The Grapevine Issue 172 2014|
One of the BIG questions asked
by people moving to Spain from
the UK is ‘Can I use the Spanish NHS?’ The answer is, it depends…..
The general information which
follows will also apply to other
EU citizens moving to Spain, although I’ll be referring specifically to how it works for a UK citizen. Possibly the most important
thing to remember is that if you
are living in Spain, you cannot
legitimately use your UK issued
EHIC to access healthcare here.
It is for holidaymakers only.
Access to the state healthcare
system isn’t residence based, as
it is in the UK.
It’s contribution based. Which
means that you can’t access
state healthcare just because
you live here; you have to pay
for it by making contributions into
the system.
Once you are registered as
resident you get the S1 form(s)
validated at the INSS (Instituto
Nacional de la Seguridad Social
– Social security office) & they
issue a Social Security number.
Take that, (along with all the other
bits of paper you’ll find you need
all the time: padrón, resident cert/
card, passport & not forgetting
photocopies) to the local centro
de salud & you’ll be issued with a
tarjeta sanitaria.
But what if you’re not
in receipt of a state
pension?
If you were a registered resident
of Spain, & fiscally resident
before 24th April 2012, then you
can access state healthcare
for free, as long as your annual
income is under 100,000 €.
This will be sent to your address
in Spain.
If you aren’t already using the
healthcare system you need
to get in touch with the DWP in
Newcastle & tell them that you
live in Spain & that you need a
‘legislation letter’. You need one
for each member of the family.
This letter informs Spain that you
have no healthcare provision in
the UK. You then take that & all
the usual bits of paper plus form
TA1 (which you can download)
to the INSS ….you’ll be issued
with a SS number…..and then
you head to the centro de salud
– again with the usual papers, &
you’ll get a tarjeta sanitaria.
Not only is the person who
receives the pension covered,
but spouses & children are also,
so make sure that you make it
clear to the DWP as to how many
of you need to be covered – they
will need to be named.
In some circumstances the
UK will issue S1s to the family
members of someone working in
the UK & financially supporting
that family which lives in Spain.
Contact the DWP to see if you
qualify.
So… how does that
work?
Many people who move to Spain
will move here to retire. If you’re
in receipt of a state pension, then
the UK will fund your healthcare
in Spain by way of an S1 form,
which you should apply for from
the DWP in Newcastle when you
are about to leave the UK.
HEALTHCARE
IN
SPAIN
=