Benefits in Europe – a quick glance

The table below provides a brief summary of health, welfare and social care benefits and entitlements older British nationals may be entitled to on leaving the UK and migrating to France, Germany or Portugal.

UK France Germany Portugal Cyprus Pensions Category A – fully exportable. State pension Category B – fully exportable.

Category D – non-exportable. Welfare/Social Mainly contributory-earning Non-contributory means-test/ Two welfare systems Contribution-based. Assistance related mean-tested benefit. needs-assessment. 1) Contributory social Eligibility criteria: insurance and Previous contributions/ Eligibility criteria: Eligibility criteria: 2) non-contributory means- payments. Registered with social services Below means-test threshold. tested welfare assistance. for at least a year. Minimum qualifying Eligibility criteria: employment contributions Must satisfy residency 12 months prior to making criteria and contributions a claim. where applicable.

Benefits: Benefits: Benefits Non contributory benefits: Benefits: Pension Credit Permanent disability pension Krankengeld Complemento por 14 benefits available. Non-exportable. Attendance Allowance/ Sickness Benefit. dependência UK migrants ineligible unless Carers Allowance. Attendance Allowance. previous payments made. Long term incapacity Benefit Hilfe zum Lebensunterhalt (Invalidity benefit) Allocation Aux Adultes Includes Attendance Subdidio mensal vitalício Welfare system undergoing Exportable, must be below Handicapés Allowance, Cold weather Disability living allowance. major overhaul, system may qualifying age limit. Disability living allowance. payments, Funeral payment, change in next few years. Pension credit. Pensão por invalids Short-term incapacity benefit Sickness allowance Invalidity pension. (Sickness benefit) – Leistungen fur Pflegeoersonen exportable but exportation Death grant Carers allowance. Pensão por vekhice may mean it does not lead to Old age pension. IB long term. UK France Germany Portugal Cyprus Welfare/Social Benefits: Benefits: Benefits: Assistance Disability Living Allowance Witwen-oder Waisentente Rendimento Social Bereavement. de Inserçao Attendance Allowance Pension credit. Wohngeld Carers Allowance Housing benefit. 13th month Exportable – claim must Christmas bonus. be received in UK prior Receipt of full UK pension to migration. will take recipients over Subsídio de funeral threshold. Funeral grant. Pensioner ‘underlying entitlement’ to carers Subsídio de renda allowance unclear. Housing allowance.

Winter fuel payment Isenção do pagamento Exportable do Imposto Municipal (existing claim only). sobre Imovies Council tax exemption. Disablement Benefit Exportable if injury occurred Subsidio por morte in UK prior to migration. Death grant.

Bereavement Payment Rigorous means-testing Must return to UK within four makes qualification very weeks of death to be eligible. difficult for UK pensioners.

Bereavement Benefits Must be below pensionable age – Existing claims – exportable. New claim made via social service in host country.

Christmas Bonus Exportable.

Cold Weather Payment Non-exportable. UK France Germany Portugal Cyprus Welfare/Social Benefits: Assistance Funeral Payment Non-exportable.

Housing and Council Tax Benefit Non-exportable.

Income Support Non-exportable. Social Care Non-exportable. Mixed provision, very little Eligibility criteria: Scant social care provision. Eligibility criteria: fully funded state provision. 65 yrs+ Informal care generally All Cypriot residents able to provided by family. apply, but subject to rigorous Eligibility criteria: Universal non-contributory means-testing. Means-tested. for all permanent residents. Eligibility criteria: Means-tested. Receipt of Services: EU nationals unlikely to Services: UK pension likely to take Home care qualify without invalidating Cash benefits recipients over threshold. Day-care rights to residency. Nursing aid Residential care Residential care Services: Domiciliary care allowance National Agency for Home care Vacation-Cheques (ANCV). Part state funded. Respite care Eligible Social Services Financial assistance with Home help provision include: holidays for 60yrs+ on Home adaptations modest incomes Direct payments Lar de idosos (long term Meals care), Serviço de apoio domiciliario (home care) Acolhimento familiar para pessoas idosas (older people family fostering) Centrode noite (night care centre). Long term care Non-contributory dependency based assessment eligible to all permanent residents. UK France Germany Portugal Cyprus Health Statutory Health Care – NHS Eligibility criteria: Krankenkassen Serviço National de Saúde Non-universal means-tested. Already in receipt of health Compulsory statutory Universal health care for all Ordinarily dependent on care, French citizen, dependent health insurance. Portuguese citizens. Eligibility criteria: habitual residency in the UK, of person legally entitled Annual individual income health cover in host country to healthcare. Eligibility criteria: Eligibility criteria: NHS user below £12,328. normally required. Approximately 14% annual card – acquired with proof Services: income contribution required. of Portugal registration Free access for people with Exceptions: Outpatients certificate and UK passport. chronic life threatening E106 – Eligible for 2½ yrs Diagnostic services Services: diseases. UK funded health care if not Medical and dental If 65 yrs+ proof of state Pharmaceutical products Services available: in receipt of pension of or Medical appliances Hospital pension and E121 only UK benefit. Must meet NI Drugs, dressing, required. GP (in and out patients) Prostheses Medication and contribution requirement. Health care related transport complimentary treatment Aids and wheelchairs Services: pharmaceutical material E121 – Eligible for long-term Approximately 70% of Preventative dentistry for No official line on range diagnostic and paramedical UK funded treatment, same as costs reimbursed. certain groups of services available. Hospitalisation nationals of host country. Must Medically necessary crowns Strong culture of private Dental care be in receipt of state pension/ All inactive EU residents, Prevention and detection of health insurance. Medical rehabilitation long-term incapacity benefit. under retirement age required certain diseases Prosthetic and orthopaedic to have private health Preventative inoculations Patient transport insurance, once they have (excluding work) lived in France for two years. Additional top up payment required for other services.

Source: Liverpool University, 2008 An International Comparison of Health, Social Care and Welfare Legislation and its Effect on Older British National’s Mobility within the European Union: Final Report Prepared for Age Concern England and The Royal British Legion. http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/Documents/Older_People_in_Europe_Health_Social_and_Welfare_Full_Report.pdf