Incapacity Benefit and Health Cover

[Washy]

I promised to bring folk up to date with my laid back application for this service.

Laid back, because I had not really applied for the IB to be paid abroad, I only spoke to my local office about my address change within Cheshire, then I happened to ask if my IB would be paid if I moved to France. "I don't see why not", was the local reply, "I'll send your information to Newcastle for you", which she did very promptly as I had a letter to my Mum's address in the UK asking some more questions. I rang Newcastle to be told the same "I do not see why not, France is a country we work very closely with now", she asked me for my French address to be confirmed in writing with a signature and said they would be in touch. This was in February, today I received a letter telling me that I would still receive my Short Term Incapacity Benefit in France (I had been receiving this for more than 6 months in the UK). They included a form to fill in asking which bank inFrance I wanted my money paid into, but they failed to include the leaflet about this so I cannot sign to say "I have read and understood the leaflet enclosed....", but that is the only hiccough.

Also included with this letter and form was a duly signed and completed E112 form to be taken to CPAM which will entitle me to French medical care.

The only thing that could hold this up now is that I think I may be asked for a Carte de Sejour at CPAM before they continue, and I have not yet applied for this. Can anyone confirm this?

So I am very pleased about this, so far this is the one bit of paperwork that has proved to be very uncomplicated for me in France. Now on with the reregistering of two Land Rovers, and planning permission for polytunnels and renovations etc.........

[Owen]

Hello,

I do not wish to cause undue alarm but I do not think E112 is the real solution here at all. This form is usually issued to those UK residents who have authorisation from their local health authority for specific medical treatment aboad. Or it can be issued for ongoing treatment of pre-existing conditions on temporary visits abroad. You therefore do not actually have to affiliate but E112 is both limited in duration and level of cover offered (your dependants will not be)

If you are in receipt of Short Term Incapacity Benefit you can obtain E106 from Newcastle and this will be valid for as long as you continue to receive the Benefit. And of course with E106 you and your dependants can affiliate but you will need to provide proof of residence as well and this normally means "carte de sejour".

Having said all this I would be the first to accept that all things are possible in France and I would be most interested on how usefull E112 will actually be.

Regards

Peter Owen
[email protected]