windyridge1

Hi there, just popping in with a quick question, which probably may not have a quick answer....Or it a stupid question (my philosphy is its only stupid if you don't ask )

We are considering our options at the moment and we are very interest in moving into Europe (France, Spain, Germany or Italy) so with regard to France...... I cannot for the life of me find any info on remaining a resident of the UK living 6 months with relatives not as a house owner, owning a home in France living in it for 6 months and living off an Army pension and the tax/cost implications of what we should/shouldnt be paying

Oh and we are not of retirement age being 48 and 52

cyrian

Hi
If you own a house in France but not the UK then you would be tax-resident in France.
If you own a house in the UK and not in France and stay less than 183 days in France then you would be tax-resident in the Uk (unless you work in France).
You would only be covered for 2+ years healthcare because of your UK NIC contributions thereafter you are on your own unless you find employment in France.
You would be well advised to buy top-up medical insurance (standard in France) as an additional on-going cost.
IMHO moving to France will only succeed if you really want to move to France. Sticking a pin in France; Spain; Italy or Hungary will not set you up for life in a different language or french bureaucracy.
France is not as english-friendly as perhaps Spanish costas plus they don't give you any rights until you have been resident for 5 years.
Why don't you considering renting for 6 months in your chosen destination and see how it works for you before you make a final choice.
Good luck

dmu

Hi, to give you an idea, the official French poverty threshold for a couple is about 1400€ per month. This covers basics for survival, but does not include top-up insurance (the S.S. only reimburses about 70% of medical costs), travel, treats, the unexpected... If your Pension is over this figure, then you can live simply or well, but you've still got the Residency question to settle.
If you are Tax Resident in France, you have to declare your Pension even if Income Tax has already been deducted in the UK. You won't have to pay French Income Tax on it but you'll have to pay Taxe Foncière and Taxe d'Habitation (two types of Council Tax) on your property. These depend on the value of your property, the area where you live, ... and it's impossible to give you an idea...
Another question to consider carefully is your healthcare coverage after your S1 form, which entitles you to the above 70% reimbursement, has expired. You'd have to take out private health insurance which would take a big chunk out of your budget.
Do your homework really carefully before making your final decision!
All the Best!

windyridge1

thank you both for your really helpful responses....

Off to do some sums and think.....