# retiree - is my non-retiree wife entitled to healthcare?



## bwingran (Sep 11, 2014)

As a retiree,i am entitled to free health care,i think,is my wife also entitled also even though she is not yet of retirement age?any help and advice greatly appreciated.We live in the Province of Granada.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

bwingran said:


> As a retiree,i am entitled to free health care,i think,is my wife also entitled also even though she is not yet of retirement age?any help and advice greatly appreciated.We live in the Province of Granada.


:welcome:

yes, your wife is entitled to be registered into the state healthcare system as your dependant

you need to ensure that she is listed as such by the DWP in Newcastle on your S1 - though they might issue her with her own (I've heard of both scenarios)


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

bwingran said:


> As a retiree, i am entitled to free health care, I think, is my wife also entitled also even though she is not yet of retirement age? any help and advice greatly appreciated.We live in the Province of Granada.


My wife was covered when she was 36 as my dependant. She did not and does not work. 

Unless they have changed the rules, when I die she will get 12 months cover and then nothing. She is non-EU. Although, again unless they change the rules, she should get free cover after I die from Spain as she was resident before 24.4.12

(The NHS pay something around £3,000 p.a. for each person they approve cover for in Spain)

Also. I guess you know you are also entitled to additional OAP for her too. I think it is something like £55 p.w. which is added to my OAP


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

larryzx said:


> My wife was covered when she was 36 as my dependant. She did not and does not work.
> 
> Unless they have changed the rules, when I die she will get 12 months cover and then nothing. She is non-EU. Although, again unless they change the rules, she should get free cover after I die from Spain as she was resident before 24.4.12
> 
> Also. I guess you know you are also entitled to additional OAP for her too.


yes, if that were to happen, she might find that her tarjeta sanitaria becomes inactive /cancelled 12 months after you die - she would then need to 're-apply' under the '24.4.12' rules


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## bwingran (Sep 11, 2014)

Thank you xabiachica and larrzx for your responses.It was as I thought,I Just hope The governments do not change the rules.


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## Expatliving (Oct 21, 2013)

larryzx said:


> My wife was covered when she was 36 as my dependant. She did not and does not work.
> 
> Unless they have changed the rules, when I die she will get 12 months cover and then nothing. She is non-EU. Although, again unless they change the rules, she should get free cover after I die from Spain as she was resident before 24.4.12
> 
> ...


Blimey Larry, you never know mate you might out live her? There's nothing like being optimistic eh?


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

Expatliving said:


> Blimey Larry, you never know mate you might out live her? There's nothing like being optimistic eh?


As she is 30 years younger than me I hope not !


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## bwingran (Sep 11, 2014)

I Did not know about extra pension for my Wife,how do i get that,because it will make a lot of difference to our standard of living.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

bwingran said:


> I Did not know about extra pension for my Wife,how do i get that,because it will make a lot of difference to our standard of living.


(You are supposed to inform DWP of all changes which affect your allowances. Being married is one.)

Just inform DWP now and you will get the extra from the date you inform them

I got my son to inform DWP when I got married in Manila (I emailed a 'signed' letter which he posted in UK) so I got the extra from then, not four months later when I returned to Spain.


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

larryzx said:


> My wife was covered when she was 36 as my dependant. She did not and does not work.
> 
> Unless they have changed the rules, when I die she will get 12 months cover and then nothing. She is non-EU. Although, again unless they change the rules, she should get free cover after I die from Spain as she was resident before 24.4.12
> 
> ...


What if the wife is working, or has worked, and will be entitled to an OAP in her own right when she becomes of age?
Would the husband still get the additional pension for her before then?


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

extranjero said:


> What if the wife is working, or has worked, and will be entitled to an OAP in her own right when she becomes of age?
> Would the husband still get the additional pension for her before then?


The clue I believe is in ' Dependant'. So if working not dependant. If not working and dependant the extra is payable.

My post at No.3 "_My wife was covered when she was 36 as my dependant. She did not and does not work. "_


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

larryzx said:


> The clue I believe is in ' Dependant'. So if working not dependant. If not working and dependant the extra is payable.
> 
> My post at No.3 "_My wife was covered when she was 36 as my dependant. She did not and does not work. "_


But what if the wife has worked for years, and will get her own OAP, but in the meantime is not working for the last 5 years or so before she gets the pension, or perhaps already gets a work pension after retiring early?


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

extranjero said:


> What if the wife is working, or has worked, and will be entitled to an OAP in her own right when she becomes of age?
> Would the husband still get the additional pension for her before then?


Yes of course , if she is a dependant, until she reaches pension age, he would get the allowance.


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

larryzx said:


> Yes of course , if she is a dependant, until she reaches pension age, he would get the allowance.


Doesn't seem right, if she is already getting a works pension. Not exactly a dependent is she ?
Something for George Osborne to mull over perhaps!


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

extranjero said:


> Doesn't seem right, if she is already getting a works pension. Not exactly a dependent is she ?
> Something for George Osborne to mull over perhaps!


Sorry but if she is not a dependant then she is not a dependant. A person who has an income is not a dependant !

That is why I tried to make it clear when I said "_My wife was covered when she was 36 as my dependant. She did not and does not work."  i.e. dependant on me.

Am I missing something here ?_


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

larryzx said:


> My wife was covered when she was 36 as my dependant. She did not and does not work.
> 
> Unless they have changed the rules, when I die she will get 12 months cover and then nothing. She is non-EU. Although, again unless they change the rules, she should get free cover after I die from Spain as she was resident before 24.4.12
> 
> ...


They stopped that Larry a few years back (extra for dependant) 
In the scale of the social budget the £55 was a pittance but this pittance helped pay for much more deserving things like (?) ....... foreign aid most of which goes to Big Sir of course.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

VFR said:


> They stopped that Larry a few years back (extra for dependent)
> In the scale of the social budget the £55 was a pittance but this pittance helped pay for much more deserving things like (?) ....... foreign aid most of which goes to Big Sir of course.


I still get it, around £2,800 p.a. quite a 'pittance' in my book.

I just looked on the internet, seems to be £64.90 p.w. now, so, £3,370 p.a..


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

larryzx said:


> I still get it, around £2,800 p.a. quite a 'pittance' in my book.
> 
> I just looked on the internet, seems to be £64.90 p.w. now, so, £3,370 p.a..


Not a pittance, then
If you think it is, then perhaps it could be donated to a worthy cause?


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

VFR said:


> They stopped that Larry a few years back (extra for dependant)
> In the scale of the social budget the £55 was a pittance but this pittance helped pay for much more deserving things like (?) ....... foreign aid most of which goes to Big Sir of course.


seems you are right 

Extract:- 

_6.3 Increases for adult dependants

In the past a man could claim an increase in his State Pension for a 
dependant wife who was under State Pension age, and in limited 
circumstances a woman was able to claim for a dependant husband. The 
rules changed and since 6 April 2010 it has not been possible to claim an 
increase for a dependant spouse. This also applies if you reached State 
Pension age before 6 April 2010 but put off claiming your State Pension until 
that date or later. Check if you can claim Pension Credit instead.

If you were already receiving an increase in your State Pension for a n adult
dependant at the time the new rules came into effect on 6 April 2010, you can 
continue to get the increase as long as you continue to meet the conditions 
explained below until the dependant (if the increase is payable for your wife) 
reaches State Pension age or 5 April 2020, whichever is sooner. 

Dependant wives 
If you are a married man aged 65 or over and have been receiving the 
increase for your wife since before 6 April 2010 and you live together, your 
State Pension will be increased by a maximum of £64.90 a week. However, 
you will not get any increase for your wife if she reaches State Pension age 
or gets certain benefits of at least this amount a week. The increase may also 
be affected by any earnings she has. You will not be able to get the increase 
if she is working and earns more than £72.40 a week (after some expenses 
connected with work have been deducted). Any occupational or personal 
pension she gets will be counted as earnings. 

If you do not live with your wife, you may be able to get the increase as set 
out above if you are making a contribution to her maintenance. In this 
situation the increase will not be paid if she earns more than £64.90 a week_


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Thanks for making it clear that this additional pension for dependants has been stopped (no doubt for new claimants, but not withdrawn from existing ones, hence why Larryzx still receives it for his wife).

My husband has just gone through the process of claiming his state pension, and will not be receiving any extra payment for me although I don't currently have any income of my own. I won't receive my own state pension for another 8 years although I will be getting some of my occupational pension entitlements from next year and others in 2016 when I turn 60.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

larryzx said:


> I still get it, around £2,800 p.a. quite a 'pittance' in my book.
> 
> I just looked on the internet, seems to be £64.90 p.w. now, so, £3,370 p.a..


Larry I said "in the scale of the social budget"


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