Can you transfer your UK pension abroad? QROPS in 2026, explained

If you're leaving the UK, a big question is whether to take your pension with you. The mechanism is a QROPS — a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme — but whether it's available, and whether it's wise, depends heavily on where you're going.

What a QROPS actually is

A QROPS is an overseas scheme that HMRC recognises as broadly equivalent to a UK pension, so it can receive a transfer from a UK SIPP or workplace scheme. Not every country has them, and the rules have tightened — the list and conditions change, so always check current HMRC guidance.

The 25% Overseas Transfer Charge

HMRC applies a 25% charge to transfers into a QROPS unless an exemption applies (for example, you're tax-resident in the same country as the QROPS). Transfer into the wrong scheme, or move again within five years, and a quarter of your pension can vanish in tax.

Country by country (the common destinations)

• Australia — very few public super funds are QROPS-registered, and HMRC rules generally block transfers before age 55. Most under-55s leave the pension in the UK.
• New Zealand — QROPS schemes do exist, and new migrants get a ~4-year transitional tax window, so NZ is one of the more workable corridors for a transfer.
• United States — no QROPS route into a 401(k) or IRA; you generally leave the pension in the UK and rely on the US-UK treaty.
• Canada — Canadian RRSPs aren't QROPS, so there's effectively no transfer route; leave it in the UK and draw it later.

Default to leaving the pension in a UK SIPP unless a specialist confirms a transfer clearly wins after tax, charges and the overseas-transfer charge.