movingsomeplace

Do you mind me asking are you retired?
The UK paying the benefits would be the ideal system as we've paid in for some time. My wife although a US citizen has paid UK tax through a number of jobs prior to being too disabled to work.
The UK paying that to us as expats would be ideal but obviously we can't rely on that to stay permanently.

EMR

No not retired.

Payment of tax is a legal requirement it is not an account against which you can draw benefits when needed.
If you are in receipt of benefits how will you finance a new home ?
IF you have motability this would be lost.
The conservative government is determined to cut benefits and reducing or withdrawing them to Expats is an obvious and popular step.
Do you really want to find your self in a foreign country with a young family facing a cut in your UK income and unable to claim anything in your new home.

The grass is sometimes greener if you can afford to water and cut the grass.

dmu

Aside the question of benefits, in France, for example, you would be considered as "inactive", i.e. not working and not yet of retirement age, and your family wouldn't be covered for healthcare coverage by your earlier NI contributions in the UK. This is a relatively recent rule and expats in your situation must take out private insurance for all things medical.
To give you an idea of an income necessary for survival in France, the latest official French Poverty Threshold
Insee - Revenus-Salaires - Revenu disponible correspondant au seuil de pauvreté 2012 selon le type de ménage
indicates for a family of 3 an average of 1600€ per month and this only covers the basics: food, utilities, various insurances, Council Tax. Not healthcare insurance, school-related expenses, pet-related expenses, treats, travel, the unexpected, ...
Your child would go to Primary school and easily pick up the language, but do you yourselves speak a European language?
I'm sorry that this isn't what you want to hear, but it's a fact. There's freedom of movement in the EU, but only to a certain extent.

mikelincs

Spain would be the same..

movingsomeplace

Hi there
That's exactly what I DO want to hear :-)
Our son is homeschooled and we speak a bit of French and Spanish between us. The facts of moving to other European countries is what I'm after to see how/if it can be done.
Thank you.
Any further info will also be welcome.

EMR

Thought that has just occured to me, does leave to stay in the UK also give your wife freedom to travel elsewhere in the EU ??

dmu

Home-schooling is tolerated in France but not wide-spread. The Mairie (Town Hall) must be informed and there are regular visits from Academy Inspectors to ensure that the child is at the correct level for his age, i.e. is gaining the same knowledge as a peer at school. Bear in mind that all French Primary children are experts in Grammatical Analysis by the time they go up to Secondary, they learn French History, Literature, Institutions, Geography. Even arithmetic is presented differently in France. If you become Residents in France and you yourselves aren't able to teach your son à la française, he will be obliged to attend school (State or Private). Otherwise, without the Brevet (School Leaving Certificate at 16), necessary for the Bac, he has no future.
I presume the situation is the same in other EU countries?
Hope this is giving you and your wife food for thought. Apart from all the other factors given above, your son's future would be at stake (and he wouldn't make many friends!).

movingsomeplace

Gosh there's the doom and gloom!
Many giant assumptions, but I get your points thank you!!
:-S

movingsomeplace

A piece of info which I'm trying to answer. Some have said no, some yes!

dmu

It's only doom and gloom if you aren't able to comply with the Laws, Rules and Regulations! You said you "speak a bit of French" which, I assumed, would be inadequate to teach your son everything I listed to the correct level.
I'm merely telling you what to expect. Fore-warned is fore-armed!

movingsomeplace

Thanks.
If we moved country we would learn the language beforehand. France is not one of our choices.
Seems like I've got some info to take back for family discussion.
Thanks again.

dmu

Hi again. A Google search gave info for someone from outside the EU with ILR, wishing to move to Eire. The answer was that they would need a Visa, as ILR is only valid in the UK.
You should ask the Authorities who granted your wife's ILR status, what would happen if you left the UK for the EU and returned some time later. Unless someone here has actually experienced the situation, the Horse's Mouth is the most reliable source of info...

EMR

This is also case I believe in Portugal with a complicated process thereafter for the US citizen to be given resident status.

Pollyana

OP, i would suggest you post in our UK visa forum here
Citizenship/Passports and Spouse/Family Visas (UK) - British Expats
where we have some posters who are pretty clued up on Uk visa rules, and also have a lot of knowledge of how those visas fit into the benefits system.
I am no expert at all but I think if your wife only has ILR and not citizenship then she risks losing that if she moves to Europe -it is after all Indefinte Leave to Remain in the UK, so if you do plan to move outside the UK citizenship would be a good idea first. However, as I say, post a query in the UK forum and see what the guys in there say about it.

movingsomeplace

Thank you all for this advice. I will get a post in the area suggested.
Thank you so much.
With our double whammy of no citizenship and disability I think we're stuck to UK. Scotland here we come!!