Pension Age

[happyhotspur]

My husband is 58 and I am 57 but at what age do I qualify for the Spanish Pension age.

In the UK as I am on the new 'sliding scale' system I wont qualify until I am 62.2 years old. But was curious to know about here in Spain.

[campo babe]

The pension age in Spain is 65 for both men and women.

[gerryh]

Are you asking at what age you can get a Spanish pension or at what age ae you regarded as a pensioner in Spain?
If you qualify for an UK pension then you and your dependent are regarded as pensioners in Spain.
When my wife started getting her UK pension we were both regarded as pensioners in Spain.
Cheers
Gerry

[happyhotspur]

Many thanks for your responses, I put the question very badly but gerryh answered what I was really trying to say, thanks.

[sheilap]

another poser my husband was pensioned from the MOD and our only income is from goverment pensions are we classed as pensioners he is 61 and I am a lot younger not saying by how much

[masterob]

No, I was in that position. You only qualify as a pensioner when you become a State Pensioner i.e in receipt of the State Pension, which, as you know, for men is 65 in the UK (as it is in Spain).

[Campo Steve]

I am still a little confused. Can someone clarify it for me?

We retired early. Moved to Spain, aren't working and don't intend working here. Living off works pension from UK. Only state pension we will get is from UK.

Once we become pensioners we will then qualify for health care here I believe. I'm not sure if that means full health care or whether it is on the basis of E111.

At what age will that be? In UK, with the rising pension age, we will both be 65 before getting state pension. What is the retirement age for women in Spain and, if different from UK, which is the qualifying age for the E11/healthcare, Spanish or British?

And what is the situation re health cover? Full cover or E111?

edit. Just read the previous posts again. Looks like my wife will be 65 before being classed as a pensioner.

[gerryh]

As soon as one of you qualify for a state pension from the UK you apply for an E121 form, naming the partner, of whatever age, as a dependant.
You will then be classed, in Spain, as Spanish pensioners, after you have submitted the E121 form to the Spanish authorities and get free health care.
Cheers
Gerry

[peteroldracer]

Campo Steve: firstly, there is not (and has not been for some years) such a thing as an E111. It was replaced by the EHIC - European Health Insurance Card. This is for short-term visitors to Spain (up to three months at a time) and gives cover for emergency treatment only. It does not give the right to register with a health centre doctor, nor to get any free prescriptions. It also does not give cover for previously known medical conditions, although often people are treated then not necesarily followed up with a bill.
If you are resident in Spain, on attaining UK retirement age provided you qualify by having previously paid in enough to the UK social security, you should be entitled to full health care in Spain (same cover as a Spaniard would get), provided you have obtained a form E121 from the UK, and had this approved and accepted by the Spanish health system. If you are one of an accepted couple (may need to prove this by presenting a Certificado de Conviviencia, or a marriage certificate along with your Padron) with the other person not yet of pensionable age, you may have them added to your E121 as a dependant, and then they too can get full healthcare cover.
Once you have your Spanish health card ("tarjeta") you may obtain an EHIC issued here in Spain to show you are entitled to the same level of emergency care elsewhere in the EU (including the UK) for short visits. This system is due to change next year, and the EHIC for a Briton will be issued by the UK authorities rather then Spain.
I hope this is all correct (experts feel free to comment), and that it proves useful.
Can everyone please make a New Year's Resolution to never ever use the phrase "E111" again!

[Campo Steve]

Thanks Gerry and Peter. That has now made it clear in my mind. It is what I thought it was.

Apologies for calling it an E111. I knew it was EHIC but having been looking into loads of other E... forms I forgot. EHIC it is from now on.

[gerryh]

Also be aware that in certain circumstances you and your partner can get an E121 form without being UK pensioners.
My wife was on incapacity benefit before we moved to Spain.
This entitled her to an E121 so both of us where regarded as Spanish pensioners when we moved here and both received free healthcare.
Cheers
Gerry

[peteroldracer]

Just an additional thought - one must, of course, deregister with one's UK GP to be able to register here. That will upset the ditherers and dodderers that try to keep a foot in both camps!

[Campo Steve]

Too many people don't deregicter and get away with it. Annoys me intensely.

[peteroldracer]

I understand that the DWP now check that you have deregistered before authorising an E121 - let's face it, the GP would be fraudulently claiming the percapita allowance for anyone that they knew no longer lived in the UK, wouldn't they!.......

[Mariposa]

If you have the certificado de convivienza does this mean the uk authorities would then class you as a couple even if you have not married or done civil partnership. ie would you lose any entitlements you have as a person of single status?