Payment of disability benefits in other European countries

Disability benefits which may be paid

You may get the following benefits if you leave the UK to live in a European Economic Area (EEA) state or Switzerland:

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer's Allowance

The mobility part of both Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance cannot usually be paid if you live abroad.

Eligibility

You may get these benefits while abroad if you or a family member:

• work in the UK or pay national insurance in the UK because of work but live in an EEA state or Switzerland and are a frontier or posted worker
• have paid enough National Insurance contributions to be able to claim a UK contribution-based sickness benefit
• receive a ‘relevant benefit’

‘Relevant benefits’ include:

• State Pension
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance
• Bereavement Benefits

The Department for Communities can check your National Insurance records for you.

Conditions for entitlement

When you live in an EEA state or Switzerland, you must still meet the entitlement conditions for the benefits you want to claim. The only difference is that you no longer have to:

• be habitually resident in the UK
• be in the UK

Usually you must have spent at least two of the last three years in the UK, unless:

• you are a posted frontier worker
• you are a family member of a worker in the UK, including posted or frontier workers
• you are claiming Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance (care part) or Attendance Allowance under the special rules for terminally ill people
• you can prove you have a genuine and enough link with the UK social security system, for example you have lived and worked in the UK for a significant period

You may not be able to take your benefit with you if you cannot prove a genuine and enough link with the UK social security system.

If you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you and your family usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get Personal Independence Payment. The deadline to apply to the scheme was 30 June 2021 for most people, but you might still be able to apply. 

• Check if you can still apply to the EU Settlement Scheme

Your entitlement – things to be aware of

Your entitlement to these benefits may be affected if you or your family:

• can get a sickness benefit from an EEA state or Switzerland
• work or have worked in an EEA state or Switzerland

If you receive a pension or invalidity benefit from an EEA state or Switzerland you may be entitled to a disability benefit from that country. This will be instead of getting your disability benefit from the UK.

You may not get Carer’s Allowance if you receive other benefits which are paid at a rate higher or the same as Carer’s Allowance. This might include your State Pension and any benefits you may receive from other states.

How long benefits will be paid for

You will be paid as long as you receive a ‘relevant benefit’ or for the length of time of your disability benefit award - whichever is shorter.

If you have paid enough National Insurance contributions you can claim a contribution-based sickness benefit. Your benefit will be paid for as long as you stay insured from these contributions or for the length of time of your award if this is shorter.

Claiming as a family member

If you are claiming as a family member of someone who:

• is working in the UK
• has paid enough National Insurance contributions for them to be able to claim a contributions-based sickness benefit
• receives short-term Incapacity Benefit or the assessment phase rate of contributions-based Employment and Support Allowance

Then your benefit will be paid for:

• as long as that person continues to work in the UK or for the length of time of your award, if shorter
• as long as that person remains insured from their contributions or for the length of time of your award, if shorter
• as long as that person receives that benefit or for the length of time of your award, if shorter

What to do next

Contact the Disability and Carers Service if:

• you get Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Carer’s Allowance and plan to move to an EEA state or Switzerland
• you live in an EEA state or Switzerland and want to make a claim

Contact the PIP Centre if:

• you get Personal Independence Payment and plan to move to an EEA state or Switzerland
• you live in an EEA state or Switzerland and want to make a claim

You will need your National Insurance number and your family member’s National Insurance number (if you are entitled as a family member).

Leaving the European Union (EU)

For information on leaving the EU, including the impact on benefits if you are an EU citizen in the UK or a UK national in the EU, visit the following pages: 

• Benefits and pensions for UK nationals in the EEA or Switzerland 
• Benefits and pensions for EEA and Swiss citizens in the UK