Just read in Olive Press that there is to be a clampdown in expats returning to UK to see their doctors or have ops even those that pay UK tax. They are to be asked where they are ordinary resident in future. Well all that will happen is that they will give a UK address.

What about pensioners as they are entitled to treatment in Spain paid for by the UK so what is the difference?

The NHS would be paying twice if they had treatment both in Spain and the UK
The proof the the surgery wil ask for will be something like proof of deregistration from the foreign citizens register, deregistration from Spanish NHS, or proof of their Spanish house sale, or termination of rental contract

They may ask for a utility bill?

But I do not see a problem, you register in your country of residence where you should get your medical assistance and if travelling in Europe you use your EHIC

How are they paying twice. you are either having the treatment in Spain or UK!

If they don't know you are in Spain which a lot don't they wouldn't be asking in the first place.

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They would be paying twice only for pensioners for whom the UK pay an amount to their country of residence to provide them health cover, I.e. those on state pensions. However pensioners resident in EU but outside of UK are covered anyway if they have the EHIC which will be provided by the UK. I doubt very much that the NHS will be checking such things as certificates of cancellation of residency or proof of Spanish house sale etc. Would they understand them given they would be in Spanish? It was quoted quite recently when this was brought on one of the checks would be that you provide an NI number? Possibly a UK utility bill etc. My guess is you will be asked questions and up to you to be honest. There are people that have lived for years in Spain who come back for quite expensive treatments every now and again. How they get away with it? Thing is if you don't take yourself off the local doctors registry then unlikely they will know. I would imagine if you were a state pensioner and applied for an S1 to get cover in Spain they would know but as I said they are covered in both countries. I know what many think re this matter and what the rules are but if someone has paid UK tax through their working life often still paying it having taken retirement slightly early it is easy to see why they feel disgruntled at not being entitled to use the NHS when back in the UK. But as always rules are what matters and the one here is residency!

Fred that is true if you are a person on UK State pension but not if you are below state pension age and Spanish resident as neither Spain or the UK will provide you with the EHIC. That is unless of course you are working in Spain and paying into their system I presume. However those that have retired a little earlier than state pension age are in limbo.

I thought the EHIC for pensioners was still just for emergency treatment, not for something routine.

That is correct, routine treatment you receive in your country of residence.

The DWP allows about £4k for each state pensioner 's care in Spain, whether they use it or not.
If they nip back to the UK for treatment then that would be paid for,
Therefore they would be paying twice.
If, for whatever reason a pensioner did not register for free care in Spain( living under the radar?) then went back to the UK every three months for prescriptions and care, then that would be fraud, as they are no longer entitled to NHS care which is residence based, plus misleading the DWP to think they live in UK , which is fraud.

Well Neptuno I think that would be at least half of peeps living in Spain.

Not much faith in your fellow expats, have you?
Yes, I've met a few under the radars out here, who sleep well at night and are on about Spain being less stressful, which it is if you don't pay your dues, but there are also people, me included, who pay their taxes, submit their 720s, don't abuse the NHS in either country, etc.
We can only hope there is karma for those who think it is right to cheat and lie, while shafting their adopted country.

I don't think it is shafting their country when they pay their taxes in the UK.

It is, as they are not contributing to the country they live in
It's the Spanish facilities, roads, emergency services etc that are available if needed, not UK ones.
It's the law,not a choice about where to pay their taxes

All contributors to this thread should be aware of the very latest UK governments rules posted here:-

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/n...ns-to-nhs-care

In particular the paragraph on pensioners which states that it will be legal and proper for UK State Pensioners to receive treatment in UK even when they are resident in another EEA COUNTRY and SWITZERLAND.

For a long time I thought like you the UK paid of the order of £3000+ pa for each UK S1 living in the EEA however I was corrected by someone who knew the facts and it is much less per capita only several hundred pounds.