Richard8655

Hello all,

Am I correct that a returning UK citizen who establishes residence is automatically (and from the first day) eligible for NHS coverage? In my case, I left UK at age 4 (yes, a toddler), and now many decades later would like to return and retire there.

robin1234

Exactly right. Simply choose a practice you want to register with, and go in and ask to register. I did this last week.

In practice, though, you may have practical problems I didn't have. I left UK in 1991 at age 40 so presented at the doctors with a totally English accent! They had no reason to suspect me of being a foreigner! Further, I waited a couple of months before attempting to register so that, in addition to my British passport, I was armed with my new British photocard driving licence with my new address on it, and a current utility bill.

themajor

You will need a National Insurance Number. If you have this then I can see very little problems.

Editha

You don't need a NI number. You may need nothing at all, apart from an address. Or, your chosen GP may ask you for some evidence of where you are living.

robin1234

NI number is not relevant to registering with a doctor. The application form does have a place for filling in your NHS number. I simply left this blank, the NHS will generate a new number for someone who has been away from the UK since before the current number system was introduced...

themajor

The OP left at age four. This in all intent will mean that a NI number WILL be needed. All the rules have changed and are changing still. All due to the immigrants.

themajor

I have just done a little research.
Any ex pat returning to the Uk can get medical treatment BASED on there NI contributions.

If the Expat is in reciept of a UK state pension then all treatment is free immediately.

So the OP could get free treatment if the NI contributions were kept up to date.

robin1234

This is confusing. As the OP quite correctly stated in post #1, a UK citizen who establishes residence is automatically eligible for NHS coverage.

Nothing to do with state pension or NI number.

Editha

It is not just confusing, it is completely wrong. Perhaps the major would like to tell us where he did his 'research' and link to it.

formula

Two things there.

1. A British citizen can use their NHS for free if they reside in the UK or an EEA country. Visiting Brits cannot use the NHS for free if they live outside the EU. It has nothing to do with having contributed to the UK before. i.e. A visiting Brit who has contributed to the UK for years but now lives outside the EEA has to pay to use the NHS, whereas a British citizen who has never contributed to the UK but is now residing in the UK can use the NHS for free.

2. The last coalition government wanted the part on the NHS in their new Immigration Bill to include free NHS for British citizens who had contributed to the UK for a minimum of 7 years NI even if they live outside the EU, but that never made it into the Act in May 2014 after going through parliament. Perhaps that is where themajor is confused?

Maybe it will be that British citizens can use their NHS if they have contributed to the UK and reside outside the UK as now the party that wanted that have now formed a majority in government? They have stated repeatedly (and already shown with changes in many other areas) that they want to change the UK to 'something for something', but it isn't case at present for all of the NHS.

That new Immigration Act 2014 means that from April 2015, NHS staff must now check who must be billed for using the NHS or they will now get fined for giving NHS away for free when that person must pay their own health bills. A British citizen passport (or EU citizen passport) isn't enough if that person doesn't also show up on their link to the HMRC Real Time system as being in work in the UK. Hence why Robin said what proof of residency he took to register with a GPs surgery to prove that he shoudn't be billed using the NHS.

Pistolpete2

Sorry that some of this is kind of duplicated in formula's post that came in while drafting.

You are talking about two separate things here, neither of which relate to the circumstances of the opening poster.

1. There was formal discussion last year that expats would all be able to tap into the NHS based upon having paid a certain number of years of National Insurance contributions. This came to nothing so is not in place.

2. UK State Pensioners who have lived for at least ten consecutive years in the UK at some time in the past - no one has come forward and advised how this is administered in practice - can receive full NHS treatment for conditions that arise while they are in the UK but not routine treatment.

not2old

the form

http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/documents/gms1.pdf

http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/You...MS1[1].pdf

Entitlement to the NHS services. There is Hospital & there is GP services.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/he...e-from-abroad/

from the link above

"You are entitled to receive free NHS care if you:

*come from a country outside of European Economic Area and your country has signed a health care agreement with the UK. What you are entitled to depends on the agreement

*get a UK state retirement pension or another state benefit and normally live in a non-EEA country. You must have lived lawfully in the UK for at least ten years continuously in the past, or worked for the UK government for at least ten years continuously. Your spouse, civil partner and dependent children are also entitled to free NHS hospital treatment if they fall ill. They must be living with you throughout your stay in the UK

*in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, have lived lawfully in the UK for at least ten years continuously in the past and are now living in an EEA member state, or Switzerland, or in a country with which the UK has a healthcare agreement. Your spouse, civil partner and dependent children are also entitled to free NHS hospital treatment if they fall ill. They must be living with you throughout your stay in the UK

*in England and Northern Ireland, you have been granted leave to enter the UK for medical treatment. If you want free care, you must apply to the Secretary of State before you try to get treatment. Permission will only be given if there are exceptional humanitarian reasons to justify this. If you have been granted leave to enter the UK to accompany someone who is entitled to treatment for exceptional humanitarian reasons, you are also entitled to free NHS hospital treatment if you fall ill during your visit.

To find out which countries are in the European Union, go to The European Union.

To find out which non EEA countries have a healthcare agreement with the UK, go to www.nhs.org.uk

*In addition, people from some countries can get free hospital treatment if they have been referred to the UK for that treatment, under the terms of the reciprocal agreement. There are also special arrangements with certain countries which enable people from outside the UK to get free treatment. The Department of Health can give details of countries with which the UK has a reciprocal agreement and for which there are special arrangements"

.

robin1234

However, a UK citizen who establishes residence in the UK is eligible for NHS coverage.

Sometimes, complex rules for people in other circumstances confuse the issue.

not2old

agree, as can be seen in the information documents with some details below

http://www.rotherham.nhs.uk/foi/Guid...0Treatment.pdf

Entitlement to NHS Treatment

themajor

O.K> Thanks for clarification. I googled to get my info and some of it was as clear as mud.

Not2old was spot on.