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EU Pensioners After Brexit?

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 8:03 pm
by dbaz
Hi everyone,

I'm an EU Citizen living in the UK for about 3.5 years, working as self-employed, running my own business.

About 6 months ago my parents, EU Citizens in their 70s, and EU pensioners came to the UK and rent a house.
After some months of back and forth in Europe, they are thinking of settling in the UK.

Can Brexit impact their stay here?
Do they have free access to things like NHS?

Their combined pension income is about 35K pounds, if that's of any relavance.

Thanks

Re: EU Pensioners After Brexit?

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 8:15 pm
by secret.simon
Self-sufficient EEA citizens are required to have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance (aka private health insurance) to legally reside in the UK even now, before Brexit. Otherwise they are lawfully present, but not legally resident in the UK (i.e. this time will not count towards PR).

Alternatively, if they have worked in another EEA member-state, they can get an EHIC card from that member-state that will cover the medical insurance requirement.

Re: EU Pensioners After Brexit?

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 8:28 pm
by dbaz
Thanks for the insight Simon.

If i'm not mistaken the self sufficiency limit is 18,600 pounds per person/year.
Is that 37.2K for a couple? In that case they don't qualify.

Do you know what happens for not self sufficient old people?
Are they still not entitled to free healthcare?

The EHIC card is a nice solution indeed, not sure what happens after 2020 though...

Re: EU Pensioners After Brexit?

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 8:42 pm
by secret.simon
There are no self-sufficiency limits for EEA citizens. The £18,600 annual earnings requirement is for a British citizen to sponsor a spouse. Self-sufficiency only requires that the EEA citizen not claim any benefits (and has health insurance).

If they can get an EHIC card, they should get one. That will make it much easier for them.

By 2020, the world may be different. Remember the changes between May 2016 and today.

Re: EU Pensioners After Brexit?

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:18 pm
by dbaz
Didn't know that detail... thanks again.

Does EHIC count towards permanent residency?

Re: EU Pensioners After Brexit?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2018 7:17 am
by CR001
dbaz wrote:
Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:18 pm
Didn't know that detail... thanks again.

Does EHIC count towards permanent residency?
Yes but not a UK issued one. It would have to be from your home country.