Probably a stupid question but after paying NI for 30+ years we are moving out of the UK. If god forbid, we HAVE to move back to UK, is there legislation that dictates if we now (as from 1st April) have to pay for medical treatment, as I am aware the Gov are reviewing entrants into the UK and their access to the health system, or as we had both paid in for so many years, just jump back into it....

stupid question?

NI doesn't have anything to do with the NHS. The NHS is paid for from general taxation.

But, as far as I am aware, the proposals only apply to non EU migrants, and don't apply to British Citizens.

Thank you, yes, you are quite right....long day

The qualification for using the NHS is that one is resident in the UK - preferably legally

I, too, paid taxes and National Insurance in the UK for over 30 years. However, if I were to visit the UK, apart from emergency treatment I would not be eligible to use the NHS for day to day treatment since I don't live there anymore.

If I were to move back to the UK, once I have proof of my residency, (accommodation/job/bank account etc) then I would become eligible again for the NHS.

That is the situation now, but the OP was referring to the proposed changes.

I will give the authorities a ring and see what the up to date position is

Lets hope there are no changes and Sandiegogirl is right

Might as well buy lottery tickets as try to predict what the government will decide next. If we end up with a different government at the next election, they'll probably just undo everything anyway.

One of the things specifically outlined in the NHS reform discussion document was that there would be a possibility that expats could gain access to the NHS based upon having paid a certain number of National Insurance contributions. It's not clear what type of NICs this would be and of course the end product could be way off what gets put into discussion BUT it is being considered.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=807700

Item 12 page 6 in the brissybee post 1 - Government link

Thank you , that's really helpful info

Here's the DT on the topic, which I dug up while looking for further stuff:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/ex...-restored.html

The further stuff is:

'Expats of state pension age who have lived in the UK for a continuous period of 10 years remain entitled to some cover even if they permanently live abroad. Expats living within the European Economic Area are also entitled to subsidised health care. '

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNH...-services.aspx

Exemption Category: exempt from some NHS hospital charges:

'If (one of) the following applies to you then you will be exempt from charges for treatment if it becomes necessary during your stay and cannot wait until your return home. This includes any pre-existing conditions that doctors say need prompt treatment while here. Any pre-planned or routine treatment will not be free.

Anyone receiving a UK state pension if they have lived legally in the UK for 10 continuous years or more at some point. This also covers their spouse, civil partner or child under 16 if they are travelling with them '

If no further codification of entitlement comes out of the NHS reform discussion, I guess we need to be absolutely clear how we prove the ten years or the seven (or so) years of NICs.

You don't need a job or even a bank account to qualify for NHS. You basically need a permanent address and thats it. There's no habitual residency test as there is for other benefits and the day you move back you can get NHS services.

The current registration form that GP's or their surrogates prepare GMS1 seems to be based entirely on their satisfaction that you are a bona fide resident.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.eW0&cad=rja

Hospital treatment is however, not so straightforward and there is a burden of proof:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.g...able/DH_074374

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1087.asp...CategoryID=162

See: Proving your entitlement where the degree of permanency which needs to be demonstrated is actually spelled out.

Remember, even visitors can get an appointment to see a GP if he has the time and space.

Visitors are not supposed to get beyond the A&E area without being subject to charge, though I guess there can be instances where the A&E people 'drop the ball' and they then admit somebody due to this at no charge. Not something that you would wish for.