This is a
statement issued by the British Consulate in Madrid following recent media reports about the
impact of Brexit on the rights of UK nationals living in Spain, which may have
caused concern to UK citizens living in Europe.
The Consulate makes clear the actions that UK nationals in Spain need to take
to continue living and working in Spain as they do now, as well as reassuring
those who need to access healthcare and pensions.
The Consulate is working with embassies, including in Spain, to help UK
nationals get ready for Brexit. This week an extra £3 million fund has been
announced for charities so they can assist you with your residency
applications.
Your healthcare
The Spanish
Government has taken steps to ensure that resident UK nationals and UK tourists
visiting Spain will be able to access healthcare after Brexit until at least 31
December 2020. This is the case whether we leave the EU with or without a deal.
The UK is working with other EU and EFTA countries, including Spain, by
proposing to keep existing healthcare arrangements in place until at least
December 2020.This means that the same principle applies to Spanish nationals
living in or visiting the UK, whose access to healthcare will also remain
unchanged.
Your pension
The UK government will continue to pay your state pension as it does now, and you do not need to take any action to keep receiving your pension.
Actions you need to take now:
- register as a resident in Spain
- register for healthcare as a resident in Spain
- exchange your UK driving licence for a Spanish one
- check your passport is valid for travel
You can also sign up for email alerts if you live in Spain.
If you live in another EU or EFTA country, check the Living in Guide for your country to see the actions you need to take on residency, registering for healthcare, driving licences and passports.
