I'm 68 yo- male - used to expat life having worked many years in Germany and Hong Kong, but back in UK since 2000.

I was preparing to sell up, downsize and retire to Spain at the beginning of 2016. Then along came the Brexit referendum - and I thought I'd just wait and we would do the sensible thing. You know what happened - and I thought the move was no longer possible, but I have been re-considering.

I have a couple of specific questions.

How much income do you need to prove to get Spanish residency?
I have a full UK state pension; a small amount of UK Teachers' Pension, and will have some money left over from my property sale in UK.

I assume that if I move here before March 2019 - we will still be in the EU and I will be able to apply for S1 for access to Spanish Health Care - after that I have researched the cost of insurance, and/or convenio especial - and think it could be managed. Health care was my main concern - but I am fit and well and have no specific health issues right now.

I could get much more if I downsized in Spain than in UK - the cost of living is somewhat less, and the climate much better. So b*gger Brexit - I am sure some sensible arrangement will be made whatever happens. Do you agree? All comments welcome.

There has been no indication that post brexit that the S1 form will cease to exist after all it is an agreement between Spain & UK.
Yes a pre requisite of EU membership but.......


Your income will suffice - so come on over and enjoy

In theory, and Brexit asside, as a state pensioner you will be fine as far as income and health care is concerned.

IF (big if) they stop the S1's and any reciprocal agreements after Brexit, then you would need about 600€ per person per month as income and/or 6000€ savings (all depends where you end up in Spain). You would also then need private health insurance for the first 12 months. Conevnio Especial starts at about 60€ per month per person but rises rapidly when you get to a certain age (I'm not sure of the figure or the age).

I would always suggest keeping property in UK and rent it out. With that rental income, you would be able to rent somewhere decent in Spain and have a good life.

Yes certainly make the move Davio.You can have a good standard of living here.Not so sure about keeping your home in UK & renting it.You would have to declare that you have an overseas property on your Spanish tax return(I am assuming you would become resident here)& unless you would have someone keeping an eye on your tenant,you can,t be sure if it is well looked after.I have rented out a property here for many years,had some excellent tenants but,even though I was close by,have had a couple who have left it in a bit of a state & this through a correct legal contract & only dealing with one currency.

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

I don’t have an axe to grind on expats in Spain. But I don’t think things are going to be straight forward with UK-Spanish relations, since the issue of Gibraltar will rear its ugly head and this time I think Spain has a strong hand in this negotiations.

Thank you Taddi

It would be better if I had a property that I could let while abroad - and that has been the case when working overseas before - but now it's a question of downsizing - and I need to sell my house to finance the move. I have had good tenants in the past, but my ex had her house in UK trashed when we were together in HK. I would be considering downsizing in UK if I stayed here anyway - but I can get something much nicer, lower maintenance and cheaper in Spain than Barnsley!! Thanks Snikpoh and Dougal.

Geoff - I hear what you are saying...and it might be an issue...but hopefully common sense will prevail