The social security agreement between the United States and the U.K.:

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  eliminates dual social security coverage and taxation of the same work in the two countries; and

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  may permit workers (and their family members) to qualify for partial U.S. or U.K. benefits, even though they do not meet the normal insured status requirements.

The Agreement became effective on January 1, 1985, except for the benefits provisions in Part III, which became effective on January 1, 1998.

A Supplementary Agreement became effective on September 1, 1997. The primary purpose of the Supplementary Agreement was to remove certain restrictions in the original Agreement on the payment of U.K. disability benefits to residents of the United States. The Supplementary Agreement also included a guarantee against reductions in benefits for persons already entitled when the Supplementary Agreement entered into force and specified the Supplementary Agreement’s effective date. Finally, the Supplementary Agreement revised the definition in the original Agreement of “survivor’s benefit” in Article 1.7(d) of the Agreement to take into account contemporary changes in U.K. law.

The Administrative Agreement with the U. K. also became effective on January 1, 1985.

A Supplementary Administrative Agreement became effective on September 1, 1997. The Supplementary Administrative Agreement updated the listing of U.K. liaison agencies to reflect the contemporary designation of these bodies.

We can use periods of U.S. and U.K. social security coverage beginning January 1, 1985, to establish entitlement to U.S. or U.K. Totalization benefits. However, workers cannot receive Totalization benefits prior to January 1, 1988.

For more information on the U.K. social security system, visit https://www.ssa.gov/international/agreement_descriptions.html#descriptions.

To find out how the Agreement eliminates dual coverage, see sections RS 02001.351 through RS 02001.385.