# Where to start



## Sweetnats (Sep 19, 2013)

Hi all

I am very new to the forum and have just found it today. We are looking to get out of England as we are sick of it and so far have often for Spain. Purely due to having spent many holidays on various islands etc

We do not need to worry about work as my husband works offshore so they will fly him from where we live. So just looking for advice on where to start or even what places are best to live?

Any advice would be great. We are in our early 40s and love eating out and entertaining etc but are looking for a slower pace of life

Nat


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

As I have said so often here on the forums, make sure you are running TO something and FROM something. Living in any country is very very different from visiting the place on holiday. Spain, in particular, is kind of fraught at the moment, with all the austerity measures the government is having to take.

You also want to be very sure that you speak Spanish at an adequate level to live there. It is VERY isolating to be living someplace where you don't speak the local language. As a tourist, you're surrounded by multi-lingual folks, but as a resident, you need the local language especially in emergencies (think, calling the fire department, at a hospital or even just to see a local doctor or hairdresser). There really aren't English speaking professionals just anywhere.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Sweetnats (Sep 19, 2013)

Hi bev

Thanks for your reply and I totally understand what you are saying. We are not running from anything in Britain more that we would like a better lifestyle. Somewhere not too far where in future the kids can pop over to us for visits. 

We are not planning on doing this in the next year but are looking to research and learn the language over the next couple of years so that when our youngest (my step) is olde enough to travel alone then we are ready. We just want an idea on what areas to visit in the next couple of years

It's not something we will do lightly so want to research lots. Like I said we are fortunate not to have to look for work etc and will have a good income to fund


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Sweetnats said:


> Hi bev
> 
> Thanks for your reply and I totally understand what you are saying. We are not running from anything in Britain more that we would like a better lifestyle. Somewhere not too far where in future the kids can pop over to us for visits.
> 
> ...



I guess if you're husband will be working away a lot you need to know which airport(s) would be best, and presumably wouldn't want to be TOO far from it/them

so that wouldn't be a bad starting point

then - do you want coastal or inland?

an area with other Brits or less so?

where have you been on holiday? what did you like/love/hate about it?


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

Sweetnats said:


> We are looking to get out of England as we are sick of it...


Join the club! 

And :welcome:

Bev is right though, Spain has just as many problems as the UK has—just different problems.

You've rightly identified the place to start though—research, research and more research! You just cannot gather up enough information really. I'm not just talking about property or where to live either, that's the easy part. I'm talking specifically about financial or more specifically taxation, so I strongly suggest that's where you start. 

Fully understand the tax situation of living in Spain as a fiscal resident.


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## Sweetnats (Sep 19, 2013)

Thanks so much for all your advice

To be honest we are at the very start of it at the moment. It's not so much the state of the uk and its benefit society but more that we would just like a different lifestyle. We love the idea of stepping back and taking it easy. With some nice weather thrown in. The plan is to move over with my mum. And to make friends in an ex pat community. My aunt and uncle moved to Almeria a good few years back and they love it. 
S we have lots of research to do. We have looked at Almeria but just wondered what other areas? We don't want to be too isolated and yet not to in town. So I guess somewhere in between. And by the coast would be great. 

Will definitely need to look in to the tax thing as wasn't even aware of it. Currently hubby doesn't pay tax in the uk as he works in Norway. So pays tax there.


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Sweetnats said:


> Thanks so much for all your advice
> 
> To be honest we are at the very start of it at the moment. It's not so much the state of the UK and its benefit society but more that we would just like a different lifestyle. We love the idea of stepping back and taking it easy. With some nice weather thrown in. The plan is to move over with my mum. And to make friends in an ex pat community. My aunt and uncle moved to Almeria a good few years back and they love it.
> S we have lots of research to do. We have looked at Almeria but just wondered what other areas? We don't want to be too isolated and yet not to in town. So I guess somewhere in between. And by the coast would be great.
> ...


I think, and I do not know, just because he ( husband) does not pay tax in the UK, if you IE his family is in Spain you will need to check out what the Spanish Tax Laws say about paying tax in Spain as he will be deemed Tax Resident in Spain, you also need to check out health cover and proof of income etc. The best advice is research on forums, then double check for your selves, and be prepared for 100 different answers to one question, and that by the time you think you have the issue sussed, the government will change its mind!!!!!!!!!

As someone who has now put our UK house on Market and decided to make the move to Spain.
I would advice you to travel to Spain and find your own place. We thought we wanted one thing, I wanted to live in the Mountain area of the Alpujarras, we visited the area and loved it, we loved the Cordoba area. Now we have found our home, and I do not mean the bricks and mortar, I mean the place that we feel right, (it is a very difficult thing to describe) and it is no where near the Alpujarras). Spain is a huge place with some amazing regions.

I would suggest that you start having holidays in various regions, locations, and I know this will sound very patronising, but remember what you like on Holiday is not the same as what you want for everyday living. We have ended up in an area we never thought we would.

x


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

cambio said:


> I think, and I do not know, just because he ( husband) does not pay tax in the UK, if you IE his family is in Spain you will need to check out what the Spanish Tax Laws say about paying tax in Spain as he will be deemed Tax Resident in Spain, you also need to check out health cover and proof of income etc. The best advice is research on forums, then double check for your selves, and be prepared for 100 different answers to one question, and that by the time you think you have the issue sussed, the government will change its mind!!!!!!!!!
> 
> As someone who has now out UK house on Market and decided to move to Spain.
> I would advice you to travel to Spain and find your own place. We thought we wanted one thing, I wanted to live in the Mountain area of the Alpujarras, we visited the area and loved it, we loved the Cordoba area. Now we have found our home, and I do not mean the bricks and mortar, I mean the place that we feel right, it is a very difficult thing to describe. Spain is a huge place with some amazing regions.
> ...


Very good points. Just because he doesnt pay tax in the UK doesnt mean he wont pay tax in Spain, and if the family live in Spain full time it will probably be deemed his place of residence even if he doesnt spend enough time in Spain


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## zenkarma (Feb 15, 2013)

Sweetnats said:


> Will definitely need to look in to the tax thing as wasn't even aware of it. Currently hubby doesn't pay tax in the uk as he works in Norway. So pays tax there.


Cambio has given you some very good advice and highlighted precisely what I said to you earlier—look at the tax issue _first,_ before you do anything else.

Finding an area and place to live is the easy, fun part, it's the icing on the cake. What takes the time is researching all the other things—like tax issues.

As Cambio righty points out if you are living and domiciled in Spain your husband will be liable for Spanish taxes regardless of where he earns and where he currently pays tax. You pay tax on your worldwide income in Spain. I don't know if Norway and Spain have a double taxation agreement, that's something you need to find out because if they don't he may well be liable for taxes in both countries with no mechanism for claiming back tax already paid!

I know tax is tedious and boring but it's critical you understand what the implications are in moving to live in Spain.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Sweetnats said:


> Thanks so much for all your advice
> 
> To be honest we are at the very start of it at the moment. *It's not so much the state of the uk and its benefit society* but more that we would just like a different lifestyle. We love the idea of stepping back and taking it easy. With some nice weather thrown in. The plan is to move over with my mum. And to make friends in an ex pat community. My aunt and uncle moved to Almeria a good few years back and they love it.
> S we have lots of research to do. We have looked at Almeria but just wondered what other areas? We don't want to be too isolated and yet not to in town. So I guess somewhere in between. And by the coast would be great.
> ...


You'll love Spain then, they don't pay benefits.

Just rent a place, travel, move and do so until you find an area you like.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

bob_bob said:


> You'll love Spain then, they don't pay benefits.
> 
> Just rent a place, travel, move and do so until you find an area you like.


A _bit_ of an exaggeration bob_bob. There are some benefits and some tax breaks, but not as many as the UK.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> A _bit_ of an exaggeration bob_bob. There are some benefits and some tax breaks, but not as many as the UK.


What benefits are there? This is a serious question as I am struggling to think of any.

There's only the paro if you have been employed for long enough. Child benefit (such as it was) stopped some time ago didn't it?

Most places have also stopped help with books for school children. They've stopped help with school dinners and transport to school ....


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> What benefits are there? This is a serious question as I am struggling to think of any.
> 
> There's only the paro if you have been employed for long enough. Child benefit (such as it was) stopped some time ago didn't it?
> 
> Most places have also stopped help with books for school children. They've stopped help with school dinners and transport to school ....


Yes, a lot of the aid for school children has been cut but I think there's 
Unemployment, disability, widows pension...
You used to get a tax break if you were buying a house - not sure if that's still in place. Your tax is adjusted if you have children, dependents...
Numerous family have many "discounts" and I think it's for 3 children or more, single parent families with 2 or more children or if you have 2 children and a member of the family with a disability of a certain degree...
etc


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yes, a lot of the aid for school children has been cut but I think there's
> Unemployment, disability, widows pension...
> You used to get a tax break if you were buying a house - not sure if that's still in place. Your tax is adjusted if you have children, dependents...
> Numerous family have many "discounts" and I think it's for 3 children or more, single parent families with 2 or more children or if you have 2 children and a member of the family with a disability of a certain degree...
> etc


I got a text the other day that the 2011/2012 beca had just been paid.... I didn't qualify for it then & there were no applications accepted for 2012/13 

my elder daughter brought something home for a beca for bachi the other day which we'll be applying for though


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Yes, a lot of the aid for school children has been cut but I think there's
> Unemployment, disability, widows pension...
> You used to get a tax break if you were buying a house - not sure if that's still in place. Your tax is adjusted if you have children, dependents...
> Numerous family have many "discounts" and I think it's for 3 children or more, single parent families with 2 or more children or if you have 2 children and a member of the family with a disability of a certain degree...
> etc


Thanks, I did mention unemployment (paro) but had forgotten disability. Widows pension - a friend of mine gets 7.13e per month - WOW!

We are a family with 3 children but don't get any 'discounts'. There used to be a scheme (familia numerosa) but I have still to find any benefits or discounts by using this other than we get 10% discount at a local shoe shop (Merkal). The scheme talks about helping with school fees etc. and also with university fees but when we applied they simply said that we don't qualify!!!


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> Thanks, I did mention unemployment (paro) but had forgotten disability. Widows pension - a friend of mine gets 7.13e per month - WOW!
> 
> We are a family with 3 children but don't get any 'discounts'. There used to be a scheme (familia numerosa) but I have still to find any benefits or discounts by using this other than we get 10% discount at a local shoe shop (Merkal). The scheme talks about helping with school fees etc. and also with university fees but when we applied they simply said that we don't qualify!!!


The spanish widows pension is around 430€/month. Can't see what she is getting ?
Child benefit is still going it was the 2500€ lump sum that was scrapped.


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

Look into the income tax issue. If your hubby has been working away then I am guessing he is non resident in the UK for tax purposes? It is different here in Spain. He will be classed as a resident for tax purposes if YOU (his spouse / family) spend 183 days or more per year here. He will be taxed on his worldwide income unless Spain has a double taxation agreement with the country in which your husband works. We have ended up, not in a hole per say!, due to hubby's Spanish project being delayed he is now working in offshore Angola. His company will pay his local income tax but as Angola does not have a tax agreement with Spain, & me and my kids are living here, I believe he will end up paying income tax twice on the same wage in 2 different countries! We have a tax advisor lined up for an appointment when he completes his first rotation and I will certainly post here anything I think helpful. Best of luck.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> Thanks, I did mention unemployment (paro) but had forgotten disability. Widows pension - a friend of mine gets 7.13e per month - WOW!
> 
> We are a family with 3 children but don't get any 'discounts'. There used to be a scheme (familia numerosa) but I have still to find any benefits or discounts by using this other than we get 10% discount at a local shoe shop (Merkal). The scheme talks about helping with school fees etc. and also with university fees but when we applied they simply said that we don't qualify!!!


It clearly states here that that a family with three children = familia numerosa = benefits of some kind.

Las familias numerosas son aquellas formadas por:


*Uno o dos ascendientes con tres o más hijos, sean o no comunes.*
Uno o dos ascendientes con dos hijos (comunes o no), y al menos uno de los hijos con discapacidad o incapacitado para trabajar.
Dos ascendientes con dos hijos (comunes o no), cuando los progenitores fueran discapacitados o estuvieran incapacitados para trabajar, o al menos uno de ellos con un grado de discapacidad igual o superior al 65%.
El padre o la madre separados o divorciados con tres o más hijos, comunes o no, aunque estén en distintas unidades familiares, si están bajo su dependencia económica, aunque no vivan en el hogar conyugal.
Dos hermanos huérfanos de padre y madre, sometidos a tutela, acogimiento o guarda, sin estar a expensas del tutor, acogedor o guardador.
Tres o más hermanos huérfanos de padre y madre mayores de 18 años o dos, si uno es discapacitado, que convivan y tengan dependencia económica entre sí.
El padre o la madre con dos hijos, cuando haya fallecido el otro progenitor.
 Las familias con cinco o más hijos tienen la condición de familia numerosa de categoría especial.
This is from the ministry website
Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad - Servicios Sociales e Igualdad - Familias e Infancia - Ayudas a las familias y la infancia - Ayudas a familias numerosas

And here it states the benefits that you have, some of which seem to be pretty important!
Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad - Servicios Sociales e Igualdad - Familias e Infancia - Ayudas a las familias y la infancia - Ayudas a familias numerosas - Beneficios para familias numerosas

Could it be that what they meant was that you didn't have the paperwork in order to be recognised as a "familia numerosa"?

Maybe it would be worth looking into again?


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

gus-lopez said:


> The spanish widows pension is around 430€/month. Can't see what she is getting ?
> Child benefit is still going it was the 2500€ lump sum that was scrapped.


Maybe a private pension from the company her husband worked at??


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