Moving away from the UK

leavinghere

Hello all. I'm currently in the process of moving from the UK to another EU country where I already own a home.

Problem is, in the UK I am currently caring full time for my mother, who receives a number of benefits, like disability at the higher rate, mobility and income support.

Now, while I am taking my mam with me (She is terrified of being left alone and put in a home) it would be nice for her to have her own money, as financially supporting her would be a rather large burden.

She is currently 58, just over a year and a half from retirement age I guess.

So my question is, what benefits will she be able to continue to claim while abroad for long stretches of time without ending up doing a long stretch inside, if you will pardon my terrible sense of humour.

I'll forgo making any comments about my not telling her on purpose so I can get her off my hands for a while, as someone might think I was being serious!

Cheers.

seven-day-weekend

If she is resident in the EU, she will be able to take her DLA (Care component only) with her, but not her Income Support. If she is on Incapacity benefit or Contributions-based ESA she can also continue to claim these. These wil also entitle her to a Form E121 which she will need to register with the appropriate authorities in the country she is living in and then she will be covered for the Healthcare of the country. She will also be covered once she reaches retirement age.

I do not know whether just claiming DLA also covers her for this.

Oldernotwiser

Your mother will be able to export the DLA care but not the mobility. If she was on IB, that is also exportable but I'm not sure about IS. When she is eligible for her state pension (which will be later than her 60th birthday), she can claim that as well.

Her problem is going to be that she isn't going to be able to get an E121 (recently renamed) to cover her healthcare abroad until she claims her state pension. You need to check what heath benefits (if any) she is eligible for before that time.

Which country are you moving to?

Oldernotwiser

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

If she is resident in the EU, she will be able to take her DLA (Care component only) with her, but not her Income Support. If she is on Incapacity benefit or Contributions-based ESA she can also continue to claim these. These wil also entitle her to a Form E121 which she will need to register with the appropriate authorities in the country she is living in and then she will be covered for the Healthcare of the country. She will also be covered once she reaches retirement age.

I do not know whether just claiming DLA also covers her for this.

I don't think it does.

I also wonder whether someone in this situation can switch from IS to ESA so that she can get this.

Hopefully, someone will know.

krisskross

When we lived in Spain we got the full health cover, everything free including prescriptions as my husband was claiming exportable IB.

Oldernotwiser

krisskross wrote: »

When we lived in Spain we got the full health cover, everything free including prescriptions as my husband was claiming exportable IB.

That would also be true with ESA but I don't think it is with IS.

seven-day-weekend

krisskross wrote: »

When we lived in Spain we got the full health cover, everything free including prescriptions as my husband was claiming exportable IB.

Yes, my husband gets it too with his IB, but Income Support is not exportable afaik.

seven-day-weekend

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I don't think it does.

I also wonder whether someone in this situation can switch from IS to ESA so that she can get this.

Hopefully, someone will know.

If they are getting Income Support due to Incapacity, then even if they could switch to ESA it would be Income-based and this afaik is not exportable, only the Contributions-based ESA is.

Oldernotwiser

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

If they are getting Income Support due to Incapacity, then even if they could switch to ESA it would be Income-based and this afaik is not exportable, only the Contributions-based ESA is.

I didn't know that - thanks.

seven-day-weekend

I think I am right on this! Someone please dorrect me if I am wrong.

anmarj

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I think I am right on this! Someone please dorrect me if I am wrong.

I am afraid you are wrong!

according to this web site - http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-spain/pensions-benefits/healthcare/e121/

Access to healthcare: S1 (previously E121)

If you get a UK State Pension or Long Term Incapacity Benefit and you decide to move to Spain permanently, ask for your S1 (previously E121) from the International Pension Centre (IPC) in Newcastle.

IS is not exportable


please note that this may not relate to the op in terms of the country of where she is moving but gives you the gist of the E121