How is my pension paid?

Your pension

• We quote your pension as a yearly amount, but we will pay one-twelfth of that yearly rate every month for the month that has just passed. We will usually make your first pension payment at the end of the month after the month in which you retire (for example, if your retirement date is in June, we will make your first payment at the end of July, and it will include your pension for June and July).


• We can make payments to a bank account of your choice as long as the account is in your name. We cannot pay pensions in cash or by cheque. If you want to change where your pension is paid, you can download a payment instruction form. Simply fill in the relevant form and send it to BA pensions before the 10th of the month and we will use your new instructions for your next pension payment.


• If you live abroad, your pension payments can be made direct to an overseas bank. Overseas payments are sent by our bankers (Bank of New York Mellon) and are automatically converted to the local currency of the bank receiving the payment. See When is my pension paid? for details.


• We are required to deduct UK tax from your pension, unless you are resident abroad and we have been notified by the tax authorities that you are exempt from UK tax.


• We provide a pay slip with your first pension payment. After that we will only provide a pay slip if the amount you will receive changes by more than £0.99.


• We will issue a pension increase statement each year, usually near the end of April, with full details of the increase that will apply to your pension and this will include a P60 certificate.


• It is very important that you let us know as soon as possible if your details have changed (i.e. your name, address or bank). Members who have registered for online communications can now inform us of address changes online rather than in the post. Simply login and click on 'Change postal address' in the 'My account' panel on the home page of 'Your benefits online'. If you have not registered for online communications you can do so at any time by clicking on ‘register’ at the top of the screen.
  
  Address changes can also be accepted in writing with a signature. For security reasons address changes cannot generally be accepted by email.

If you have registered for online communications your pension pay slips pension increase statements will also be provided for you on the Mybapension online area of this website instead of being sent to you by post. We will send an email to your registered email account alerting you whenever a new statement is ready to view online.

Lump sum

• If you take a tax-free lump sum from your pension at retirement, we will pay it straight into your bank account, which can be the same account we pay your pension into or a different account in your name. We will usually send the payment on the first working day following your retirement date via a same-day payment.