Moving back from Spain and need help with benefits

C_Mababejive

#82 That sounds appalling and is an indication as to how the British State really sees its citizens i,e as subjects,chattels and galley slaves. In effect,whilst your in the system and generating tax dollars your ok. They will allow you the privilege of attending the state hospital so they can get you fit to go back to work and hopefully wont infect or kill you whilst you are there but dare to exercise your free will and go live somewhere else for a while and you will be treated as an alien despite the popular media representation of people who are not UK citizens pouring in here and receiving NHS treatment. Also the people who are flown over here from war torn countries for treatment because it suits the Governments hearts and minds policy and makes good TV.

By the way,a useful tip for the OP,,you could nip along to the Britishexpats forum and check the returning to blighty section.

missapril75

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?

But take into account that there are health benefits from living in a warmer climate that mean one is less likely to need health services in the first place hence a saving to UK funds.

I imagine some people also go private without UK involvement and probably some people choose not to use local health services whereas they might have done in the UK.

So I'll stick with my point that leaving the UK, not claiming the additional benefits and not calling on UK health services would save the UK a few bob.

missapril75

krisskross wrote: »

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The UK pays for the health care for British citizens given in Spain. the Spanish are not that altruistic.

See my answer above and the other comments that show it to be less simple than suggested.

needelp

shop-to-drop wrote: »

Was your friend retired (old enough for state pension)?

Yes retired pensioner resident in Spain.

missapril75

C_Mababejive wrote: »

The cost of living in Spain is a heck of a lot dearer than in blighty. For a start,there isnt the white hot competition that you see in the supermarkets over here. There isnt the competition for utilities either.

I was considering early retirement in Spain once. Property prices were so much less than my equity and I was sure I'd have managed frugally, knowing I had money banked from the sale/purchase.

But things began to change a bit as time went on and its pretty clear many had/have problems.

I still wonder, though, if the lower heating costs relative to the UK might make up for other costs.

seven-day-weekend

needelp wrote: »

Yes retired pensioner resident in Spain.

So actually they should not have been getting their Healthcare in the UK if the cancer arose when they weer living in Spain.

I feel for the person, and I do understand how they feel, but the UK actually fulfilled its obligations by treating the urgent condition and then telling them to have the follow-up treatment in Spain.

needelp

missapril75 wrote: »

I imagine some people also go private without UK involvement and probably some people choose not to use local health services whereas they might have done in the UK.

There's a lot to say for going private whether you can afford it or not as in my case.

Before I left the UK I was being treated for something for a couple of years that my NH doctor and a hospital so called expert couldn't get rid of. For two more years in Spain I was being treated by various NH doctors and again one hospital expert.

In the end I got fed up and paid €60 to see a specialist in the field, another €20 or so on a prescription and in a week the problem had disappeared.

The moral of the story is its sometimes cheaper in the long run to go private and pay for your treatment.

Anyway I digress once more. needelp.

krisskross

missapril75 wrote: »

I still wonder, though, if the lower heating costs relative to the UK might make up for other costs.

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

Winter was darned cold and damp. No mains gas so had to use bottled gas, electricity is very expensive. We spend less in the UK to be truly comfortable in all seasons than we did in Spain.

seven-day-weekend

missapril75 wrote: »

I was considering early retirement in Spain once. Property prices were so much less than my equity and I was sure I'd have managed frugally, knowing I had money banked from the sale/purchase.

But things began to change a bit as time went on and its pretty clear many had/have problems.

I still wonder, though, if the lower heating costs relative to the UK might make up for other costs.

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.

needelp

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

So actually they should not have been getting their Healthcare in the UK if the cancer arose when they weer living in Spain.

I feel for the person, and I do understand how they feel, but the UK actually fulfilled its obligations by treating the urgent condition and then telling them to have the follow-up treatment in Spain.

You are correct and my friend didn't know he was doing wrong. Ignorance of the rules of course is not an excuse we are told.