Retiring in the UK as a foreigner: Complete guide

If you’re considering spending your golden years in the United Kingdom, but you’re not a UK citizen, the process can be more complex than it is for locals. There are important factors to consider to ensure you can truly enjoy your well-earned retirement.

We’ve created a guide about retiring in the UK, with essential information for foreigners navigating the system. We’ll cover UK retirement visa options, financial requirements and where to retire in the UK.

We’ll also introduce a cost-effective way to manage your money when retiring to the UK from abroad. With the Wise account from the money services provider Wise, you can send, spend and convert money in 40+ currencies at great mid-market exchange rates and low, transparent fees*. It’s not a bank account but offers some similar features, and your money is safeguarded.

Looking to take your savings with you? Wise can also help you with large transfers.

Learn more about the Wise account

Can foreigners retire in the UK?

Yes, as long as certain conditions are met and you qualify for an appropriate visa.

We’ll now get into more details and explain how to retire in the UK as a foreigner.

How to retire in the UK as a foreigner

To retire in the UK, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate visa and carefully plan for your finances and healthcare coverage. It’s also important to consider where you’ll live and research the cost of living and other local factors in that area.

Here’s an overview of the step-by-step process for retiring in the UK:

1. Find an appropriate visa option
2. Make a financial plan to ensure you can support yourself
3. Look into health insurance coverage
4. Submit your visa application
5. Find a place to live in the UK
6. Move to the UK
7. Notify pension providers that you’ll continue receiving your pension abroad
8. Inform your home country’s tax authorities of your move
9. Keep in touch with the authorities to provide any necessary updates

After living in the UK for five years on a qualifying visa, you may be able to apply for settlement or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Some visa types even offer a faster route, with eligibility after just three years.¹

Visa requirements for retiring in the UK

There’s no dedicated UK retirement visa, but it’s possible to retire in the UK through alternative routes. Some long-term visas can be suitable for retirees, provided you meet the eligibility requirements.

Depending on the category, applicants need to either prove family connections to the UK or have British ancestors. Let’s explore these options in more detail.

UK retirement visa options for foreigners

Some visa options that were once popular with retirees are no longer available, including the Investor visa and the Retired Persons of Independent Means permit. However, if you have family ties to the UK, you might be able to settle here.

The Family visa is suitable for those whose partners, fiancés, or dependent relatives are UK citizens or holders of settled status. This visa might lead to ILR and citizenship, but eligibility depends on your relationship with the UK resident.²

For example, if you’re applying based on your partner’s status, you’ll need to prove that you are in a recognised civil partnership or marriage, have been living together for at least two years or plan to get married within six months. If you haven’t lived together due to cultural reasons or because of living in different locations, you should provide evidence of this and it might be considered.³

Your partner should also be one of the following:

• A British or Irish citizen
• Settled in the UK (with Indefinite Leave to Remain, settled status or permanent residence)
• From the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and holding pre-settled status
• A holder of the Turkish businessperson visa or Turkish worker visa³

If you have British roots, you might also be eligible for the five-year Ancestry visa. To apply, you must be one of the following:

• A British national (overseas)
• A British overseas citizen
• A British overseas territories citizen
• A Commonwealth citizen
• A citizen of Zimbabwe⁴

You also need to be over 17 and have enough financial resources to support yourself and any dependents. Additionally, you must be able to work in the UK. However, the main requirement is that you have a grandparent who born in one of these circumstances:

• In the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
• In Ireland before 31 March 1922
• On a ship or aircraft belonging to the UK government or registered in the UK⁵

You can still claim ancestry if your grandparents weren’t married or if you were adopted.⁵

Lastly, if you plan on spending up to six months a year in the UK, you might be able to do so with a Visitor visa. This visa doesn’t lead to citizenship or permanent residence, but if you only plan to spend part of the year in the UK and don’t need long-term residency, it could be a suitable option.⁶

Financial requirements for retiring in the UK

Each visa type has its own financial requirements. For the Ancestry visa, you must prove that you have enough funds to support yourself without relying on public resources. The visa fee is £682.⁴

The Family visa, on the other hand, has specific income thresholds. If you’re applying for a Family visa with your partner, you’ll need to prove that your combined annual income is at least £29,000.²

Different types of family relationships come with different financial requirements and visa fees, such as when applying with a child or parent. If you’re joining a partner, parent or a child and applying from outside the UK, the Family visa fee is £1,938. However, if you need assistance from a relative, the visa fee ranges from £422 to £3,413. This depends on whether or not your relative has refugee status or humanitarian protection.⁷

How much money do you need to retire comfortably in the UK

Moving to a new country means adjusting to a new cost of living. So, how much do you need to retire in the UK without worrying about money?

The average income for pensioners in the UK is £282, which is around £14,664 a year. Retired couples have an average income of £595 a week. The average income depends on the region, with London having the lowest.⁸

However, the average income may not be enough to eliminate all financial worries. Research by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) shows that an income of £60,600 for couples and £43,900 for single pensioners is considered enough for a comfortable retirement in the UK.⁹

Best places where to retire in the UK

The UK offers a variety of picturesque countryside towns, vibrant cities and charming coastal areas. When choosing where to retire in the UK, it’s important to consider factors such as the cost of living, crime rates and weather conditions. Good transport links to other parts of the UK and abroad can also make a difference.

Let’s go through some suggestions to help you find the best place to retire in the UK.

Worthing in West Sussex is an ideal seaside town if you’d like to wake up each day to stunning views and fresh sea air. It has a rich cultural scene and great connections to neighbouring coastal towns, as well as places like Brighton.

Glasgow offers a blend of natural beauty and urban amenities, with a vibrant arts scene and plenty of entertainment options. It’s more affordable than Edinburgh, yet close enough to the capital of Scotland for an easy visit whenever you like.

If you’d like to retire in a larger city that’s not as large or expensive as London, Birmingham might be a good alternative. With its many parks and open spaces, a thriving food scene and beautiful architecture, it offers a vibrant, yet more affordable urban lifestyle.

Healthcare for retirees in the UK

To access NHS healthcare in the UK, you’ll likely pay the Immigration health surcharge (IHS) as part of your visa application. Once your visa starts, you’ll be able to access a range of NHS services for free. However, some of them, such as prescriptions and dental treatments, will require a co-payment. It’s important to note that the IHS is a mandatory fee, even if you decide to also get private health insurance.¹⁰

Hospital services under the NHS are only free for those who are considered ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK. This typically includes those living in the country on a settled basis, such as individuals with Indefinite Leave to Remain.¹¹

If you’d like to get faster access to treatment, you might want to consider private health insurance. There are over 200 private hospitals and clinics in the UK, most commonly found in larger cities. Some local health insurance providers offer plans that complement the NHS, allowing you to keep your NHS GP as your first point of contact.¹²

Wise - A smart way to manage your money across borders

With the Wise account, you can send, spend, hold and convert money in 40+ currencies, for low, transparent fees* and mid-market exchange rates close to what you see on Google. It's not a bank account but offers some similar features and your money is safeguarded.

You can also get a Wise card for a one-time fee of £7 (or the Wise virtual card for £0) to spend like a local in 150+ countries. This clever card automatically converts your pounds to the local currency whenever you spend, only adding a tiny, upfront currency conversion fee* – or it’s fee-free if you already have the local currency in your Wise account.

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**Capital at risk. In the UK, Interest and Stocks are provided by Wise Assets — this is the trading name of Wise Assets UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Wise. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised as an investment firm and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our FCA number is 839689. We do not give investment advice, and you may be subject to pay tax. If you're not sure, seek qualified advice. You can find more information about the funds on our website.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 21-May-2025