Homework stage of Moving to France. DLA, Health & repeat prescription issues/questions

[richo]

Hi All

 

Have been reading thoroughly posts in this excellent forum, but cannot find all the answers to our particular concerns, and wonder if there is anyone on here in the same or similar predicament as us. 

My partner and I are in the “doing our homework” stage of up and moving to France, lock stock and barrel.

 

My Partner currently receives the Maximum DLA which is her ONLY source of income and also a blue badge holder. I will (hopefully) be taking “Special Early Retirement” at the age of 50 later this year, and the lump sum, along with the residue from the sale of our house will pay for a property in France.

 

Because I am retiring very early, I will only be on a fairly low pension and this will be our only source of income, unless we buy a slightly bigger than needed property and do a part time B & B, Chambres d’hote. But this will be more of a hobby to help keep my sanity rather than looking at generating an income.

 

My partner has to have regular blood tests in the UK (every two weeks on average) to monitor the Warfarin she has to take to control her DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) and because she is on Max DLA, has her prescriptions paid for.

 

Now I know (rightly or wrongly) that her DLA stops the moment we move to France, so she will in

effect have NO income at all.

 

I understand that we have to make an appointment to see the COTOREP to have her disability re assessed, and this leads me to the following questions.

 

Does my partner have to pay for her own blood test at the hospital/clinic?

Does she also have to pay for her prescription of Warfarin ?

Can she claim any type of benefit at all, or help towards these costs ?

If she has to take out health care  insurance for the above, can anyone recommend a company that

Would take her on with her current disability.

 

Many thanks

 

Dave

 

 

[Will]

1. Find out if your partner would be eligible for E121 form from DWP in Newcastle. This is normally given to those in receipt of state pension, but is sometimes issued for various incapacity benefits. If so, she will not need to contribute to the state health system in France, and you may be able to claim equal rights yourself (though as you say 'partner' your status is actually unclear, you may need to be actually married or take out a civil partnership in France).

2. If you cannot get E121 then one of you should apply for E106, which depends on your NI contribution record but will give up to two years access to the French system without further charge.

3. Note that either of these forms only entitle you to the same benefits as any other French resident, i.e. 70% of doctor fees, 65% of most medicines etc. For the rest you need top-up insurance, which tends to be offered according to age rather than state of health. So that should not be a problem. You may have to pay, either in full or in part, for things like blood tests etc. Basically, the refundable part is paid into your bank, and the rest claimed from your insurer. Things like the Carte Vitale exist - these just ease and speed up the process: despite the name, and despite what you may read on these forums, the card is not actually vital.

4. You may be able to get 100% refunds for your partner's condition. This is not automatic, it has to be proposed by your doctor in France and agreed by your primary health insurer (e.g. CPAM), and will cover only treatments, medicines etc pertaining to that condition, e.g. if she gets another unrelated illness that will be refunded at the normal rates.

5. There may be limited help, but such benefits in France are rare and tend to be restricted to those in real need who have themselves contributed to the French system over the years. People tend not to like this, but having paid in to another EU state for many years counts for little in France. As you rightly say, COTOREP should assess you for any allowances or assistance that may apply.

6. Also be aware that if you are living off savings, any interest you receive is taxed (on the full amount, no allowances) at 11%, and the money always disappears faster than you expect (that's not just in France, it's a general observation).

[KathyC]

1.Top up health insurance isn't usually affected by pre existing conditions.

2.I thought that someone who had been claiming DLA since before 1992 was able to take it with them to EU countries?

Please someone correct me if either of these is wrong.

[ali-cat]

As far as I am aware - Incapacity Benefit will be paid, in France - but DLA will not.   I was also on maximum DLA (with Blue Badge) & applied to have it continued - but received a standard letter from Newcastle, last month, stating that it could not be paid as I was not resident in the UK.

[KathyC]

Thanks for the correction. I got my information from the Directgov site but it does say may.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/DisabledPeople/TravelHolidaysAndBreaks/PlanningATrip/PlanningATripArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4017244&chk=jxwfKg

[richo]

Hi All

Many thanks for your replies.

We have already contacted the DWP in Newcastle, and you are correct about the DLA. But my partner will not recieve any in France as she has only developed her illness two years ago. She does not receive Incapacity or Income support due to my earnings.

So, in essence, when I retire and if/when we move to France, it will be a huge loss in income, plus the aditional costs of her regular blood tests and Warfarin prescriptions,thus the possibility of a part time (do it as and when we want) B&B just to help out a little.

You can see why we're doing our homework before we move out there. The DWP basiclly told us that you will not know what sort of benefit you will get (if any) until you move out there (unlike the UK, where every Tom, Dick and Harry knows and Expects benefits as soon as they step off the plane ). The only thing they did say, was that if you receieve Incapacity benefit in the UK, it will continue in France.

Dave

[ali-cat]

[quote user="richo"]

We have already contacted the DWP in Newcastle, and you are correct about the DLA. But my partner will not recieve any in France as she has only developed her illness two years ago. She does not receive Incapacity or Income support due to my earnings.

[/quote]

I'm amazed that what you earn, has an affect on your partner receiving ICB!!  It depends on how much she receives (benefits, pension etc.) & not a joint income.   I receive full ICB,  but my hubby receives a much smaller amount - due to his medical retirement pension.  His previous earning or pension has never had any affect on my benefits!!  

edit - P - PM'ed you back!!

[Ergotherpeut1]

Hi Dave

Some excellent answers already, here is my offering.

It is discretionary, but you would be able to take the mobility component of your DLA with you for the period that it has left to run.  It is likely that you would need to throw yourself on the mercy of Newcastle, if possible, try to have contact with the same individual throughout (of course this may impact on your affiliation into the french health/social security system!)  Although the circumstances were different to yours, I know of one family who have done this.

Last year France (twenty regions anyway) reorganised its access to 'disabilities services' into more of a 'one stop shop'.  These operate with multi-disiciplinary teams (doctors/physio's/OT's/social workers. etc) and the re-organisation has simplified access to a range of assistance and benefits.   If you were to contact the Maison Departmentale des Personnes Handicapee (MDPH) in the locality you are considering and spoke to one of the social workers, I think that s/he would be able to look into/advise you of your entitlement to disability benefit here in France.  S/he will also assist you with arrangements for any other social and statutory services you may need to see (COTOREP. etc) .  I know of a number of 'ex-pats' who receive disability benefit here, although it is usually a much lower level that in the UK, it does enable you to access further services (home care, adaptations. etc) or financial assistance if needed.

If you do go down this route and have your disability recognised here, you will be able to access all the benefits that a French person with a disability would normally be able to.  I have successfully used (the threat of) the law of '11 fevrier 2005' to access services that were being denied to a British disabled person.

Good luck with your planning and your move

 

[richo]

Again

Many thanks for the useful answers. We are not looking for the same benefit as in the UK, and don't expect it. It's mainly the cost of the regular (once/twice per month) blood tests and the daily Warfarin (currently 8Mg per day) we are concerned about. As once I take the early retirement and loose the DLA, we would have lost a massive ammount of income.

As for cost towards home adaptations, we have discussed that already. And if/when we take the plunge, we will look for a property that will have a ground floor bedroom and bathroom as a pre requisite, as partner cannot do stairs. That will leave me to do  the runing up and down stairs looking after the upstairs bedrooms .

[Llwyncelyn]

Dear Dave I too have sent you a pm

rdgs

[Llwyncelyn]

Hi on the DLA front you are correct in that it is non-transferable to France.  However at a Tribunal last October in

 Cardiff I did make some progress with the Chair on the concept.  However what I can say is that the European Court is due to deliver its judgment within the next month or two on the question of the benefit being transferable.  HMG has been essentially taken to Court on the basis that 'we are all in Europe' Human Rights and all that sort of thing.  If the Court finds in 'our' favour then it will be the start of interesting times.  Then I say that to get DLA in the UK will be harder than ever.

In any event I approach the 'system' in Blackpool on the basis that they see it as their money none of them has any concept or little concept of what Disabled People go through.  The so-called decision makers make it up as they go along.

To date and on appeal I have overturned about a dozen so-called decisions and there are those on this forum who have a view on the law and it being the back end of something but on these occasions the use of the word 'reasonable' plus stated cases won the day.

 

Best wishes

 

[Teamedup]

In view of the marathon runner being sent to prison today, I was rather wondering how HMG could monitor benefits properly for those who chose to go overseas, when they seem to have enough of a problem doing it when people are living in the UK.

 

[Llwyncelyn]

Teamedup you may find this hard to believe but there is now considerable exchange of information between Departments of HMG.  Of course I say this very much tongue in cheek and I can tell you that Newcastle talk to Blackpool Blackpool to the Centre for Non Residents and under the Freedom of Information Act I recently ask for disclosure on a certain issue which was in the public interest and I was aghast at the exchange of information.

Obviously cannot comment upon the case but was it ten months he got in defrauding the Govt of £20000.  Thus out in seven months a criminal record and if he cannot repay the money then they go for his house.  He is now in the public domain and seemingly without any income unless you now consider £1 a day for putting tea bags in boxes as income.  Unless he has kept the money he is going to find it hard to raise the cash to get HMG off his back and for £20000.

Of course we live in difficult times for No 10's Director of Communication was arrested this morning and before dawn and interviewed for some hours on the Cash for Honours investigation.  It will not end there the CPS will have to rule on the evidence.  That too will be interesting their decision that is.

Teamedup I have seen some exchanges here but it seems you are going back to all of this?

On a very serious note and if I am correct may I take this opportunity of wishing you well wherever you go and whatever you do.

kindest regards

[Teamedup]

Teamedup I have seen some exchanges here but it seems you are going back to all of this?

 

I don't understand that sentence.

[Sunday Driver]

I understood that particular sentence. 

It's the rest of them that I don't understand.....[;-)]

 

[Teamedup]

Go on then SD, give us a clue please.

[Sunday Driver]

I think it's a reference to your intentions to move back to the UK.....

[Teamedup]

[:D] Well I thought that, but still didn't understand what he was on about and still don't.

 

[Llwyncelyn]

Ok for those of you who are not registered as  disabled person or are married to or have a relationship with a registered disabled person Blackpool is the 'home' of the DLA guys.  Newcastle as you know the Pensions people and for those who do not know Bootle is the Tax Centre for Non-Residents.  Thus I used shorthand and for which I apologise.

TeamedUp you will get on well on your return to the UK.

rdgs

 

[Sunday Driver]

Llwyncelyn.

I had to read your response a couple times before I could understand what you were saying.  Never mind shorthand, you don't believe in using commas - it must be a hangover from your legal days....[;-)]

 

[Llwyncelyn]

No Sunday Driver no hangover just plain simple professional training.  Its hard to get rid oneself of it but of course whether you wish to is another matter.  Now I am certain you are perfect in all possible ways?

Of course I am more than prepared to mount an argument on that point.  Again no commas and I am not going to start for you especially you.

[Sunday Driver]

That's what I said - it's your legal training....

"Now I am certain you are perfect in all possible ways?"  Was that a question or was it a statement, or have I read it wrongly as a compliment?

I accept that you may not wish to start using proper, everyday grammatical punctuation just to please me, but I would suggest you reconsider your stance given that this is a public forum populated by normal speaking, non-legal people.

No offence intended because I do value what you have to say - it's just that I'd prefer it to be easier to read and understand.

 

[richo]

Thanks for that

We'd only had contact from Newcastle. Perhaps we should try contacting Blackpool as well. but guess the answer will be no different.

 

Dave