tebo53

Thanks again for your full and exacting explanation. I will take this as the only way forward. You obviously do know your stuff!!
Thanks once again.

fyfin

I too retired early in Dec 2011 which would have been when I paid my last NI contribution and we moved permanently to Spain in October 2012. I telephoned DWP at Newcastle 0191 21 81999 early Oct 2012, they also have an email address [email protected] and they were extremely helpful and all details were taken over the phone. 3 weeks later the S1 forms turned up to my UK address (got them before we left for Spain).
The expiry date was 04.01.2014 which I took to mean 2 years worth of cover from last NI payment.

However, now that we have obtained our "residencia" and the S1 forms I am still confused as to what happens next . We have all the necessary documentation to go to the INSS office in Huercal Overa and register on the Spanish Healthcare system.

But, here's the thing, I'm not sure if we need a Social Security number and hence the need to complete a TA1 form to take with us along with our S1 forms from Newcastle.

If anyone has a definite answer I would be very pleased as I would be happier going along to the office with advance knowledge. Obviously I will also take numerous copies of everything, relevant or not!

tebo53

If your S1 expires in January then that certainly backs up what Im_and_Er has been saying!
Below is what I've read about registering S1 etc.
Registering with the Spanish authorities
In order to register your Form S1 you’ll need to get the following in this order:
1.Certificate of Residence (Certificado de Residencia / Numero de Identificacion Extranjero. N.I.E. Number) – available from your nearest National Police station;
2. Certificate as a Local Resident (Certificado de Empadronamiento) – available from the local Town Hall (at the Padron Office)
Remember to make your own photocopies before you get to your appointment. If you forget something you’ll probably have to go back another time.
1.Once you have your certificates, take them, along with both copies of your Form S1, to the local Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS) office.
2.They will keep both copies of your form S1 and issue you with accreditation.
3.Take the accreditation to the local health centre. Once you are registered you will be able to access the Spanish state-run health scheme. You will be issued with a plastic card at a later date.
4.Full access to the state system starts from the day you register your Form S1 with the INSS.
Hope this is the information you require.

fyfin

We've certainly got all the certificates we need and we know about plenty of copies but I didn't realise they kept both copies and gave you something there and then (acreditation). Other people have talked about waiting weeks so maybe I'll just bite the bullet and go up there and see what happens, then I can report back.

megmet

Yes they will give you an accreditation paper which you then take to the health centre.
It should all be pretty straight forward from that point, and once signed on at the health centre you will then be entitled to the same care as the Spanish are....in our experience excellent care!

I did copies for us of the S1, as I do with all official documents... this is Spain, so it's best to be prepared for all eventualities.

fyfin

Many thanks I feel much more confident now, and , like you I copy everything including the S1s as I wasn't sure what they might have done with them when we went for "residencia" to Almeria.

So it's all looking good now and as promised I will report back as we intend to go probably Tuesday next week - visit to local dentist on Monday for clean and polish.
We are lucky in our little town to have an excellent dentist as well, we called in last Wednesday as my wife felt she needed a filling and we both wanted a check up. The filling was done the same day and she reckons it was her best dental experience ever.
I'm not sure about the local health centre as they don't speak English but why should they, it's up to us to learn Spanish and ours is improving thanks to free lessons for foreigners organised by the Ayuntamiento and of course practicing on some of the locals ( a bit tricky with the local Andaluz accent etc).

Domino

have a nice ring binder with plastic sleeves containing all the copies, amazing how often I seem to need reference to something
this retirement in Spain skylark seems to need more paperwork than we had when working

megmet

That's why I have an office....even though I'm retired.

fyfin

Indeed; and I have my filing cabinet (disguised as 6 drawers) and desk to hand as we speak. I was always organised in UK as I had to do tax returns etc and had a little office with everything I needed. When we moved I brought it with us and found a space in the apartment.
The printer/ scanner / copier has come in very handy too!

bigglesworth

S1/ E106

Another six or seven phone calls to HMRC departments this morning – EHIC, Medical , Overseas healthcare, International Caseworker, and Insurability Section, DWP, and DWP Overseas Health care team - some of them twice

Ones eligibility for health care is determined by ones income, (and resultant payment of national insurance) over one’s last two (or three) years of employment. One gets an automatic one year entitlement, and providing one has paid sufficient Class One NI in one’s last two, (or in some circumstances three), years then one qualifies for a second years cover.
(As long as one continues to work it seems immaterial whether this is dated from the time one left UK or the date one applied – the result rolls on and is the same. )

And when one retires it is similarly immaterial ….

BECAUSE once one stops work, no further National Insurance, contributions are paid and HMRC no longer administer the scheme, nor provide healthcare cover. This is then administered and supplied by DWP, who operate on a calendar year.

They are all adamant that in no circumstances is healthcare cover abroad for a person no longer working in the UK and paying National Insurance provided by the HMRC. It can only be provided by DWP, and is entirely governed by their rules, which run on that calendar year.

Thereafter, provided one has paid sufficient qualifying Class One NI contributions, DWP Overseas Healthcare MAY issue what is called a letter of legislation to CPAM, stating that we no longer have access to UK health, and that we would in very short order ( two months) re-qualify for S1s by virtue of our achievement of SPA and receipt of State Pensions. They stress that this normally goes through without a hitch, but pointed out that it is ONLY France and Spain who accept this, and there is no guarantee that legislation may not change.

I agree this makes a nonsense of the eligibility for a second year. I have, on every call, stated that many knowledgeable expats insist that this is wrong. HMRC also say, that as I no longer pay National Insurance there is absolutely nothing they can or will do, and that it is entirely governed by DWP rules and procedures.

So once again, I urge anyone reading this thread to make notes on every phone call. Ask for a name each time (although they will only give Christian names, this is some help) and ask for written confirmation and links. Then check and double check with EACH of the departments concerned.

bigglesworth

My apologies, a section has disappeared - probably due to over hasty cut and paste

S1/ E106

Another six or seven phone calls to HMRC departments this morning – EHIC, Medical , Overseas healthcare, International Caseworker, and Insurability Section, DWP, and DWP Overseas Health care team - some of them twice

Ones eligibility for health care is determined by ones income, (and resultant payment of national insurance) over one’s last two (or three) years of employment. One gets an automatic one year entitlement, and providing one has paid sufficient Class One NI in one’s last two, (or in some circumstances three), years then one qualifies for a second years cover.
(As long as one continues to work it seems immaterial whether this is dated from the time one left UK or the date one applied – the result rolls on and is the same. )

And when one retires it is similarly immaterial ….

BECAUSE once one stops work, no further National Insurance, contributions are paid and HMRC no longer administer the scheme, nor provide healthcare cover. This is then administered and supplied by DWP, who operate on a calendar year.

They are all adamant that in no circumstances is healthcare cover abroad for a person no longer working in the UK and paying National Insurance provided by the HMRC. It can only be provided by DWP, and is entirely governed by their rules, which run on that calendar year.


Therefore, during the first year after one has stopped work, one switches over to DWP healthcare, which expires at end December or beginning Jan, depending on seemingly a whim. This should then be renewed, if THEY decide it is right, (not HMRC – although the criteria, they say, are the same but not identical) for a further calendar year.

Thereafter, provided one has paid sufficient qualifying Class One NI contributions, DWP Overseas Healthcare MAY issue what is called a letter of legislation to CPAM, stating that we no longer have access to UK health, and that we would in very short order ( two months) re-qualify for S1s by virtue of our achievement of SPA and receipt of State Pensions. They stress that this normally goes through without a hitch, but pointed out that it is ONLY France and Spain who accept this, and there is no guarantee that legislation may not change.

I agree this makes a nonsense of the eligibility for a second year. I have, on every call, stated that many knowledgeable expats insist that this is wrong. HMRC also say, that as I no longer pay National Insurance there is absolutely nothing they can or will do, and that it is entirely governed by DWP rules and procedures.

So once again, I urge anyone reading this thread to make notes on every phone call. Ask for a name each time (although they will only give Christian names, this is some help) and ask for written confirmation and links. Then check and double check with EACH of the departments concerned.

Im_and_Er

Once again contrary to my own experience and that of many others.

When I gave up work my HMRC S1 still had several months to run so initially I did nothing. A month or 6 weeks prior to it's expiry date I contacted DWP and they duly sent me a new S1 and even asked me what actual date I wanted it to run from. It's validity was for the remainder of 2012 after the HMRC E106 expired and then through to Jan 2014. No mention whatsoever of one expiring in Jan 2013 and a concessionary second year if they felt like it, it was a completely seamless and efficient transition with the dates exactly as expected.

The only cases I have heard of where one year S1's have been issued have been to persons who were self employed in UK and that I believe is because their NI contributions are not the same as for a PAYE employee.

I still get the feeling then that there is something about your case which you have not mentioned, why were you first refused an E106 by HMRC for instance. You didn't respond to my earlier questions.

bigglesworth

Im and er

There is NOTHING odd about my case. (Except perhaps the result).

And I am beginning to get a bit annoyed that you keep suggesting that there is.

I repeatedly ring HMRC and DWP, to put your points. Both of them repeatedly tell me that what you say is wrong. You repeatedly say they are wrong.

Please therefore, if you are so sure you are right and they wrong, tell me something different to tell them.

They seem not to agree with you. Ask them yourself.

Im_and_Er

OK, bye and good luck

Domino

I can't see what all the fuss is about - what HMRC & DWP say is the way to go, they are the ones issuing (or denying) the forms

Do it