Will it be possible to transfer a UK pension to Australia? (Emma, London)

Answer

Yes, UK pension fund benefits can usually be transferred into an Australian superannuation fund - and this exercise is often worth undertaking from a tax perspective. We say this as UK source pension income received in the hands of an Australian tax resident is usually taxable wholly in Australia under the provisions of the Tax Treaty between the two countries. By contrast, benefits received at retirement age by an Australian resident from an Australian superannuation fund that derives from a transferred UK fund are generally free of tax in either country.
Note also that an individual should not receive a benefit from the transferred fund for five complete UK tax years following departure from the UK to avoid a tax charge arising under the UK's QROPS tax provisions.