Moving back from Spain and need help with benefits

missapril75

krisskross wrote: »

We spent a fortune on air conditioning in the summer months. Temps of 40C were not unknown.

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

HEATING costs are lower, total power use possibly more as there is air-con in the summer

Good points. Where I am we get unbelievable heat and humidity in summer so I should have thought of that.

It comes from hearing about pensioners going to warmer climes for winter and having the cost partly paid for from saving heating costs and forgetting about summer heat.:eek:

needelp

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

HEATING costs are lower, total power use possibly more as there is air-con in the summer and no mains gas in most places. Like krisskross said, it works out more expensive overall. We had gas bottles to cook with and for hot water, electric and bottled gas fires AND a woodburner for heating, so not actually any cheaper.

Heating via electric (Electricity is in general) is now much more expensive than in Britain and one must also remember the houses and apartments are not built to hold the heat so more is often required.

The other thing t remember is that parts of Spain even in the south are a lot colder than the UK.

You mentioned about summer air conditioning which costs a fortune (if you can afford to put it on) so overall 12 month electric bills I know are more than in the UK, or at least in my case.

Dunroamin

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Only if they are of retirement age or on a qualifying Benefit such as (the old) Incapacity Benefit. People may also be covered for up to two years if they have paid enough NI, at the right time, in the UK. If none of these apply, they either have to pay into the system in the foreign country to access their healthcare, or get private medical insurance, or go without any healthcare cover ( many expats I know in Spain come under this category), or try to blag it using the EHIC.

When we first moved to Spain, in our 50s, I was covered for healthcare for two years because I had paid enough NI in the UK immediately before I left for Spain. My husband was covered because he was on long-term Incapacity Benefit (which is exportable to European countries and entitles you to Healthcare of the country). When my cover ran out, because I had no income, I was put on my husband's cover as his dependent, so we were both covered for Healthcare in Spain. When I became of retirement age, I was again covered in my own right as a Pensioner. All this paid for by the UK.

We also both had an EHIC card to cover us for sickness/accident arising whilst visiting other European countries (including the UK). Originally this was issued by Spain, but the law changed a couple of years back and then we had one issued by the UK.

We were not allowed to access the British NHS for anything other than an accident/sickness arising whilst we were actually in the UK. We were treated like any other visitor from the EU with an EHIC card.

Now we are both back resident in the UK, we can of course the the NHS and if we visit another EU country, we are covered by the EHIC card.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for clarifying. I didn't make it clear enough that it was only those who were eligible though an E form (S1) that the UK pays for.

MissMoneypenny

Dunroamin wrote: »

The UK pays for the healthcare of its nationals who live in other EU countries; that's what the E forms (as SDW says, now S1) are for. You surely don't think that France and Spain have to pay all the health costs of the Brits who are retired there?

We should do the same with all the various welfare payments too: bill the country where the claimants come from so that each country pays for it's own citizens. It's strange how the EU does that for healthcare but not for welfare; it seems to be an anomaly.

missapril75

On the subject of research, things change.

Since I left the UK in 2004 the full Pension was payable with 40 years NI. Here we are, less than 9 years later and it has already changed to 30 years, then (for me) the age at which I get it went from 65 to 66 and now it's been announced that before I get there it will need 35 years for a full pension, although it will be more.

Also, a new rule was brought in last year that greatly restricts the rights of Brits with non EU spouses to return to live in the UK in a way far in excess of the rule's supposed intention.

One could have researched and become expert on Income Support, JSA, Social Fund, DLA etc a year or so ago and it'll all be irrelevant soon.

The Habitual Residence Test was introduced in 1994 and making the decisions was part of my job back then. I was given the training and the necessary legislation/guidance etc that year. I very much doubt people would have had an inkling of its likely introduction in advance of their research on living abroad.

I keep in touch with UK events - The Guardian is my home page. But I only found out a couple of days ago that VAT is now 20% :eek:

missapril75

Malcnascar wrote: »

which rules have changed since the OP left which put him in the detrimental position now being claimed

Well there have been at least two major housing benefit changes since he left - all detrimental to one's ability to pay rent. And that's just in the five years away. There would have been a change in government in that time too.

How can you predict or research that and what a different government might do?

I'm pretty sure there's been major changes in housing legislation in this time too.

But the point is really the benefit of research into what the situation might change to. Or not change. Or how it will change.

Those changes I mentioned actually made huge differences that were not expected. All the research one can think of and more wouldn't have revealed it more than a few months in advance.

Incidentally, the poster is researching.

missapril75

Malcnascar wrote: »

I take that as you dont know

What an odd response. Have you not seen all those threads about Housing Benefit cuts that reduce people's ability to pay rent? A problem highlighted in this very thread.

He left the UK when research would have shown what was possible and now it's not.

needelp

Malcnascar wrote: »

I do not want to make assumptions so this is why I ask.

So, as I see it, you worked in the UK until you were 60?
1) You say you have no major assets
2) You have no home in the UK
3) You left the UK 5 years ago and whatever your housing arrangements were, at the time you chose to leave, you voluntarily gave them up
4) You chose not to check what would happen if and when you chose to return to the UK
5) You are loosing you rent free home in Spain

6) Call me callus but I think a prudent purson would have done some research before they left the UK, especially given that the was an established need for DLA and carers allowance.

7) When I was much younger than I am one of my dad's sayings was "you've made your bed, now lie in it"


8) I reget, sir, I can offer no help given your circumstances other than for you to accept the rules as they apply to you

Hello, in answer to your questions etc:
1) Correct all lost due to a long term business going bust due to the economy and whatever else you want to blame it on.
2) As in 1)
3) Correct was living with family and putting on them, or felt we were.
4) Obviously I didn't do enough homework although I knew we could come back but didn't know we would have to wait 3 or 6 months to get all our benefits back and to get help from the social services if required. I still don't know as nobody seems to for sure so in fact it wouldn't have made any difference if I had inquired. Even the citizens advice and Age Uk don't know and I suppose the only one who will is me when I apply, its all ifs and buts at the time and cannot be, it seems, confirmed in advance.
5) Correct.
6) I did some research and found out what benefits we could keep and what we would lose. I knew exactly what money we would be receiving.
7) Happy to do that which is why I am asking here what the rules are but again it looks like I'm not going to find out for sure until I apply for something.
To do any detailed research before I need help would mean giving my details over and they may consider my approach proof I was intending to return to the UK to claim benefits. I hope you see where I'm coming from because this initially is not the case and we are coming back because we cannot afford to live in Spain and losing our rent free home.
It was always our intention to return albeit this is a couple or so years earlier than we expected to. It has possibly turned out the right thing to do anyway as my wife really does need the care of her daughter, its not nice for her to have her husband wiping her bottom etc, not quite as bad to accept this help from her daughter.
needelp.
P.S.

Malcnascar wrote: »

So, as I see it, you worked in the UK until you were 60?

No it was some years before that my business went bust and between then and going to Spain we spent some years on benefits while I looked after my wife.

needelp

Malcnascar wrote: »

I have pension income of circa £10,500 and a personal allowance of £8,105 so pay tax, OP has :-

DLA = £208
Carers = £212
Part State Pension = £555
Before my wife's pension began about a year ago she instead received incapacity benefit and this was lost when she started to receive her pension, that benefit was a lot less than her pension by the way.
So as you can see we have been living on a maximum (Only in the last year) of £975 a month. Even though we had no rent to pay there has not been as quoted by you "A few thousand pounds a year to put away".

So he doesnt pay tax. Next year his income increases, mine only goes up by CPI. I haven't got a problem with my circumstances, I planned for the possibilty it might just happen to me, OP why did you not plan ?

Hi, I did plan and nothing much has changed other than I am having to go back to the UK a little earlier than expected.

I dint go to Spain to make my fortune, I went there to improve my wife's life, health wise which I was successful in doing.
We went with not a lot and am coming back with a little less but better off benefit-wise (The two pensions by 2014) Should we become eligible for other benefits such as mobility, pension credit or housing then great and we can hopefully keep our UK home warm and dry enough that my wife's condition doesn't deteriorate too quickly. needelp.

krisskross

Personally I wish you luck when you return to the UK. I am sure that if you sort out somewhere to live before your return, and of course you have family here that can do that for you, then everything else will fall into place.

From what you say you and your wife would have been totally reliant on benefits even if you hadn't had your few years away so really nothing is different.