Dunga

I, my wife and daughter have been living in Spain for nearly two years now, (Aug. 05). Our social security cover runs until Jan 2008. I was hoping to find work by now and pay into the system so that we would be automatically covered. We still have savings to last us a few years yet but are worried about not being in the system. On initial enquiry it appears that you can not pay in voluntary. I wondered if it was possible to pay back in the English system and they could authorize an extension on our cards.
I am sure there are other people in our situation and any help would be most grateful.

Thank you

keithwalters

I have no idea about the UK system, but two things occur to me:

1 Private medical cover is cheap here. We pay 60 euros a month (and that is in addition to having SS cover from Spain).
2 If you register as an autonomo and pay the cuota you would be covered. But this costs just over 200 euros a month though.


Now I have a question, probably for Fred James when he comes along....

.....what happens if you register as autonomo, get the SS card, and then as soon as you get the card de-register as autonomo. You would still have the card in your possession.....but would you remain covered by Spanish SS just because at some point in the past you have made a couple of cuota autonomo payments?

Mitzyboy

I was told by DWP in the UK before I left that I could not pay into the UK system once I was a Spanish resident

As KW says, private health care is much cheaper here and you may find it more economically viable to pay that.

Dont forget once one of you reaches retirement age both of you are covered .... and if you live in Valencia region you may find you are covered anyway

Fred James

You can make voluntary contributions into the UK system but these only entitle you to a increased retirement pension.

They do not affect your eligibility for health care in the UK and they will not entitle you to any reciprocal benefits from the Spanish system.

If you do not have the full 44 year contribution record you will not receive a full UK pension. The cost of these voluntary contributions is only about £350 per year and each year you pay increases your pension by 2.5%. If you do the maths you will find that it is a very good investment.

There is an automatic free credit for the years between 60 and 65 but this does not apply if you are not UK resident.

Fred James

It sounds like a good plan!

I have no idea if it would work but I think the problem might be in the "de-registration" process. No doubt it is even more complicated that registering in the first place (how are you going to prove that, magically, you don't need to work any more).

Bearing in mind that the whole system is now fully computerised (and unlike the UK it seems to work) it would be very easy for them to deactivate your SIP card at the same time.

Maybe someone out there would like to give it a try!

But as you say, Keith, private medical insurance is quite cheap in Spain.

Mitzyboy

Yes ... it was health they were asking about ....... as far as pension is concerned I was also told by DWP not to pay any extra contributions as the law is changing to make the contribution level 30 years and any money I paid would be wasted. So, depending on your age & when you retire, when the law comes in you will get a full pension on 30 years.

keithwalters

The deregistering as autonomo is very easy (I have done it once before, but only so that I could immediately register myself again as another type of business). All that is required is to tick the BAJA box of the Modulo 036 instead of the ALTA box.

I suppose you would then register as unemployed at what used to be called INEM (I forget the new name).

As far as I know once you have got the SS card, they don´t ask for it back again, and if you are on the system as unemployed, wouldn´t they continue to give you SS cover?

Well, if this worked it would be a very cheap way for some pre-retirees to get free health cover, but I really don´t know if it would work.

By the way, what is a SIP card? or is that what I refer to as the SS card?

Mitzyboy

Its the card that registers you for the health system .... whats an SS card

keithwalters

Seguridad Social. So what does SIP stand for?????

David

SIP card is used to keep track of medicines you acquire from pharmacies either in spain or within the EU.

Fred James

The correct term for a health card is Tarjeta Sanitaria.

In Valencia there is a scheme called "Sistema de Información Poblacional de la Conselleria de Sanidad" or SIP for short.

Ex-pats in that area tend to refer to the tarjeta as a SIP card and as Ex-pat forums are not always regional, the term is often used in other areas.

mikelincs

I'm given to understand that if you reach retirement age after 2010, then you will need onyl 30 years contributions to get full pension.

keithwalters

Okay, so my card is red on one side and says "seguridad social". If I flip it over it is green and says "Tarjeta sanitaria".

So if I am getting this correctly, my card is a Social Security card & health card, but not a SIP cos that is only for Valencia.

The more I think about it, if I registered as unemployed then I can´t think why they would take away my rights to free health cover. Not that I am thinking of doing this, but it could be a loop hole for people who come to Spain for early retirement and don´t qualify for free Spanish health cover after their 2 years' grace.

Fred James

Thats the way I see it. You use the number on the card for any health things like booking doctors appointments etc.

As for your ideas about becoming unemployed and keeping your rights that seems like a possibility but the only snag I can think of is if you are on the unemployed register do they insist on you attending etc and other restrictions like in the UK. If so this could be a complicated way of getting free health care.

Fred James

There was a lot of talk about this about 6 months ago and the Benefits Agency were telling people not to pay voluntary contributions as they may not be needed.

I applied for a new pension forecast shortly after and nothing was said about this. I think it was an idea that was floated by some government advisors but has not had much support from the treasury as it will cost too much and there are alarming repercussions for those people who have actually made the full contributions.

It seems to have gone very quiet on the subject to I guess it might have been scrapped. However I shall not pay any more contributions until they reach the deadline for payment.