Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
should check what that will do to your contributions' record and how it might affect your
eventual state pension.
You can find out if there are gaps in your record by calling the HMRC (HM Revenue and
Customs) helpline (0845 915 5996) and for more information. People living abroad should
call: 0845 915 4811.
Once you have that information it's worth talking to the DWP (Department for Work and
Pensions). They have a help and advice service (Tel: 0845 606 0265) and you can find out
what you can expect by way of state pension. A DWP adviser told us that, from 2010, to
get the maximum state pension both men and women will have to have paid NI for at least
30 years.
However, another useful fact, if you're likely to reach retirement age during your gap and
can afford it, is that there's an incentive for deferring your state pension. For every five
weeks you agree to defer, you get 1% added to your eventual pension. After a year, you
can either take that as a taxable lump sum or have it incorporated into your regular pen-
sion payments. You can defer for more than a year and continue to add this interest to your
eventual state pension.
The Directgov website also has a useful page on pensions for people living abroad:
Earning on your career break
It may even be possible to part-fund your career break by using your skills on volunteer
and other projects.
United Nations Volunteers sometimes pay modest living or travel costs, for people with the
skills they need for particular volunteer projects.
Have a look at their website:
www.unv.org/how-to-volunteer.html
If you wanted a 'taster' before taking the big step of leaving the country, UNV also has a
scheme for online volunteers, where you can become involved in worthwhile projects, us-
ing your computer in your spare time, at home:
There are also organisations that can help with funding for specific projects: the Winston
Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT) is one of them. It provides grants for people wanting to
travel abroad and work on special projects that they cannot find funding for elsewhere and,
crucially, then use the experience to benefit others in their home communities. Applicants
must be British citizens, resident in the UK and must apply by October each year.
The Trust awards travelling fellowships to individuals of all ages wanting to pursue pro-
jects that are interesting and unusual. Categories cover a range of topics over a three-year
