# asthma inhalers



## rewdan

Hi, Mrs rewdan suffers from Asthma and is concerned with the best way to obtain prescription Inhalers when we move here. We will be joint resident in both the uk and Spain for tax purposes although our Spanish earnings will be non existant and are both well below retirement age. We will make a number of trips back to the Uk each year but she doesn't want to rely on this to top up on inhalers whilst there. Does anyone have any reassuring info I could give her. Thanks


----------



## angil

I buy them over the counter at the pharmacy! (Ventolin; haven't needed anything else yet) I think they are about €3? Don't quote me. Very cheap and easy though. Its one of the very few things I have encountered here that is genuinely easier and cheaper than anywhere else I have lived!


----------



## Lynn R

angil said:


> I buy them over the counter at the pharmacy! (Ventolin; haven't needed anything else yet) I think they are about €3? Don't quote me. Very cheap and easy though. Its one of the very few things I have encountered here that is genuinely easier and cheaper than anywhere else I have lived!


I agree, we have relatives and friends who always buy them here whilst on holiday, over the counter, as it is so much cheaper than paying the prescription charge back home.


----------



## xabiaxica

not all farmacias will sell inhalers OTC without a prescription - & they aren't all cheap either

my daughter's inhaler would be about 80€ without a state prescription

rewdan - from what you say you won't have access to state healthcare here?

in that case the best thing would be to bring as many as you are allowed & also ask your GP for an International prescription which can be used at a farmacia here - I believe you have to pay full cost though


----------



## rewdan

thanks all, she will be straight down on monday if they are open, she is only on Ventolin. We are currently at our home in Ibiza and the pine tree pollen is driving her mad, could have been a deal breaker on the move over. Armed with the above info we could be ok! Thanks


----------



## angil

rewdan said:


> thanks all, she will be straight down on monday if they are open, she is only on Ventolin. We are currently at our home in Ibiza and the pine tree pollen is driving her mad, could have been a deal breaker on the move over. Armed with the above info we could be ok! Thanks


Their generic Cetirizina tablets are dirt cheap as well (compared to the likes of Zirtek & Piriton). Maybe they would help? Spring is a killer for me whatever country! At least I haven't had to deal with Cherry Blossom this year! Hope you manage to buy the Ventolin inhaler over the counter. I have used several different pharmacies and had no problem. I am guessing if I needed a preventer inhaler as oppose to just a reliever maybe then I would need a prescription? & yes I know they are expensive.


----------



## lynn

We buy ventolin and becotide inhalers over the counter. Cost is around 3.50 Euros each. Never had any problem getting them!


----------



## snikpoh

rewdan said:


> Hi, Mrs rewdan suffers from Asthma and is concerned with the best way to obtain prescription Inhalers when we move here. We will be joint resident in both the uk and Spain for tax purposes although our Spanish earnings will be non existant and are both well below retirement age. We will make a number of trips back to the Uk each year but she doesn't want to rely on this to top up on inhalers whilst there. Does anyone have any reassuring info I could give her. Thanks


Others have answered the question about inhalers - of which I have no knowledge. 

What did puzzle me was your statement about being "joint tax resident in UK and Spain". I would say this was all but impossible. If you are in Spain for more than 182 days per calendar year, then you are tax resident in Spain and will need to submit a tax declaration for your worldwide income. If you are in Spain for less than 183 days, then you are UK tax resident.


----------



## thrax

*All* inhalers are readily available where we live OTC. The most common, as stated above, are far cheaper than via prescription in UK. But there are some which are very expensive. My OH has serious asthma and her main drug is €64 OTC although we recently qualified for Spanish healthcare so this isn't the issue it used to be. Having said all that, there is one pharmacy who won't even sell paracetamol OTC without a prescription, but then hardly anyone, including Spanish, go there.


----------



## rewdan

snikpoh said:


> Others have answered the question about inhalers - of which I have no knowledge.
> 
> What did puzzle me was your statement about being "joint tax resident in UK and Spain". I would say this was all but impossible. If you are in Spain for more than 182 days per calendar year, then you are tax resident in Spain and will need to submit a tax declaration for your worldwide income. If you are in Spain for less than 183 days, then you are UK tax resident.


maybe I am not using the correct terminology, once we move we will have income generated from the Uk from rented property . We presumed we would need to continue to make tax returns in the Uk for this. We would be in Spain for more than 183 days and Ms Rewdan would have earned income in Spain, generated from a Uk website but as she is in Spain working remotely would also need to make a tax return in Spain. This is why I thought we would be joint tax resident in both the Uk and Spain.
Would it be that we are only liable for tax in the Uk and only tax resident in Spain?
Also, I want to keep paying my NI contributions in the Uk, would this be affected?


----------



## snikpoh

rewdan said:


> maybe I am not using the correct terminology, once we move we will have income generated from the Uk from rented property . We presumed we would need to continue to make tax returns in the Uk for this. We would be in Spain for more than 183 days and Ms Rewdan would have earned income in Spain, generated from a Uk website but as she is in Spain working remotely would also need to make a tax return in Spain. This is why I thought we would be joint tax resident in both the Uk and Spain.
> Would it be that we are only liable for tax in the Uk and only tax resident in Spain?
> Also, I want to keep paying my NI contributions in the Uk, would this be affected?


I think terminology can get in the way sometimes - you are both considered tax resident in Spain though.

The rental income in UK is certainly taxable in UK but is also taxable and needs to be declared in Spain. However, you can offset any UK tax already paid.

I would suggest that you need to do joint tax returns in UK and also joint tax returns in Spain. 
I would also suggest that you need to consult a decent tax accountant/advisor who can help you decide whether to do joint or individual returns.


----------



## rewdan

Thanks for that, all sounds as we thought however we are unclear how a joint tax return works, could you outline the main benefits. Didn't even know it existed to be honest, we have always made returns as individuals in the Uk. (we aren't married)


----------



## snikpoh

rewdan said:


> Thanks for that, all sounds as we thought however we are unclear how a joint tax return works, could you outline the main benefits. Didn't even know it existed to be honest, we have always made returns as individuals in the Uk. (we aren't married)


Ah ha, I hadn't realised that you were not married. I'm not sure if you can submit a joint tax return - I simply don't know.

What I do know is that not being married complicates things in so many ways.

How are you faring with Spanish health care - presumably as you are not married, the S1 form can't be used and as he's not working in Spain, you have no access to the Spanish health service?


----------



## rewdan

We haven't started looking at health care yet but are probably going to pay monthly and get private care. Clearly we need to give the tax situation a good looking into, best I research the S1 form too, but at the end of the day I do need to start looking into this


----------



## davee

hello to you, my wife has asthma and when needed we go to the pharmacia and buy them, if they don't understand just show them your used one, we have never had problems in 26 years. As for national insurance if you earn in UK just pay your dues, nat ins would be optional but would advise, pay it......good luck


----------



## rewdan

cheers Davee, we did manage to buy them over the counter, lots of relief for Ms Rewdan! She had 3 with her from the Uk but we had a massive pollen dump an she got panicked, now we know that she can buy them there is no longer that hurdle! Thanks again to everyone that replied.

Re the NI, whilst I wont be earning in the Uk I do want to keep both our payments up so that should we make it to retirement age we get a pension. Still got 20 odd years to go (40 years between us) but happy to continue to contribute. We will be making Uk tax returns as well for rental income but NI is set up on a direct debit so it can just tick on.
I hope this sounds like a good idea!?


----------

