NHS entitlements

[Pip]

Hello.

I have friends who are retired and about to move permanently to France. They are very concerned that if they live abroad for more than half the year, they will no longer be entitled to treatment on the NHS. (I'm not sure why this is a problem, given French healthcare, but it's worrying them, perhaps because their French isn't very strong.)

I've read the postings about the E111 and the new card, and top-up insurance policies while in France.

Any advice or information about treatment in the UK once resident officially in France would be very gratefully received.

Thanks.

Pip

[BJSLIV]

They will have the same rights in the UK that they currently have in France :ie Emergency Cover only.

The intention is that the E111 will eventually be replaced by the new card but it will serve the same purpose and provide the same cover.

The UK government is trying to clamp down on people who live abroad, but don't join whatever health scheme exists where they are living, and  then pop back to the UK if they need some treatment. So as long as they join the French system they will still have some basic cover if they return home for a holiday.

If things don't work out in France, and they decide to go back to the UK, they would be back in the NHS as soon as they took up residence.

What you can't do ( aren't supposed to do) is fall ill in France and return to the UK for a course of treatment on the NHS.

PS Assuming that they are drawing the state retirement pension from the UK, they won't have to pay to join the system in france, but they will need to budget for top up cover and will need to allow £500-1000 per year for this.