Husband in Spain Me in the UK
Mar 2nd 2012, 11:06 am
#16
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2009
Location: Was Herts now it is Alhaurin el Grande
Posts: 413
Re: Husband in Spain Me in the UK
Thought the British Health card only covers you for emergency care not all the other bits that you may need that is covered with holiday insurance. When we moved over here we took out a 12 month travel insurance policy, covered us for up to 90 days at a time and basically all we had to do was step foot back in the UK and we could have a further 90days of cover, great chance to visit family for a week or so.
For us it worked for the first year as you have to be in the UK for a certain amount of time but at least your covered for longer stays, and no issues regarding healthcare.
I have tried the one partner in UK and the other in Spain, for me it did not work but others do it on a regular basis so really only the 2 of you know how stable your relationship is. The hardest part of anyone living apart is trust and how much you have in each other.
Good luck in what ever the 2 of you decide.
For us it worked for the first year as you have to be in the UK for a certain amount of time but at least your covered for longer stays, and no issues regarding healthcare.
I have tried the one partner in UK and the other in Spain, for me it did not work but others do it on a regular basis so really only the 2 of you know how stable your relationship is. The hardest part of anyone living apart is trust and how much you have in each other.
Good luck in what ever the 2 of you decide.
Mar 2nd 2012, 11:36 am
#17
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: Granada Costa
Posts: 10,894
Re: Husband in Spain Me in the UK
It covers you for much more than emergency care.
It's all explained at:-
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthc...roduction.aspx
Nov 17th 2012, 2:37 pm
#18
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: SW Mallorca
Posts: 1
Re: Husband in Spain Me in the UK
Dear Jenny,
I knew that if I searched.....I'd find someone else in the same position as I am contemplating.
I am retired.....as much by redundancy as choice....but my wife wants to work for a few years yet.
I thought......I could become a resident.....maybe help secure some of the
issues surrounding inheritance......and when or if my wife felt she could also
apply for residency she could join me as an honorary Spaniard.
She is hesitant for the same reasons as are you.
Since your initial posting on this forum in Feb. 2012 have you progressed.
Any advice welcome.
I knew that if I searched.....I'd find someone else in the same position as I am contemplating.
I am retired.....as much by redundancy as choice....but my wife wants to work for a few years yet.
I thought......I could become a resident.....maybe help secure some of the
issues surrounding inheritance......and when or if my wife felt she could also
apply for residency she could join me as an honorary Spaniard.
She is hesitant for the same reasons as are you.
Since your initial posting on this forum in Feb. 2012 have you progressed.
Any advice welcome.
Nov 17th 2012, 2:58 pm
#19
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,795
Re: Husband in Spain Me in the UK
Dear Jenny,
I knew that if I searched.....I'd find someone else in the same position as I am contemplating.
I am retired.....as much by redundancy as choice....but my wife wants to work for a few years yet.
I thought......I could become a resident.....maybe help secure some of the
issues surrounding inheritance......and when or if my wife felt she could also
apply for residency she could join me as an honorary Spaniard.
She is hesitant for the same reasons as are you.
Since your initial posting on this forum in Feb. 2012 have you progressed.
Any advice welcome.
I knew that if I searched.....I'd find someone else in the same position as I am contemplating.
I am retired.....as much by redundancy as choice....but my wife wants to work for a few years yet.
I thought......I could become a resident.....maybe help secure some of the
issues surrounding inheritance......and when or if my wife felt she could also
apply for residency she could join me as an honorary Spaniard.
She is hesitant for the same reasons as are you.
Since your initial posting on this forum in Feb. 2012 have you progressed.
Any advice welcome.
BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.
Please let me know if you need any further help.
Rosemary
Nov 18th 2012, 7:11 am
#20
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 373
Re: Husband in Spain Me in the UK
Thanks very much for your answers.
I thought we shouldn't be on the padrón as non residents, but were told we needed this to get our electricity upgraded (can't remember if we actually showed it though, but I do remember all the hassle and forms) and were also asked for this when we applied for our first building licence. I think it's a good idea if I take my name off the padrón very soon and my husband leaves his name on it as he has definitely decided to be a resident.
The subject of tax has made me wonder whether it is worth the hassle of being joint owner of the house at all, considering that I would have to pay IHT as a non resident whether I was joint owner of the property or not.
No I won't be spending 90 days here at any one time, but as my job enables me to take longer than normal breaks I will be here for a few weeks at a time, but I suppose many people do this using just an EHIC, so that's one worry off my list.
can't afford to keep and which is pushing us more and more into And I am already beginning to think about the implications of being apart from my husband most of the year, especially as this could go on for several years. fionamw, when you talk about 'Telling each other problems or not because of not wanting to stress each other' I think that's how we will be. He'll probably cope with it while I could end up a nervous wreck.
But my husband sees no alternative. We have a house in Spain we will be very unlikely to sell but we own it outright. We have a house in the UK which we debt each month and which when sold will not leave us with enough money to purchase another one.
My answer is for us both to go into rented accommodation in the UK. To me it makes perfect sense as I will be renting anyway, but I do see my husband's point about living in a place we actually own, have worked hard on and are already paying bills for.
Maybe as the months go by one of us will come up with an alternative, or absence will make one of us change our mind. Who knows?
I thought we shouldn't be on the padrón as non residents, but were told we needed this to get our electricity upgraded (can't remember if we actually showed it though, but I do remember all the hassle and forms) and were also asked for this when we applied for our first building licence. I think it's a good idea if I take my name off the padrón very soon and my husband leaves his name on it as he has definitely decided to be a resident.
The subject of tax has made me wonder whether it is worth the hassle of being joint owner of the house at all, considering that I would have to pay IHT as a non resident whether I was joint owner of the property or not.
No I won't be spending 90 days here at any one time, but as my job enables me to take longer than normal breaks I will be here for a few weeks at a time, but I suppose many people do this using just an EHIC, so that's one worry off my list.
can't afford to keep and which is pushing us more and more into And I am already beginning to think about the implications of being apart from my husband most of the year, especially as this could go on for several years. fionamw, when you talk about 'Telling each other problems or not because of not wanting to stress each other' I think that's how we will be. He'll probably cope with it while I could end up a nervous wreck.
But my husband sees no alternative. We have a house in Spain we will be very unlikely to sell but we own it outright. We have a house in the UK which we debt each month and which when sold will not leave us with enough money to purchase another one.My answer is for us both to go into rented accommodation in the UK. To me it makes perfect sense as I will be renting anyway, but I do see my husband's point about living in a place we actually own, have worked hard on and are already paying bills for.
Maybe as the months go by one of us will come up with an alternative, or absence will make one of us change our mind. Who knows?
I can't speak for the legal, health or tax side but from what you are saying the thought of the big changes and being apart from your husband is more the issue. Did you re mortgage your UK home to purchase your property in Spain?
You say you are the main wage earner and you have a large mortgage outstanding on your UK property, you also say that if you were to sell there would be enough to purchase a flat and to renovate the Spanish house. Could you not both downsize in the UK and buy something more affordable maintaining the home in Spain for holidays your husband could visit as a non resident for longer periods of time whilst you were working. Take one step at a time you don't have to go the whole way at once.
Nov 18th 2012, 8:13 am
#21
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Puente Esuri
Posts: 6,903
Nov 18th 2012, 8:24 am
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Puente Esuri
Posts: 6,903
Re: Husband in Spain Me in the UK
Thanks very much for your answers.
My answer is for us both to go into rented accommodation in the UK. To me it makes perfect sense as I will be renting anyway, but I do see my husband's point about living in a place we actually own, have worked hard on and are already paying bills for.
My answer is for us both to go into rented accommodation in the UK. To me it makes perfect sense as I will be renting anyway, but I do see my husband's point about living in a place we actually own, have worked hard on and are already paying bills for.
Last edited by EsuriJohn; Nov 18th 2012 at 10:02 am.
Nov 18th 2012, 9:21 am
#23
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: near Colmenar, Prov de Malaga
Posts: 5,174
Re: Husband in Spain Me in the UK
Sorry - not on very much any more... what I meant was that instead of paying the full sum on the basis that both of us are non-resident, because I am resident I pay less even though his has remained the same, so the total payment is less. What I wrote implies it was less for him, I just expressed myself badly, sorry.
