Website of the UK government

The Kindertransport group came to Britain as refugees, having been stripped of German nationality, and either remained in Britain or went to other countries, including the USA and Canada.

What happened to those who stayed in Britain?

Those who remained in Britain became British citizens and paid insurance towards a British State Pension. Many people who had become insured under the old UK insurance scheme before 1948 were credited with insurance up to 5 July 1948, when the new National Insurance Scheme started.

What provisions did Germany make for the Kindertransport group?

In the early 1990s, Germany made provisions for the Kindertransport group to obtain a German state pension. People with no history of German insurance had to take back German nationality and make a voluntary contribution to the German State Pension scheme.

They were also given periods that counted as insurance towards a German Pension entitlement, either from age 14 or 1939 (whichever was later) up to 31 December 1949.

Changes to the Kindertransport group’s pensions

For some people, the time spent paying into the UK system pre-1948 resulted in a reduction of the amount of their German pension, due to European Community social security rules on how periods of insurance in different countries affect each other.

The UK Pensions Bill 2008 is planning to bring in new legislation to stop this happening by removing the overlapping period of UK insurance before 1948, on request. This will mean that, in many cases, the German pension will be more, but the basic British State Pension will stay the same as now.

Who could benefit?

People who may be able to benefit are those who:

• came to the UK on or before 31 May 1940 from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia or Poland, and
• have a German pension entitlement which is reduced or extinguished by UK insurance prior to 6 April 1948

The surviving wives or husbands of these people may also be able to benefit. The children of anyone who might have been affected may also benefit, depending on how long ago their parent died.

If you think you are affected by these changes, contact the International Pension Centre:

International Pension Centre
Tyneview Park
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE98 1BA
United Kingdom

Telephone: 0191 21 87777 or +44 191 21 87777 (if you are calling from outside the UK)