Private Health

Not sure about private healthcare costs but if you are a UK State pensioner you can get an S1 letter sent to your Spanish address from the DWP. This entitles you to free State healthcare in Spain. For prescriptions you will pay 10% of the usual fee at pharmacies.

Thank you for the quick reply, I appreciate it. Does your info only apply at present (by that I mean Brexit may change that status). I assume changes will occur, we cannot decide whether to come over before 31 Oct or wait till after !  Thanks LesJ

If we leave the EU on 31 October then a different system for applying for residency here in Spain (registration required within 90 days of arrival) will come into force. So if you apply after that day (post-Brexit) the UK will be regarded as a third country (not an EU state and not Spain) and the annual minimum income requirements are multiplied by four to £24-26,000 for first adult and £8000 for the second.

So if anyone plans to live here they are best advised to not only get here before 31 October but apply for residency before then. However - it's not easy to apply at present. I don't know the curent Almeria Oficina de Extranjeros position - we obtained our residency in Aug 2018 - and you do have to apply online for an appointment. Because the process is conducted in Spanish and various documents are required it is advisable to use the services of a gestor [paralegal]. We used one in Roquetas but she may not be currently available. She also assisted in getting us registered with the INSS (State health service) and getting the free health care. We have Salud cards and are ten minutes walk from the local clinic.

But aside from the residency aspect for new arrivals (dire aspects post Brexit!) the reciprocal healthcare arrangement between UK and Spain for UK state pensioners should continue as normal. That's just my opinion but I have seen nothing to contradict that. So first thing:

*Get a non-resident Spanish bank account to have your state pension paid in every 4 weeks. We did that via Sabadell.
*Get a Spanish address
*Contact DWP via the tel number on your annual pension statement letter and request an S1 letter. Give DWP your Spanish address as they send it there!
*Once you have that letter and S1 form (it's an EU document) take it with you to any residency appointment ASAP - along with other documentation.
NB: if you are married but your spouse is under pension age both of you are still covered for health care.

Good Luck!

Hi,I kind of like # chrisso50 comments, and live in roquetas myself for a few years, like many we all need to wait!!!!! I've read chrisso comments on this site,I see you try to help and advise,  but its boarding on scare mongering , I to have sought very sound legal advice and the words wait and see ,several times ,come into place. The UK goverment website knows no more about the outcome and is looking at a worst case scenario that they themselves don't know. Please just wait,the applying for resendce,is a very gery area. 

Hi Jim.

You are of course welcome to comment.

I'm not here to make political points but respond to a request for advice about health care. Now it makes no difference whether you want Brexit or not, but it's quite possible that the UK will leave the EU on 31 October.

The facts remain that the UK becomes a third country at that point in EU terms, and it's likely that from that point for newcomers Spain will adopt the income limits I mentioned.

I will not respond again and turn this particular thread into a brexit debate as there are other threads to use if you wish to do so. I am not scaremongering - and I respectfully suggest that you get better informed on the post-Brexit position. I am not saying 'Wait and See' but following the advice and predictions of many that seem better informed. If you have looked at the UK govt website advice you will know that they advise people to register for residency ASAP. There's a reason for that :)

Hi, it's not a Brexit rant at all, your informed by a  UK Gov site that may well adjust  it at any time,the thought that a new comer to the area will have to buy seperate health care insurance, at a few thousand euros,is a scary thought,that's why I make my comments about scare mongering, I've sought sound local legal advice, wait until the decision is made was the advice.

Hi, it's not a Brexit rant at all, your informed by a  UK Gov site that may well adjust  it at any time,the thought that a new comer to the area will have to buy seperate health care insurance, at a few thousand euros,is a scary thought,that's why I make my comments about scare mongering, I've sought sound local legal advice, wait until the decision is made was the advice.

Chrisso  Thank you for the detailed reply   LesJ

Hi there, I know youve had a few comments made on your post... I work on behalf of Allianz Seguros, who offer Private Health Insurance, depending on your ages its normally around 2k for the year, usually paid monthly... however they do specify which doctors you are able to use and not all of them speak english.

if youd like me to do you a quotation? send me both your dates of birth, together with any health issues you may have and ill get a Price for you..

[email protected]

have a good day

Karen