

If you live in an EEA country, Switzerland or Gibraltar, and you鈥檙e eligible, you may be able to claim the following:

• Bereavement Support Payment
• Widowed Parent鈥檚 Allowance

Find out if you can get bereavement benefits in an EEA country or Switzerland.

Countries outside the EEA

You may also be able to claim bereavement benefits in some countries outside the EEA.

Bereavement Support Payment:

• Barbados
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Channel Islands
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Kosovo
• Macedonia
• Montenegro
• New Zealand
• the Philippines
• Serbia
• Turkey
• USA

Widowed Parent鈥檚 Allowance:

• Barbados
• Bermuda
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Channel Islands
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Kosovo
• Macedonia
• Mauritius
• Montenegro
• New Zealand
• the Philippines
• Serbia
• Turkey
• USA

The rate and eligibility criteria may vary between countries.

Help and advice on bereavement benefits