EHIC's and S1's

[idun]

Could anyone who received the old S1 (E106 I think) based on purely national insurance contributions, issued with EHIC's that fell in line with the date on the S1 that they were given.

OR were the EHIC's issued with the full five years.

Incidentally the EHIC helpline now states that they work in conjunction with HMRC and the DWP.

[EuroTrash]

I don't quite understand what you're asking.

But one thing to bear in mind is that your EHIC isn't proof of entitlement as such. It's just a way of identifying you to the system. It could have an expiry date that is in the future, suggesting that it is still valid, but if your circumstances have changed in the meanwhile you may no longer have the entitlement. Though unless things have changed there is no joined up system for keeping track of anything so even if you're not eleigible, the NHS won't have a clue. But maybe they really are joining the records up now.

[idun]

I'm asking as I was told that the old E106, S1 only had EHIC's that matched the date of that form. I'd never heard of it before and was wondering if I had been told nonsense, or if that was what used to happen.

[andyh4]

My EHIC lasted longer than my E 106 - but they were both issued from Germany, so may not be applicable to the case you are looking at.

[Debra]

Back then wasn't it France that issued you with a CEAM card, Idun,? It wouldn't surprise me if they used the date on the form.  However, I'm struggling to remember but I think they might have only issued them for a year at a time rather than the five years the UK issued the EHIC card for.  It was after the 'new' social security regulation was finally ratified that the UK became responsible for issuing EHIC cards to those who they were the 'competent state' for, ie anyone with an S form or old E form.  I think that was in 2010.

[NormanH]

A CEAM card issued by France is only valid for one year.

I have one since I am covered by France not the UK by virtue of my French Pension.

[Debra]

That's what everyone got back when they were called 'E' forms, wasn't it Norman?  I remember getting a letter to tell me that the UK would now be responsible for issuing EHIC cards for my family and I could no longer use the CEAM cards.  I applied but they never arrived.  I imagine they had a rush on at the time and I never chased it up.

[idun]

We always get CEAM cards because we are in the french system and they, as NH said only last a year. And the first one we applied for after the pension kicked in took a year to arrive. I rather cheekily applied for one for the following year immediately. [Www] That didn't go down well. I was told that they only took a few weeks to get sent out, and I felt I had to point out that as the current one had taken a year, it seemed logical to give them sufficient notice. As I said, it didn't go down well![;-)]

Debra, if you are in the CPAM and part of the french system, then it is my belief that you should be getting a CEAM card from France and that the UK would not issue you with one.

Remember, if you remain in France and have worked in France, getting an entitlement to a french pension, you will always remain in the french system and not revert to the UK system upon receipt of your pension. The UK pension will just be another income.

[Debra]

I was in CPAM via my husband's rights, Idun, and had a right to a UK EHIC card, though as I said, I never got it even though they kept saying they'd send it out.  Now I am separated from my husband, I am in the CMU and France is my competent state so I have a CEAM card.  This could change as there is presently some argument about whether I should still come under the UK via my husband, even though we're separated.  CPAM haven't argued about it and let me in the CMU but the CAF are still mulling it over and I haven't had prestations familiales for the whole if this year while they argue out the EU rules with the UK.  There is a further oddity with my family in that because my husband is a war veteran with a war pension, we are entitled to use the NHS anyway, regardless of who is our competent state.  I assume this would change for me and my older children (from my first marriage) if I got divorced, but not for my stepdaughter and my youngest son.

[idun]

So if that is the case, don't you need to hand in a UK S1 to the french because of the war pension? Pensions are usually classed as benefits, so I would assume, rightly or wrongly that a war pension is a benefit, with an attached S1.

As you say, complicated by a separation though.

And the CAP and Child benefit should sort this out between themselves, such an entitlement is a right at the moment, and should be paid by one or the other and without hassle.

[Debra]

No, I used to be on an S1 because of his contributions.  The war pension is a separate arrangement that gives entitlement to use the NHS to any of his dependants and doesn't involve an S1.

The CAF and Child Benefit offices are trying to sort it out between themselves and according to EU law, France, to whom I applied when the Child Benefit office stopped my claim after I told them of my change of circumstances, are supposed to pay 'interim payments' while they argue it out, but they're not.  They simply don't work that way.  It's the same for French nationals.  It can take months to sort a claim out after a change of circumstances.  At the moment my file is frozen because they're awaiting translation of the letter from the UK Child Benefit office that says I am no longer entitled to payment from them.  They've had that letter for five months now and all they will say is they are still waiting for the translation. 

However, I know after speaking to the Child Benefit office that they're in contact with them and arguing that even though we're separated, my husband should claim child benefit for the children and I should then get a supplement (allocation differentielle) from France.  The rules say that if it's not sorted out within two months then France should pay me anyway and the UK should reimburse them for half of whatever they pay me.  It's difficult to argue that with them though when nobody here is admitting to me what the real problem is.  I also can't speak directly to the head office department at Child Benefit who are actually dealing with my case.  I have to phone the normal office. who can't ring them but pass a message on,  and they say they'll contact me within 7 days but they never do. 

Someone should pay me eventually and I should get it back to the day I applied. However, CAF deal with all family benefits in France (so if they are my competent state then I will get paid backover) but in the UK the Child Benefit office and the Child Tax Credit office are separate and the latter says tough, if it's ever decided that the UK is competent then I will have to submit a new claim to them and won't get paid back to when they closed my case.  I pointed out the law that says they're supposed to pay me from when I applied to France if it turns out that the UK is my competent state but they say they won't and they work under different rules to the Child Benefit office.  They're not supposed to of course, according to EU law. 

Meanwhile, I'm running out of things to sell.