S1 question

[Wicksey]

We were both able to register on the NHS here some years ago due to us being tax resident prior to 2012. When I am officially a pensioner should I apply for the S1? I had heard somewhere that I should, although I can't remember where or why! I understand that the UK will give me the EHIC if I get registered under the S1 which would be useful as I do not have cover when travelling to other EU countries at the moment. Are prescriptions any cheaper, or any other advantage to being registered under the S1 system rather than as I am now? The thought of the paperwork involved is a bit daunting (having dealt with the DWP last year which was a nightmare) and not sure how I register the S1 when I am already in the system.

[casita-bonita]

Like you we were on the health service by virtue of bei g resident prior to 2012. I reached pension age a couple of years ago and received my S1. Initially i didn't register it as I was concerned that given the often inefficient spanish administration systems that it would mess up, albeit maybe temporarily my existing cover. Couple of years passed and i started to get concerned that somewhete in the spanish system the penny would drop that i was of pensionable age and yet tje uk weren't paying for my medical services... It is pretty much impossible to get a face to face appointment with social services, and i heard many horror stories from people who had tried to register it themselves online.. About 6 months ago i received email from the uk DSS basically saying that i hadn't registered my s1, and that if i hadn't registered it by a certain date it would be withdrawn.. So just before Christmas we engaged a gestor to handle it for us. Ladt week we received confirmation from spanish nhs that our s1s had been cirrectly registered.. Have just completed the application for EHIC cards. My wife's was done and confirmed in a couple of days. Mine I'm still waiting.

Haven't fulfilled any prescriptions since then so can't comment on any impact it may have on costs.

[Wicksey]

Thanks for that insight. Did you apply to the UK for the S1, when you say you received it, presumably it wasn't just sent to you automatically?

That was my worry, that I would end up somewhere in limbo when trying to change between my current system and the S1. We have managed to do most things ourselves here (changing to TIE, exchanging driving licence etc) and I was hoping to sort this out myself when the time comes.

Just had a look at the online application form and it looks pretty straightforward. Presumably it is like a new application, despite me already being in the system?

[firsttango]

Mine was sent to me here in Spain automatically and when received I applied online

[Wicksey]

That's interesting that I don't have to apply for it, that it should just be sent to me. That's answered that question thanks. Presumably when you apply online your health cover doesn't really get interrupted? Hopefully pretty straightforward

[casita-bonita]

Thanks for that insight. Did you apply to the UK for the S1, when you say you received it, presumably it wasn't just sent to you automatically?

That was my worry, that I would end up somewhere in limbo when trying to change between my current system and the S1. We have managed to do most things ourselves here (changing to TIE, exchanging driving licence etc) and I was hoping to sort this out myself when the time comes.

Just had a look at the online application form and it looks pretty straightforward. Presumably it is like a new application, despite me already being in the system?

Both mine and my wife's S1s were sent automatically.. The ehic on the other hand you have to subsequently apply for through the gov website.

[Wicksey]

Many thanks! Relieved I don't have to go through the process of applying.

[firsttango]

That's interesting that I don't have to apply for it, that it should just be sent to me. That's answered that question thanks. Presumably when you apply online your health cover doesn't really get interrupted? Hopefully pretty straightforward

Was very straightforward and seamless

[jogger]

Hi, I register my S1 next month on or after my 66th birthday, where do I apply for my EHIC/GHIC in the UK or Spain?
Thanks
Roy

[casita-bonita]

Hi, I register my S1 next month on or after my 66th birthday, where do I apply for my EHIC/GHIC in the UK or Spain?
Thanks
Roy

Once your S1 registration is fully completed you can apply for your EHIC on the UK Gov website. Only need to answer a couple of questions for the application. Couple of weeks later our cards were waiting at the Correos for collection..

[casita-bonita]

That's interesting that I don't have to apply for it, that it should just be sent to me. That's answered that question thanks. Presumably when you apply online your health cover doesn't really get interrupted? Hopefully pretty straightforward

Was very straightforward and seamless

Seamless, if only. Given that we'd been covered by the spanish NHS for over 10 years we wanted to go to the local SS office to register our S1s. Appointments were impossible to get so went the online option. Given the blackhole that Spanish administration can be we decided to employ a Gestor to handle it for us. So for peace of mind we used one who we knew had experience of the procedure.. After a couple of weeks we received letters from the spanish NHS stating that our S1s were correctly registered and we were entitled the healthcare under th S1 scheme. Success we thought.

Last week i needed to make an appointment at our village clinic to get staples from a recent operation removed. Normally a breeze using the Salud Responde app. I authenticated successfully but the app wouldn't let me make an appointment... Figuring there were issues with the app the next day we asked a friend of our to ring and make me an appointment. She called and was informed that my medical card, and my wifes had both been cancelled. This is inspite of the letters we received stating that we were entitled to healthcare under S1.. Call to the gestor who sorted it out in a couple of hours and my access to Salud Responde and the health service was restored....

[Free at Last]

Having been covered by an S1 as my husband's dependant for a few years, I got an S1 in my own right in September 2022 after I became a state pensioner. It was not sent to me automatically, I rang the DWP Overseas Health Department to request it. I did get an appointment (made online) at the INSS office in Vélez-Málaga to register it, it took a few days of checking before one became available. I found that a few appointments seemed to be released around 9.00 am each day, for a date seven days later and they were taken up very quickly. The person who registered mine said that I would receive the document confirming my entitlement to health care through the post, and I did not need to do anything with it such as taking it to the health centre and my tarjeta sanitaria would remain valid. Since that time my health care has continued without interruption and I've had no problem making appointments or collecting prescriptions. So in my case yes, it was seamless.

[jogger]

Thanks everybody for your responses. Free at Last do you have a UK EHIC card?

[Free at Last]

Thanks everybody for your responses. Free at Last do you have a UK EHIC card?

Yes, I do, valid until late 2025. DWP told me I didn't need a new one until the present one expires, but I haven't had to try to use it so haven't tested whether it still works or not!

[jogger]

Thanks everybody for your responses. Free at Last do you have a UK EHIC card?

Yes, I do, valid until late 2025. DWP told me I didn't need a new one until the present one expires, but I haven't had to try to use it so haven't tested whether it still works or not!

Thanks.

[olive]

What does your UK EHIC give you and where assuming you are registered here in the health service?

[Wicksey]

https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/health ... card-ghic/

It's something I also want to get when I'm officially a pensioner to give me some cover when I'm elsewhere in the EU. We do not take insurance when travelling so this will be useful if an emergency arises when we're outside of Spain. We always carried the EHIC card (old E111) when going away before but I was surprised we couldn't get one from Spain although we were on the NHS here, so we've been without that basic cover.

[jogger]

What does your UK EHIC give you and where assuming you are registered here in the health service?

Emergency medical care in EU countries.

[olive]

Similar to the TSE for people registered n the Spanish health system?

[peteroldracer]

The EHIC is for UK residents travelling in Europe, the GHIC for Spanish residents going to other EU countries. As a UK pensioner with an S1 you are entitled to NHS treatment if you visit the UK - when we go I register as a visitor with a practice local to where we stay, and get any treatment and prescriptions free based on my list from Spain, though there can be shortages of e.g. insulin there so I try to take enough meds for my trip.