Re: NHS for Returnees?
 

guess the driving licence changed when they introduced the photo card which expires after 10 years

Re: NHS for Returnees?
 

Your driving license is still the pink form, the photocard is only a card to show you have a DL, any fines points etc are shown on the pink bit and that is the legal part. Nothing changed, it was just an EU decision as the photocardf is easliy recognisable in any country, the pink form, or whatever it is in any other country is much more difficult to understand in a different country. It's correct that the photocard expires after 10 years, of which, I suspect, a majority of drivers are not aware, but even if expired you are still legal to drive, but you may just have problems in other countries who do not realise what the pink form is.

Re: NHS for Returnees?
 

Legally you may only use the NHS or have a GP if you are resident. However the NHS has no way of checking that your are resident. The only check that they are able to make is that you have a residence address in UK. That can be any address relative etc. Your GP is not likely make any enquiries as it is in his financial interest to keep you on his list. There is a lot of talk by politicians of cutting the huge sums spent by the NHS in providing treatment to health tourists and non residents who are not entitled to free treatment. But without ID cards there is no solution.

Re: NHS for Returnees?
 

you qualify for free treatment when you arrive in the UK as long as you intend to remain resident for 6 months or more. I was recently asked by my GP if I was going to be here in the UK for 6 months ;)

Re: NHS for Returnees?
 

You do live with your brother, don't you ? Or was that your uncle ?

Re: NHS for Returnees?
 

That's only true if there is a driving license exchange. If you have to do a test from scratch, then it doetn't.

Thing is, as you're no longer resident in the UK and you can't change your UK drivers license to an address over seas, it is no longer a valid license anyway. You just update the address with the DVLA when you move back.

The NHS, that's mostly funded by general taxation, not NIC's, those pay for pensions and other benefits.

If you're not resident in the UK, you're only entitled to emergency care, other wise you should be charged. If you will or not will depend on the local authority, some don't bother, some do, it all depends on how well set up they are for this and how desperate they are for money.

Re: NHS for Returnees?
 

Re: NHS for Returnees?
 

yes when you become resident in the uk again, you just inform dvla of your new address and they will send you a new photocard/licence etc, you will not need to do a test again, and you will not be fined because your photocard has expired after 10 years. the uae police should take your uk licence off you when you "exchange" for a uae one, but of course they dont, your uk licence is not valid anyways now as you are not resident, if you were to use it in the uk and have an accident the insurance would have a field day over not paying.

same as said with nhs, as a not resident you are only entitled to emergency care, thats not to say that docs are that bothered if you do use their facilities once on holidays,but technically they can charge you, and it does happen more than you may know.