# Help please???



## Emmabee (Jul 21, 2013)

Hi, I'm looking at moving to Spain, possibly one of the islands like alicante etc. currently unemployed but looking for work, also have two kids one is nearly 3 and one is 5. How are the schools there? And can I transfer benefits etc?? Will I get temporary help with rent etc. I'm desperate to make the move to give my kids a better life.
Thanks in advance xx


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Do you know that there is 28% unemployment in Spain?
Your Child Benefit, Unemployment pay etc are not transferable to Spain, unfortunately. There is no Housing Benefit and you will get no temporary help of any kind, I'm afraid.You will also need to prove that you have a yearly income of roughly £6000 per person including children paid into a Spanish bank account before you can register with the authorities.

If you speak no Spanish, have no contracted employment and no profession or skill in demand your chances of getting a job are very low.

Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear but it's the sad truth.

By the way, Alicante is mainland Spain, Costa Blanca.


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Emmabee said:


> Hi, I'm looking at moving to Spain, possibly one of the islands like alicante etc. currently unemployed but looking for work, also have two kids one is nearly 3 and one is 5. How are the schools there? And can I transfer benefits etc?? Will I get temporary help with rent etc. I'm desperate to make the move to give my kids a better life.
> Thanks in advance xx


:welcome:

sorry to have to tell you that, although you can theoretically have your jobseekers allowance transferred here for up to 3 months, reports are that it can take that long to actually get it sorted out, so you might be left with nothing

also, there is nothing like help with rent or anything else benefit wise in Spain, for anyone

unemployment is more than 3 times that of the UK as well - so the chances of finding work are slim to put it mildly

while I understand your wish to give your kids a better life - that's why we came 10 years ago - this really isn't the right time


----------



## Emmabee (Jul 21, 2013)

Thanks for replies guys, yeah realised my mistake once I'd left the post about islands and alicante lol. I speak fluent Spanish and have level 3 hair and beauty and a degree in acupuncture. I'm not just a dole bum looking for an escape lol...


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Emmabee said:


> Thanks for replies guys, yeah realised my mistake once I'd left the post about islands and alicante lol. I speak fluent Spanish and have level 3 hair and beauty and a degree in acupuncture. I'm not just a dole bum looking for an escape lol...


great that you speak fluent Spanish 

it might give you the edge over someone who doesn't

with those qualifications why don't you have work in the UK?


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> great that you speak fluent Spanish
> 
> it might give you the edge over someone who doesn't
> 
> with those qualifications why don't you have work in the UK?


She didn't say she was out of work xabiachica; she did ask about benefits though, probably child benefit which it seems IS available for those living in Spain. Must have changed! See here
https://www.gov.uk/living-in-spain#uk-benefits-which-you-can-apply-for-after-leaving-the-uk

Emmabee - How come you speak fluent Spanish? Have you lived here or in South America?? 

Remember, you'll only be giving your kids a better life if you have work, so look for work before you come!


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Pesky Wesky said:


> She didn't say she was out of work xabiachica; she did ask about benefits though, probably child benefit which it seems IS available for those living in Spain. Must have changed! See here
> https://www.gov.uk/living-in-spain#uk-benefits-which-you-can-apply-for-after-leaving-the-uk
> 
> Emmabee - How come you speak fluent Spanish? Have you lived here or in South America??
> ...


WOW! That is a change! 

We wrote to them and told them we had moved to Spain. Within a week or so, they had written back asking us to repay some 'over-paid' child benefit!


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> She didn't say she was out of work xabiachica; she did ask about benefits though, probably child benefit which it seems IS available for those living in Spain. Must have changed! See here
> https://www.gov.uk/living-in-spain#uk-benefits-which-you-can-apply-for-after-leaving-the-uk
> 
> Emmabee - How come you speak fluent Spanish? Have you lived here or in South America??
> ...


she did say she was unemployed.....

yes, I did know that child benefit was transferable now - but she asked about housing benefit.....


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> she did say she was unemployed.....
> 
> yes, I did know that child benefit was transferable now - but she asked about housing benefit.....


OK, just spoken to HMRC in UK about child benefit. Their answer is that you can NOT have child benefit if you are permanently in Spain UNLESS you are currently making NI payments or you are part of 'Crown Services'.

However, she said every case was taken on it's merits so you may as well put in a claim.


So, basically the answer is that Child Benefit is NOT transferable unless you are continuing to make NI payments in UK (through work or voluntary contributions)!


----------



## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Also note that not all foreign qualifications are recognised in Spain. Interesting that you have a degree in acupuncture. From which university did you get that?


----------



## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

snikpoh said:


> OK, just spoken to HMRC in UK about child benefit. Their answer is that you can NOT have child benefit if you are permanently in Spain UNLESS you are currently making NI payments or you are part of 'Crown Services'.
> 
> However, she said every case was taken on it's merits so you may as well put in a claim.
> 
> ...


interesting - I had seen on the UKinSpain site that it was in some circumstances transferable - hadn't got as far as checking further

I wonder if being in receipt of job-seekers allowance would carry child benefit with it?

either way - if that was all the OP had coming in, it would hardly be enough to get by on here until (if) she was lucky enough to find employment , without any other benefits


----------

