Son living in Spain NHS eligibility

Jacklob

Hi, my 24 year old son has moved to Spain, he,s in a civil partnership with his girlfriend who is a spanish resident and he has just been granted residency about 3 months ago. Can anyone advise about his continuing eligibility to NHS healthcare/eligibility for spanish healthcare. I,m worried he may lose the NHS and also not be eligible there either. Any advice welcome.

Jackie1813

If you do a search the answer comes up as the following:If you're moving abroad on a permanent basis, you'll no longer automatically be entitled to medical treatment under normal NHS rules. This is because the NHS is a residence-based healthcare system.

Muttleythefrog

You have to be habitually resident in the UK to get free NHS treatment so he will not be entitled currently. Normally NHS staff tend though to target those with foreign accents not Brummie accents for query and so fraudulent use of the NHS by foreign living Brits is commonplace and in some ex pat communities even encouraged and assisted with documentation. He should notify his GP practice that he has moved abroad. I can't comment on Spanish entitlement to healthcare since we left the EU but the information should be widely available to him... also so should information on immigration status and entitlements to various aspects of life in Spain... probably he should look at the possibilities of naturalisation as a Spanish citizen if that conveys useful benefits.

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/moving-abroad/planning-your-healthcare/

Voyager2002

The majority of Spanish people have private or semi-private medical insurance. He should ask his partner and/or their family for details and make the necessary arrangements.

NHS treatment (other than for emergencies) is residence-based, but if he were to return to the UK then establishing residence and registering with a GP should be quick and would restore is entitlement to NHS care.

unforeseen

My daughter has lived there for 10 years. Public/free health  care appears to be minimal and like the NHS is overstretched 
She and her husband have private health care as well as their 1 year old son. 

Jacklob

Thank you for all the replies.

DullGreyGuy

I think your style of questioning has confused people... I think you are asking what his rights are to Spanish healthcare as an "ex pat" British citizen living in Spain? (I find it funny that we become ex-Pats but people here are immigrants) . You are probably best asking on a forum dedicated to those living in Spain

Or are you asking what his rights are if he returns to the UK for NHS treatment?

huckster

British people with residency in Spain and also live part of the year in UK, have access to Spanish public healthcare and NHS.

Although NHS is based on residency, British passport holders do return to UK from various countries to receive treatments. They most likely use relatives or friends addresses when completing any NHS forms.

marcia_

huckster said:

British people with residency in Spain and also live part of the year in UK, have access to Spanish public healthcare and NHS.

Although NHS is based on residency, British passport holders do return to UK from various countries to receive treatments. They most likely use relatives or friends addresses when completing any NHS forms.

 Which is against the rules unless the uk is their main residence they don't qualify for NHS care. 

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/visiting-or-moving-to-england/how-to-access-nhs-services-in-england-if-you-are-visiting-from-abroad/

https://www.swbh.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Overseas-visitors-webpage2.pdf

"Hospital treatment is free to people who are "ordinarily resident" in the UK.

To be considered ordinarily resident and entitled to free hospital treatment, you must be living in the UK on a lawful and properly settled basis for the time being. You may be asked to prove this."

housebuyer143

huckster said:

British people with residency in Spain and also live part of the year in UK, have access to Spanish public healthcare and NHS.

Although NHS is based on residency, British passport holders do return to UK from various countries to receive treatments. They most likely use relatives or friends addresses when completing any NHS forms.

Bought a house and the old owner was using the address with the NHS to access operations despite him living in Norway. It's bad practice and should be stopped. I swiftly reported him, felt good because he was not a nice person during the sale 🙂

Teahfc

He will require health insurance. He will not have access to the Spanish health system and as he is now a citizen of Spain even though he has a U.K. passport he will legally not be entitled to any NHS appointments or treatments. After 5 years of citizenship he can apply to join Convenio Especial. The Spanish Health system. I think it is around €64 per month at moment but who knows in 5 years.