Would this scenario be okay?

[Richard]

Hello Everyone!

With all of the impending changes to the health care in France, we were wondering if this scenario would work for us....

1. We would maintain an address in the UK
2. My spouse would continue to work for a UK employer
3. I would retire
4. We would live in France 10 months out the year

Q:  Would we both still be entitled to use the NHS for perscriptions and occasional doctor's visits?

Q:  Would all of these changes to the French healthcare entitlement no longer apply if I went to work (in France) for, say, the local DIY (B&Q, etc.) store and earned €10k - €15k per annum?

Cheers!

Richard

[Will]

First question - No. You would both be counted as resident in France for tax and social security purposes. The exception would be if your spouse's employer sent her to France on a temporary assignment, which would last one year, two years maximum under most circumstances, after which she would have to regularise her status in France, by registering as self employed for example.

Second question - You would be covered as a worker. But only for yourself. If your spouse is working, she would have to make her own healthcare etc. arrangments. And don't rely on finding work in France, that can be very difficult, even for the French.

[Russethouse]

Is # 1 an 'address' or a house/home ?

[Richard]

[quote user="Russethouse"]Is # 1 an 'address' or a house/home ?[/quote]

A physical home, where we would continue with council tax, etc.

[Richard]

[quote user="Russethouse"]Is # 1 an 'address' or a house/home ?[/quote]

A physical home, where we would continue with council tax, etc.

[Tony F Dordogne]

Richard, as an ex-B&Q manager who was supposed to be coming over to France to work with the B&Q team here, you wont be earning that sort of money on the French shop floor, more likely not much more than the SMIC and even at departmental manager level, the money isn't that brilliant for the responsibility involved. If you know about B&Q salaries, think of less transferring pounds to euros.

And of course, you need to speak fluent French, brico-French, plumbing and gardening French and the rest.

[Richard]

Thanks Tony!   I have really good friends that work for Kingfisher and have heard all about the salaries in France.   Looks like we're going to need to re-think this option as a result of the health care issues....   Bummer!