Pensions - Gowling Wlg

Key Points There are no statutory restrictions on membership of a UK pension scheme by persons who do not live or work in the United Kingdom. Restrictions on benefits accrued or provided under a registered pension scheme may be relaxed where a member does not benefit from UK tax relief because he or she is a "relevant overseas individual" or a transfer has been made into the scheme from a "recognised overseas pension scheme". A registered pension scheme may only make a transfer into an overseas pension scheme that is approved for the purpose by HMRC (a "qualifying recognised overseas pension scheme" - QROPS). Transfers to a QROPS (and onwards from a QROPS to another QROPS) are subject to the Overseas Transfer Charge (OTC) of 25% of the transferred value from 9 March 2017, unless certain exemptions apply. A member who comes to the UK as an existing member of a qualifying overseas pension scheme may benefit from migrant member relief on UK income tax. A scheme may only accept contributions from a "European Emp