What a dilema

My Husband and I have always dreamt of retiring to Spain. We are both just over retirement age and are continuing to work as we still have a mortgage and bills to pay. We were going to put our UK property on the market until the values dropped and nothing was selling. After doing some research I discovered that if we leave the UK and live in Spain for more than two years, should we want to return to the UK we wouldn't be entitled to NHS factilities. We have paid into the system for over 100 years between us so I don't see why we should give it up when people are just arriving in the UK and using the NHS. We cannot afford to live in two countries. Has anyone out there any advice. I am sure that we are not the only ones. We wouldn't buy anywhere ever again but would just rent whether in the UK or in Spain. Many thanks in advance.

I don't know the legal side of things but our neighbours were resident in Spain for 3 years. They returned to the UK in October. They are both retired, they just had to fill a form in saying they were back for good. He has since had a knee replacement on the NHS and she has had exploratory surgery on her stomach. They also now have a council house, and she has all her disability benefits back.

If you move to Spain and become residents, the contributions you have made in the UK will in effect be transferred to Spain, so that you can receive full free healthcare in Spain. If you move back and become resident in the UK again, your entitlement will be transferred back and you will again receive full entitlement to the NHS. You say you cannot afford to live in two countries, so it's a dilemna you need not worry about. If you live in Spain, you get heathcare in Spain. If you live in the UK, you get healthcare in the UK. You cannot (at least not officially, nor in fact practically) live in one country but receive your state healthcare in another.

Not true, cazzag.  When you move to Spain you need an E121 (for those in receipt of a UK pension) on 0191 218 6503 (Department for Work and Pensions).   You can then register in Spain and get full access to medical treatment.

If you subsequently move back to the UK, you simply register with your UK address and you will be put back on the NHS system straight away.  This, by the way, applies to all EU citizens, if they have a UK addres they get immediate access to the NHS.

What you can't do is pop back to the UK for treatment whilst you are resident in Spain.  You will receive emergency treatment in UK as a temporary resident but you shouldn't be able to access on-going treatment or have health checks etc.  This is because, contrary to popular belief, doctors in UK are not a charity.  They get paid the sum of £57 a year to look after a patient. If you are no longer registered with them, and out of their catchment area (which you will be in Spain) they will not get paid for you.  They do, however, have a sum built into their annual pay (Global sum) to treat patients on an emergency basis so the GP or A&E will treat you for free for these emergencies (A&E for things like breaking a leg, GP for things like heart attacks, diabetes attacks or acute exacerbation of asthma etc).

It doesn't matter how much you have paid into the system, it depends on your place of residency as the UK will transfer your health benefit money across to Spain so that they can treat you there.

Roberto is correct

Nearly always is with info like this !!

But you have to make sure you play by the rules and if you live half/ half you can o

circumstances to have treatment in EU , if it is available quicker than in UK      

nly be resident in one, so if your main residence is in UK you only get the EU card health benefits when you are staying in Spain...or vice versa

All seems quite fair but perhaps in due course all EU citizens, wherever they are either permanent or part time will be entitled to full health care in all EU countries without changing residence qualification!

Essentially that is the future for the EU…all taxes the same, all benefits the same , all health care the same…..but the EU as a united states is perhaps some way off achieving this

Health care may be one of the leaders as in UK we do have the right in certain circumstances to have treatment in EU , if it is available quicker than in UK      

Yes. you can have treatment in the EU but not necessarily if it is quicker than in the UK.  If it is outside the NICE (National Institute for Cutting Expenditure) waiting times, then you can ask for treatment in a EU country IF you get permission from your NHS Trust in UK before you go ahead and do it.  Don't even think of just popping over to France for that hip replacement because it won't be paid for when you get back to UK.  However, if the hip is causing pain and your NHS Trust can't fit you in because they have too big a waiting list, they may allow you to travel abroad and pay your travel and accommodation expenses as well.

The United States is insurance funded so the situation there is much different.  Even then, you cannot get treatment in a different state if your insurance doesn't cover you.  I remember being in Florida and a guy from Chicago came in with a broken arm.  He didn't have travel insurance but did have his own health insurance.  This didn't cover him outside Illinois so he simply flew back home and got it treated there.

The situation does, however, seem a bit one sided.  Anyone from the EU who has a permanent address in UK (proof of address over 6 months is required) can get free NHS treatment regardless of having an EHIC, E106 or whatever.  Try getting treatment in France or Spain if you are under retirement age and do not have a NI number.  You simply won't get it unless it is emergency treatment and you have an EHIC.  Even taking out residency in these countries will not guarantee you getting treatment as each Province/Department has its own rules.

With the greatest respect and thank you for taking the time. This doesn't really answer my question.

Hi Cazzag

You said 'After doing some research I discovered that if we leave the UK and live in Spain for more than two years, should we want to return to the UK we wouldn't be entitled to NHS factilities' so, I assume what you are saying is, if you wanted to return PERMANENTLY to the UK ( rather than return to the UK on occasions whilst resident in Spain) you understood, from your research, that you would not have NHS facilities. 

If that is how I read it, then Bobaol has given you the information you say no one has.

Bobaol said 'If you subsequently move back to the UK, you simply register with your UK address and you will be put back on the NHS system straight away.' I was under the impression you needed to be back in the UK though for 6 months before you were back in the NHS system but Bob is in the know. If he says it, it's likely to be 100% true. 

You don't need to be back in the UK for 6 months.  You simply need to declare that you will be in the UK for 6 months or more, ie, taking up residency.  The only people for whom the 6 months in the country should apply to are those from outside the EU but PCT guidance is, anyone (except asylum seekers for whom different rules apply, and failed asylum seekers who are not entitled to any primary care services, or illegal immigrants who have to register first) declaring residency for over six months will be registered for NHS services.

I think I did answer your question, cazzag, in that if you move back permanently then you get back on the NHS.  You can't, however, use the NHS just for visits when you have taken up residency in Spain as your NHS benefits will have been transferred. 

Many thanks to you all. This has cleared this up now. I was given "duff gen" by a colleague who has lived in Spain and returned to the UK and knows everything!!!!! (not as it happens)

Many thanks to you all. This has cleared this up now. I was given "duff gen" by a colleague who has lived in Spain and returned to the UK and knows everything!!!!! (not as it happens)