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Health and social care

Should you need it‚ it is important to find out what level of care you can expect to receive‚ and at what cost‚ before you move abroad‚ so you can make adequate provision.

In many countries there will be some costs involved in healthcare. You may be liable for a proportion of the total cost or required to pay for the full cost of some treatments. The costs of medication‚ for example‚ could be substantial. You may therefore want to explore the options for health insurance.

what next?You can usually find out information about local healthcare from the British Embassy/high commission of the country you intend to move to. Newspapers‚ expatriates and websites directed at them can also be a good source of information.

Read more about access to health and social care while living abroad.

You must notify the DWP of your move abroad so that‚ where reciprocal arrangements exist‚ your rights to healthcare can be transferred to your new country of residence.

In many EU countries if you are of pensionable age and have obtained form E121 from the DWP‚ you should be able to access the same level of care as a pensioner in the country you move to. This may be subject to local requirements such as registering as a resident.  There is also form E106‚ which will provide you with temporary healthcare (up to a maximum of two years) if you are not working and are under state retirement age.

However‚ this does not mean that you will receive the same level of care as you do in the UK.

There may be hidden costs involved in healthcare. For example‚ if you do not speak the language‚ you may have to pay for the help of a translator – perhaps for attending consultations and translating any correspondence you have from the hospital.

Although many people report excellent experiences of other countries’ healthcare systems‚ you must be aware of cultural differences and the limitations of services. For example‚ in many countries there is an expectation that people will return home from hospital to families who will care for them and services such as community nursing or social care simply do not exist. In other countries these services are prohibitively expensive or a language barrier with the service providers causes difficulties.

‘When I fell down the stairs in my apartment and broke my hip‚ the care I received in the hospital was fantastic. However‚ once I was discharged and back at home I received no follow-up care. I struggled with daily tasks such as washing and shopping‚ but services to support me just weren’t available locally. I managed during these difficult weeks only with the help and generosity of my neighbours.’

If you are moving with a partner or family‚ it is important not to assume that they will be able to care for you – what if they are not around or become ill?  Equally‚ you should not assume that when you need care you can return to the UK. If you are not resident in the UK‚ you will only be able to access emergency care‚ and in those circumstances you are unlikely to be able to travel back for it. If you are too ill to travel by car or plane as an ordinary passenger‚ the other options are also likely to be extremely expensive.

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what next?When you are planning what country to move to consider the following: 

 

 

  • Find out what health and social care is available.
  • Ensure you fulfil local requirements to be entitled to services‚ such as registering or obtaining residency rights.
  • If necessary‚ take out health insurance to cover the costs of any health or social care.


‘During a brief stay in our local hospital‚ I was shocked to find that my husband was expected to provide me with food and help me wash and dress each day. I had just assumed this was part of the hospital service.’

Do not pretend it will never happen to you: be prepared and enjoy your life abroad knowing you could cope with any changes.

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Further information

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Information Line
0800 00 99 66