How long does an S1 form last for ?

[cassie]

 Am looking to re-locate to France within the next 12 months.

I have read that an S1 form ( for people like myself who will be "inactif" in France) lasts "for up to two and a half years".

What date is best to officially re-locate to get this  maximum time period ?

 

[Daft Doctor]

Hi, on the assumption that you are an employee and have a full Class 1 NIC record over the past 2-3 years when you relocate, then July is the optimum time to up sticks from the S1/Heathcare point of view, as between April and July you would pay enough Class 1 NIC to qualify for another full years health cover in France.  As an example, if having paid Class 1 NIC in both 2011-12 and 2012-13 you left work in the UK in July 2013 and moved to France, you should get an S1 which is valid until January 2016.  If you went in say March 2013 however, the S1 would only be valid until January 2015.  If you worked on say until September 2013, the S1 would still only be valid until January 2016 as you would have enough qualifying contributions for 2013-14 already.  Hence 2.5 years is the maximum for an employee and only if the move is made in July.

If you are self employed and pay Class 2 NIC, the rules are very different and the S1 in such cases lasts a maximum of 1.75 years, based on an April move to France.  Hope this helps!   

[Mac]

Worse case scenario will be like us-husband made redundant (with a good pension I hasten to add-thankfully) but I was still working. Then I was made redundant. To cut a long story short-although we found a house we liked within a short space of time problems with the sale meant that when we moved we had only 1 years cover. Make sure you check with DHSS OR WHEREVER TO BE CERTAIN!!

[cassie]

Many thanks for responses.

The plan is to finish work end Nov and move if and when U.K. property is sold ....... i.e. .as soon as possible afterwards

[Mac]

Then as I say -beware -as every month you make no contributions will impact on how long your S1 covers you for.

[Daft Doctor]

Hi, I'm slightly at odds with Mac's last comment.  If Cassie has a full recent NIC record and works as an employee up until November, she will have enough qualifying Class 1 NI contributions for 2012-13.  In that case her S1 should be valid until January 2015.  To get any further S1 cover she would need to work until July 2013 at least.  Remember that all S1's expire in January, irrespective when you physically move to France.  Not working after November makes no difference, unless Cassie's move doesn't happen until the following July and she could have stayed in employment until then.  Hope that makes sense.    

[EuroTrash]

But since all S1s run out in January, and you usually get a maximum of 2 years, seems to me the way to get max value out of them is to work it so you finish work near the end of the year and your S1 is issued as as soon after 1 Jan as possible.

[tinabee]

[quote user="EuroTrash"]But since all S1s run out in January, and you usually get a maximum of 2 years, seems to me the way to get max value out of them is to work it so you finish work near the end of the year and your S1 is issued as as soon after 1 Jan as possible.[/quote]

As DaftDoctor explained it is possible to get more than 2 years if your timing is right. I finished work at the end of May, moved to France at the beginning of September and got 2 years and 4 months cover. Had I worked an extra month and moved on 1st July I believe I would have got the full 2.5 years. The thing to remember is that entitlement is based on NI contributions in UK tax years (April to April) but the cover is based from January to January.

[Mac]

But the OP says-''The plan is to finish work end Nov and move if and when U.K. property is sold ....... i.e. .as soon as possible afterwards''-given that property in the UK can take time to sell all I am saying is if the OP finishes work in Nov. and then doesn't sell house and/or move for a year then the cover will not be as much as some of you are quoting-is that not correct?

[tinabee]

[quote user="Mac"]But the OP says-''The plan is to finish work end Nov and move if and when U.K. property is sold ....... i.e. .as soon as possible afterwards''-given that property in the UK can take time to sell all I am saying is if the OP finishes work in Nov. and then doesn't sell house and/or move for a year then the cover will not be as much as some of you are quoting-is that not correct?[/quote]

That is correct.

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

[quote user="EuroTrash"]But since all S1s run out in January, and you usually get a maximum of 2 years, seems to me the way to get max value out of them is to work it so you finish work near the end of the year and your S1 is issued as as soon after 1 Jan as possible.[/quote]

I think you're mixing up calendar (& French financial) years that run from Jan - Dec with UK financial years that run from April - March.

as I understand the rules you get

Year 1: from date of moving to following April 5 (X months)

Year 2: April 6 to following April 5 (12 Months)

Year 3: April 5 - Dec 31. (or Jan 7?) (9 months)

You must have paid sufficient UK NI in year 1 before moving, which for most employees means about 3 months' worth. 

Assuming that you paye enough NI before departure the only flexibility lies in the exact date of moving which affects the X months in Year 1. 3 months to pay enough NI leaves 9 months in France -- total 2.5 years.

I admit I can't swear to this from experience because I didn't come to france as an inactif. I started a business within 3 months of arrival and it took longer that that for my S1 (E106 then) to arrive.

I do know that the above doesn't apply to the self-employed (sole traders or partnerships) but does apply to company directors, including those who completely own their businesses, just as long as they have a contract of employ and have paid NI as part of PAYE via their company.

[tinabee]

[quote user="Albert the InfoGipsy"]

[quote user="EuroTrash"]But since all S1s run out in January, and you usually get a maximum of 2 years, seems to me the way to get max value out of them is to work it so you finish work near the end of the year and your S1 is issued as as soon after 1 Jan as possible.[/quote]

I think you're mixing up calendar (& French financial) years that run from Jan - Dec with UK financial years that run from April - March.

as I understand the rules you get

Year 1: from date of moving to following April 5 (X months)

Year 2: April 6 to following April 5 (12 Months)

Year 3: April 5 - Dec 31. (or Jan 7?) (9 months)

You must have paid sufficient UK NI in year 1 before moving, which for most employees means about 3 months' worth. 

Assuming that you paye enough NI before departure the only flexibility lies in the exact date of moving which affects the X months in Year 1. 3 months to pay enough NI leaves 9 months in France -- total 2.5 years.

I admit I can't swear to this from experience because I didn't come to france as an inactif. I started a business within 3 months of arrival and it took longer that that for my S1 (E106 then) to arrive.

I do know that the above doesn't apply to the self-employed (sole traders or partnerships) but does apply to company directors, including those who completely own their businesses, just as long as they have a contract of employ and have paid NI as part of PAYE via their company.

[/quote]

The S1 (formerly E106) forms definitely run from January to January (around the 9th).