Moving back from Spain and need help with benefits

FBaby

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

That is correct, but the form that gives resident pensioners (and other people on a qualifying Benefit) healthcare in Spain and other European countries is the S1 which replaced the old E121, and that is also paid for by the British Government. It entitles you to the same healthcare as citizens of the country you are in. If you are a resident in Spain you will get the Healthcard in that country by presenting the S1 form at your local INSS . (Social Security Office).

Every European country (afaik) uses the form S1 to qualifying citizens of their country who are resident in another European country).

That is indeed the case, but they then lose automatic entitlement to NHS care, a fact that a lot of English residents in Spain don't realise.

seven-day-weekend

Yes, of course FBaby,I forgot to put that. I don't know why people don't realise it, we realised, I think it says so on the form.

If you are resident in an EU country, whether you qualify for UK-funded healthcare or not, you lose entitlement to NHS healthcare.

Own_My_Own

needelp wrote: »

I admit to not knowing the difficulties of coming back when I left and I believe few did at that time, many of these rules and the experiences of others before me have come to light since.

I'm not asking for anything I'm not entitled to (Never have) and my post is to find out exactly what that is and how best to get it.

It appears I have to make my own way back and find a home to rent then apply for benefits when I need them, fair enough I wont argue with that if its the best way and will find a way to do it with no doubt the help of my family.

I have learned one very important tip from the forum that I must prove I came back to live in the UK for reasons other than claiming benefits.

I think you have worded this badly. It sounds as though you originally thought you would get your travel back paid for by benefits as well.

krisskross

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Yes, of course FBaby,I forgot to put that. I don't know why people don't realise it, we realised, I think it says so on the form.

If you are resident in an EU country, whether you qualify for UK-funded healthcare or not, you lose entitlement to NHS healthcare.

We had the Spanish EHIC card that we would have used had we needed medical care on our visits back to the UK while we were officially Spanish residents.

krisskross

My husband was also born in London, lived there for 6 decades.

2 of our adult offspring still live there. Nothing on earth would persuade us to move back. We now live in a friendly rural area of Worcestershire.

All our children work and I certainly would not want any of them to be a 'carer' for either of us. It would be lovely to have one of them close enough to take us shopping or just a few hours out for my husband but the thought of one of them having to be bribed by the government to help us is horrifying.

seven-day-weekend

Yes krisskross, you can have the EHIC for when you are visiting European countries OUTSIDE the one you are resident in. If you are resident in Spain, this includes the UK. For State Healthcare in Spain, you need the S1 from the UK which entitles you to a Spanish Health Card for use inside Spain.

If you use the EHIC in the UK when you are resident outside the UK, it is only for emergency treatment the same as if you travel in any other country. In other words, you are covered if you fall ill or have an accident whilst in the UK.

What you are not allowed to do is be resident in Spain and carry on using the UK National Health Service for routine things as though you still lived there.

Having said that, some GPs will treat you anyway.

krisskross

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Yes krisskross, you can have the EHIC for when you are visiting European countries OUTSIDE the one you are resident in. If you are resident in Spain, this includes the UK. For State Healthcare in Spain, you need the S1 from the UK which entitles you to a Spanish Health Card for use inside Spain.

If you use the EHIC in the UK when you are resident outside the UK, it is only for emergency treatment the same as if you travel in any other country. In other words, you are covered if you fall ill or have an accident whilst in the UK.

What you are not allowed to do is be resident in Spain and carry on using the UK National Health Service for routine things as though you still lived there.

Having said that, some GPs will treat you anyway.

There was an EHIC specifically for Spanish residents. We applied and received ours from the same offices we had our SIP card from.

We weren't entitled to a British EHIC card while we were in the Spanish Health system.

FBaby

krisskross wrote: »

There was an EHIC specifically for Spanish residents. We applied and received ours from the same offices we had our SIP card from.

We weren't entitled to a British EHIC card while we were in the Spanish Health system.

I think you are saying the same thing!

What many people don't realise is that emergency treatment is not forceably the most important or costly care. The worse cases are if you are need treatment for cancer, or stroke rehab and you want to be somewhere familiar, where your family can visit. Many people living abroad assume they can come back and automatically receive this care, but you wouldn't and the NHS now does carry careful checks to be sure you are entitled to NHS treatment.

needelp

Own_My_Own wrote: »

I think you have worded this badly. It sounds as though you originally thought you would get your travel back paid for by benefits as well.

Yes badly worded and obviously not meant that way.

zoominatorone wrote: »

OP
you do know that your daughter can't claim for looking after her own mother if she earns more than £100 (or thereabouts) a week?

Has she got a rich husband supporting her, because living in London these days isn't cheap is it?

If you've worked for 40 years, how come in the space of 5 years you don't seem to have a penny? You've been on almost a grand a month with NO rent to pay...

My daughter will give up her full time job and work part time only. she is lucky to have a well paid husband.

I'm afraid things happen and businesses fail and due partly to the bankers and government policies we didn't move to Spain with loads of money. Nearly a grand a month isn't that much to live on for two people in Spain and as I explained it was only that amount for the last year, the first four we survived on a lot less plus our small amount of savings.

Trips back to the UK to see family plus family deaths took a fair chunk out of our finances and regular visits from family to see us was also at a cost.

Once my daughter is able to help care for my wife I may also be able to get a job, maybe collecting shopping trollies at a supermarket, it will be good exercise!

I wont be on any benefits and maybe so as not to affect my wife's if she gets any I might only be able to work 16 hours a week, I really don't know but of course will find out when the time comes.

seven-day-weekend

krisskross wrote: »

There was an EHIC specifically for Spanish residents. We applied and received ours from the same offices we had our SIP card from.

We weren't entitled to a British EHIC card while we were in the Spanish Health system.

I agree with you. We had ours from the same office too. It was to use in European countries other than Spain in the case of an emergency.

However, all EHIC cards are now issued by your home country. The laws on who issued them changed a few years ago. But the use is still the same, they are for use in emergencies outside your country of residence.