alex29p

Can anyone help with advice...... Ive been wanting to move to mainland spain for some time and have been offered a job in a bar that is opening, the hourly rate is not much, probably just 6 Euros an hour, however i have a medical condition for which i need treatment regularly........i am HIV + and therefore need to be able to access my medication. I understand that i can get them in spain, but will i have to pay for them, or if i am working will i get them from the state? Can anyone please help to clarify this for me, i have had a lot of ambiguous answers on this which have not really been very specific.does anyone know of any hiv charities that i could get in touch with for further help? also how long would i have to be working in spain to be able to then get a sanish pension, i am currently 42 so have many years yet to work.if i ever lost my job and couldnt afford rent would the state help, what is the set up in spain??? i just want to know how secure it would be to move and how long i would have to ensure i am working, i really dont want to live here in the uk any longer and want to ensure that i can manage to stay in spain. thanks for your help, there maybe many more questions in the near future

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and 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.


You will have to pay for your prescriptions and there is no state help.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

Lynn R

Hello Alex, welcome to the forum.

I will say upfront that the information you will get (from me and no doubt others) won't be what you are hoping to hear.

If the job you have been offered comes with a proper employment contract then you will be paying Spanish social security contributions and entitled to cover under the Spanish state health system. Even so, since last year people (even pensioners) must pay part of the cost of any medication they are prescribed. I have to say, though, that it would be most unusual for bar work to be offered with a contract, it is more usually cash in hand.

If you are living here full time after 90 days you are obliged to sign on the register of foreign residents at the Comisiaria de Policia. Again since last year, anyone doing so is asked for proof that they have sufficient financial resources (either a work contract or money being paid into a Spanish bank account from other sources eg pensions) to support themselves, plus health coverage (if you have been working in the UK you could apply for an SI form from the Department of Work & Pensions which would enable you to register with the Spanish health authorities and receive treatment for up to 2 years dependent on your NI contributions record - otherwise you would have to show proof of private health insurance cover, and of course it is difficult if not impossible to get cover for pre-existing conditions).

If you lose your job here the benefits system is far less generous than it is in the UK - unemployment benefit only lasts for a maximum of two years, providing you have been paying social security contributions. There is no additional help with rent similar to Housing Benefit in the UK. Currently the long term unemployed whose benefits have run out and have no other income coming in for any family member are receiving an allowance of just over 400€ per month but that is it, no extra money towards rent, medical costs etc.

I understand that you are not happy with your life in the UK right now, but as far as your financial security and health treatment are concerned, I have to say that your position would be far more precarious here. I hope you don't think I am being negative for the sake of it, but it would not be kind or helpful to encourage you to think otherwise.

alex29p

hi lynne, thanks for that helpful advice. Do you know what the percentage of cost is on prescriptions.I am planning on moving out with a friend of mine who is retiring from nursing. So would have little rent to pay as we would half it. I am looking at torrimolinos area as that is the area or surrounding area he is looking at bars. Do you know what the implications, if any, on me having a contract would be, in regards to my friend, or would it just be for proof that i am entitled to state care, and paying spanish ni........is there a cost to the employer is what i guess im asking?

Lynne i thank you ofr your honesty, i certainly dont see it as being negative, but i am a realit. I know living out there would not be easy for me, but if i can get a job and continue in work then i should manage ok..............i guess its making sure i remain in work lol..............or perhaps i should look at starting my own business in homecare services for expat. my life has and will be in health care, unfortunately i dont speak spanish so working in a hospital is out at the moment.........

Lynn R

Here is some information about Spanish prescription charges:-

http://www.abacotaxes.com/prescriptions-in-spain

I will leave it to someone else more au fait than I am with the social security system to explain how that works, as I've never worked or employed anybody here, but from what I've read it is quite expensive to employ staff officially here, hence why so many small businesses pay their staff cash in hand.

I would say that a business providing homecare services for expats might stand a better chance of success than a bar, but you need to be mindful of two things:-
a) the area you choose to set up in would need to have a big enough expat population to provide a market, without too much existing competition (not easy now that many expats have returned to their home countries particularly the British since the exchange rate became much less favourable for them, and
b) if you are self-employed in Spain (called autonomo) you need to pay social security contributions of around 270€ per month from day one, irrespective of how much money you are actually making (or not making) - it is not a percentage of turnover or profit.

In order to provide nursing services in people's homes it is more than likely you would need some kind of official licence to do so.

jennieJ

If you are currently working in the UK and have been paying NI your contributions should cover you in Spain for at least a year (think it might be two) that would tide you over until you can either go autonomo or get a job on contract.

If you are coming over with someone who is going to pay fully or share the rent that is something else that you have covered, 6 euros an hour on a full time week is not too bad money at the end of the day the minimum wage in the UK is only about a fiver an hour so not much different. You could be looking at 840 euros per 4 weeks I am sure there are many living on less, especially if you will have little rent to cover.

I think whilst you need to be realistic it is also probably doable provided you only have to pay a small percentage for your meds.

lynnxa

yes that's true about the S1 covering healthcare for a limited period if the OP qualifies having paid enough NI in the UK & recently enough

however - he'd still need to show proof of income &/or money in a Spanish bank account in order to register as resident at/before 90 days

I'm afraid it's not a small percentage that you pay for meds though, if you're able to access state healthcare - for a worker it's 40%

if you can't access state healthcare you have to pay the full price

jennieJ

Not sure why that weird smilie appeared in my post, must have clicked on it by accident. No offence was meant by it. Apologies.

alex29p

absolute no offense taken at all jennie, and thank you for your input. I will keep reviewing and looking at all posts in order to get full clarity. can you clarify if thee are set prescrition charges? and how could i find out the cost of HIV medication in spain in order to work out the 40% cost. im not working at the moment, but have paid in for 26 years and have just sent off for a full NI statement from HMRC. im on ESA and will be getting ni credits. im sure it will be no harder to ive there than it is here, also at the moment im on DLA and i believe i can claim that abroad, although if i do work it is then unlikely that i will continue to receive it, im not sure, thats something again to look into.................................oh jennie, smilie faces are always good, share a smile and pass it on!

alex29p

hi jennie, is the 840 Euros based on a 40 hour week and what about tax and ni in spain. Is it worth carrying on paying voluntary ni contributions here, whilst in spain.......once i go i dont intend coming back to the uk, but would it be a back up keeping up todate? my idea is im only 42, i have paid 26 years and believe i only have to pay 30 yrs to get full pension entitlement so in theory i have
plenty of years to pay the last 4 years needed.

Lynn R

There are no set prescription charges, meaning that you would need to pay 40% of the actual costs of your medication. Sorry I don't know how to go about finding out what that might be, can only suggest that if you are coming out for a holiday before considering moving longer term, take your current medication into a farmacia and ask what the cost of a month's supply would be. I had a look on Google for any organisations supporting HIV+ people in Spain and found this (in Spanish, not surprisingly, you might be able to get a sense of the content via Google Translate):-


http://www.seisida.net/

SIDA is the term for AIDS in Spain.

uk1357

Hi Alex
I believe, but am not certain, that as in the UK, HIV meds in Spain are provided direct from a specialist hospital clinic (rather than a pharmacy) and (providing you are covered for state healthcare) are not subject to the usual patient contribution. As Lynn suggested, I would contact one of the Spanish HIV support organisations for more info. It might also be worth contacting THT in London to see if they have any definitive information on spanish HIV services.

As HIV meds are very expensive (several thousand £ a year) I would suggest that it is imperative that you find a way of accessing long term state medical care (either via legal employment or autonimo) . My concern would be at 42, being able to ensure that you could remain covered under the spanish healthcare system long term.
Good luck

alex29p

hi lynne, do you know how many hours, or how much money i have to earn to get state health care, or is it just as long i have a contract. Do hours or salary not count?

and to all of you who have contributed, a sincere thank you!!!!! your help and advice has been invaluable and food for thought. i am going to follow up with tht here and see if they know anything about meds, as uk1357 states, here my meds are free from specialist clinic. I woulld need to find out if that is the same in spain if i am covered by the state heathcare should i get a contract..............i am determined to come over, so anyone in fuengola? region or torremalinos i look forward to possibly meeting you sometime around. The next thing i will be on here for a nice rental villa with pool i really cant afford lol.....

big wheels

"I am looking at torrimolinos area as that is the area or surrounding area he is looking at bars"

I'm surprised nobody has picked up on this point.
As I understand it there is no bar yet. I suggest your friend treads very carefully and does a lot of research before parting with any cash.

Torremolinos is awash with empty bars and failed bar owners

alex29p

he lives there and has done for 5 years he is looking and doing his research.