# UK bills V's Spanish bills



## wonfor (Oct 25, 2012)

I've heard different stories on this one but what are bills like in Spain compared to the uk. At the moment (and specifically during winter) our Council tax, gas and electric bills amount to more than £400 a month in the uk (!!). Community charges in Spain don't seem to be too high and gas is certainly not used as much as in the uk (heating wise). Are there any hidden extras? Also, what about motoring fees i.e. insurance, road tax etc?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

wonfor said:


> I've heard different stories on this one but what are bills like in Spain compared to the uk. At the moment (and specifically during winter) our Council tax, gas and electric bills amount to more than £400 a month in the uk (!!). Community charges in Spain don't seem to be too high and gas is certainly not used as much as in the uk (heating wise). Are there any hidden extras? Also, what about motoring fees i.e. insurance, road tax etc?


community charges /council tax /road tax are generally lower - gas & electricity can be higher - houses are harder to heat in winter, so bills can be huge then 

I know you didn't mention phone & internet, but they are very much more expensive than in the UK


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

Wouldn't they as a couple, in their early 40's, have to pay for private medical insurance?, unless their incomes be declared to Spanish Tax authorities? It states on their flag they are expat in New Zealand but location Enfield.
If they have been expat, out of UK for over 2 years,they might not be entitled to S1 cover for the 2.5 years. They would have to check with Newcastle about that one!
We were not entitled to S1, as British Nationals, but expat in Hk, immediately before I moved here more permanently.We still have Worldwide comprehensive private medical cover, but as I am officially now claiming my State Pension, which is paid into our Bank in Spain, I am entitled to full state health care as I would have been in the UK, and still advised to keep Private Health cover by the Uk pensions dept, which we do anyway.
Re the children, I would be really concerned moving the two older children you have, to a new country away from any friends they have.
I speak from experience, we moved our 3 children, only in the same country UK, from the NW to Essex, no language barrier, the youngest age 17yrs had just started a course at a prestigious Catholic College in the NW, we are not Catholics, but his exam results were very good.
On moving to Essex, we found the same academic course's locally, he wouldn't settle and study, he missed the most important people in his life (apart from us)- his friends, so gave up the studies, worked at any 'going nowhere job', and did a few 'runners' to his friends. We rented housing so that he might pick up the pieces and study back in NW, he never did settle back to the study, got himself into all kinds of debt, and the Bank of Mum and Dad was slowly going down the drain.
He eventually came back to live at home with us in Essex, and 'gradually' found his way in life with work. Now he is happily married with a lovely 'born and bred' southern girl,and holds down a job which he is interested in, but only settled at nearly 30 years old!
Our Daughter, also did a couple of 'runners' to her young loves dream in NW, frankly, he was a waster,but she didn't realise that at the time, again funded by the Bank of Mum and Dad, because we couldn't see our children suffer. She eventually saw sense, and came to live back at home,formed her own company, then got married, again to a southern guy, and has 3 beautiful daughters.
In the teenage years the children's friends, as as important, if not more, than their parents, be prepared to cope with their angst especially if they don't speak the language, the youngest child should be absolutely fine, because they will be bi-lingual.


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## wonfor (Oct 25, 2012)

No the expat from New Zealand was an option we were looking to explore last year when we joined the website. Not sure how to change the New Zealand symbol. We've ruled out New Zealand now. We are both British born


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

wonfor said:


> No the expat from New Zealand was an option we were looking to explore last year when we joined the website. Not sure how to change the New Zealand symbol. We've ruled out New Zealand now. We are both British born


you can go into USER CP & change the 'expat to' flag


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## wonfor (Oct 25, 2012)

Thanks for that! I'll give it a go.


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