# health care for EC citizens



## caravan (May 18, 2014)

Hello

could anyone give me some advice please? We want tomove to Portugal from UK. I get state retirement pension in Uk but my wife is younger and doesn't get it. If we moved would we both be able to get free state health care ? ThANKS!


----------



## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

You're probably going to get a variety of answers to that question and if you use the search function, you'll find the subject has been covered a number of times but for what it's worth, my wife & I are both UK citizens, both in our late 50s and both in receipt of private (UK based) pensions but of course, neither of us are old enough for UK state pensions and we both get (more or less) free Portuguese NHS treatment.

Oh and welcome to the forum.


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

The simple answer is Yes, providing you register as Residents, as a UK State Pensioner when you move you apply to International Pension Office at Newcastle for S1 forms for yourself and your wife, she is entered as a your dependent relative, the forms are then Registered with the Portuguese Social Security you both receive a Portuguese Social Security number and then register with your local Health Centre.

The difference to health care here and UK is that it is *not* totally free, but you are treated on exactly the same terms as a Portuguese National and pay heavily subsidised prices for seeing a Dr, prescriptions and tests. Certain medical conditions are totally free and if hospitalized all treatment, operations etc are free with a small overnight charge


----------



## caravan (May 18, 2014)

*healthcare for EC citizens*

Thank you both so much! I guessed the info was somewhere but I am just trying to navigate this forum! Really big help!


----------



## caravan (May 18, 2014)

But.. I know this should be a new thread but I bet it is out there somewhere! Do you know if we need to have a proof o f income for residency? ANd if so... how much? We have just read that you do in spain which shocked us!!!We thought that now we had the all clear re health care we were good to go!


----------



## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

Again, it seems to vary from area to area but for what it's worth, we got our residencias in Figueiro Dos Vinhos and were not asked to prove proof of income or worth etc.


----------



## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

Our local camara ask for proof of income. They are happy with a bank statement .only other thing needed was proof of address and passport


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

As TM says it does vary area to area, haven't heard in recent times that it comes up at all.

The official EU wording is "sufficient income (from any source) to live without needing income support" you cannot be asked to prove more or refused Residence if your "income from any source" is above, you now want to know what that figure is and to be honest I'm not sure but your UK Pension covers it more than adequately.

I wouldn't fret about it or offer anything, but just have with you latest P60's or a Portuguese bank statement

Proof of address Siobhán mentioned is normally obtained from your local Junta da Fresquisa Parish Council called an Astestado some charge a nominal fee some don't


----------



## caravan (May 18, 2014)

Oh thanks everyone!!! That is wonderful news! We can press on! All we need now is a house!


----------



## travelling-man (Jun 17, 2011)

caravan said:


> Oh thanks everyone!!! That is wonderful news! We can press on! All we need now is a house!


Can I ask if you have any particular area in mind? 

We more or less stuck a pin in a map to decide on where to rent and then we spent the next 6 months looking at properties all over Portugal.......... and then ended up buying just a few miles from where our pin had landed all those months ago! LOL!


----------



## caravan (May 18, 2014)

ok that's seems a good plan what will be will be


----------

