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Will British people still be able to retire to France after Brexit?

Retiring abroad is the dream of many British people and France and Spain are among the most popular destinations for this - but this will become more difficult from 2021.

Will British people still be able to retire to France after Brexit?
If you dream of a future of pétanque on the beach this may be more complicated in 2021. Photo: AFP

While Brexit has already impacted the lives of British people who currently live in France, it will also affect those who have long-term plans to relocate here.

France has long been a popular place to retire to and many British second-home owners plan to one day change their holiday home into their main residence, not to mention those who still have intentions of buying their dream property in France.

But although owning property in France gives you a practical head start on your retirement plans, it doesn't afford you any extra legal rights in relation to moving here full time.

READ ALSO How long can British second home owners spent in France after Brexit?

Many of France's rural regions have low living costs which make them popular with retirees. Photo: AFP

France's excellent healthcare system and – in many places – cheap cost of living combine with its more general attractions (nice climate, interesting culture, delicious food and proximity to the UK) to make it both attractive and affordable for British pensioners.

Under EU freedom of movement, making the move has been relatively straightforward but once the Brexit transition period ends on December 31st 2020 things are set to change.

Exactly what the rules will be for British people who want to move to France after January 1st 2021 we don't yet know – it's one of the many things that still need to be agreed before the end of the transition period (along with the small matter of a trade deal).

Brexit: What Brits moving to France after December should know

But as non-EU citizens, it is likely that British people will face a regime similar to that already in place for third country nationals such as Americans and Australians.

And of course there are plenty of them who manage to retire to France so clearly it is not impossible. It is however a lot more complicated and considerably more expensive.

Here is a look at some of the key points for potential retirees in France; residency/visa rules, income level, healthcare and pensions.

Residency

For all British people, not just retirees, there is profound uncertainty over what the rules will be on moving to France after January 1st 2021.

Given that the UK is ending freedom of movement for EU citizens it effectively means that freedom of movement is ended for UK citizens.

It is still possible that France and the UK could come to a future bilateral agreement to make it easier for their citizens to move countries.

But in the lack of any such agreement, the rules for Brits moving to France are likely to be as they are for third country nationals at present.

That system is basically a two-step process – you need to secure a visa before you move and then once in France you need to get a carte de séjour residency permit.

For full details on how the visa system works, and how much it costs, click HERE.

There are many different types of visa but retirees generally fall into the 'long-stay visitor and other personal motives' category.

For this you will generally need to provide information on your financial situation and health insurance (more detail below).

Income

There's a stereotype that British retirees in France are all wealthy gin-swilling “expat” types, and while these undoubtedly exist many British pensioners in France live on very modest means.

Compared to the UK, property in France is cheap and this, combined with the relatively low cost of living outside the big cities, has made France a popular destination for those who need a stretch a small pension to make ends meet.

However getting a visa to retire to France requires, among other things, giving detailed financial information to prove that you will be able to independently finance your stay in France. A guideline figure that is often used for third country national applications is an income of more than €1,200 a month for one person.

You are likely to be asked for information about your financial situation, your pension and any savings you have as well as being able to demonstrate that you have insurance that will cover any medical costs while you are in France.

So while it is true that plenty of Americans, Australians and other third country nationals do retire to France, they tend to be people who are quite well off.

There is a charge for both visas and residency cards.

Healthcare costs need to be considered if you intend to move to France. Photo: AFP

Healthcare

With apologies to any retirees who are currently fit as a fiddle (or péter le feu – farting fire – as you say in French) healthcare is something that you need to consider as you get older.

At present the British government operates a scheme called S1 under which British pensioners who live in France register with the French healthcare system but the UK government reimburses their medical costs.

According to reports the UK is intending to end S1 cover after the Brexit transition period – meaning healthcare costs of British pensioners who move to France after December 31st will no long be reimbursed.

Importantly the UK is also proposing cutting social security benefits for people who move between the UK and the EU from after the transition period, although nothing has yet been agreed.

If there is no S1 or alternative scheme agred, then British pensioners may need to have comprehensive private medical cover – something that can be expensive or difficult to secure for people with long-term health problems.

Pensions

At present people who are paid a state pension in the UK can continue to claim it if they live in France and their pension will be uprated – raised in line with inflation, wage growth or price increases – every year.

For people resident in France before December 31st 2020, their UK pension will continue to be uprated for the rest of their lives.

For people who make the move after transition, however, there is no such guarantee at the moment that their state pension will be uprated.

Also to be considered is pension amalgamations for people who have worked in more than one country. At present if you have worked in more than one EU country your total pension contributions in both countries are added up and you are paid a single pension by the country you live in when you retire. This arrangement will continue for people covered by the Withdrawal Agreement (those legally resident in France by December 31st, 2020) but not for those who move afterwards.

Again, although an agreement to continue this arrangement could be negotiated in the future, at present there are no guarantees. 

 

The above all applies to people who plan to move to France after the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31st, 2020. If you are already living here or plan to make the move by the end of the year, your rights will be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement.

For more on the Withdrawal Agreement and what it means for residency, healthcare and travel, head to our Preparing for Brexit section.

 

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TRAVEL NEWS

EES: Eurostar could limit services over new biometric passport checks

Eurostar could be forced to cut the number of trains when the EU's new biometric border checks (EES) are rolled out in October, the owner of London's St Pancras International Station has warned.

EES: Eurostar could limit services over new biometric passport checks

HS1, the owner of the station and operator of the high-speed line between London and the Channel tunnel, is the latest body to raise concerns over the impact on travel of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) checks that are set to come into force in October 2024.

The new system which requires citizens from outside the EU or Schengen area to register before entering the zone would lead to long delays and potential capping of services and passenger numbers, HS1 warned.

The company said it needed nearly 50 new EES kiosks to process passengers but the French government had only proposed 24.

In evidence to the European scrutiny select committee, HS1 wrote: “We are told that the proposed kiosks are ‘optional’ as the process can be delivered at the border, but without about 49 additional kiosks located before the current international zone [at St Pancras] there would be unacceptable passenger delays of many hours and potential capping of services.”

With just 24 kiosks, Eurostar would be unable to process all passengers, particularly at the morning peak, and this could “lead to services having to be capped in terms of passenger numbers”, HS1 warned, adding that simple space restrictions at St Pancras station would make the EES difficult to implement.

The EES will register non-EU travellers who do not require a visa (those with residency permits in EU countries do not need to register but will be affected by delays) each time they cross a border in or out of the Schengen area. It will replace the old system of manual passport-stamping.

It will mean facial scans and fingerprints will have to be taken in front of border guards at the first entry into the Schengen area.

Travel bosses have repeatedly raised the alarm about the possible delays this would cause, especially at the UK-France border, which is used by 11 million passengers each year who head to France and other countries across Europe.

Last week The Local reported warnings by officials that the new checks could lead to 14-hour queues for travellers heading to France.

Sir William Cash, Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee, said: “Queues of more than 14 hours; vehicles backed up along major roads; businesses starved of footfall: this evidence paints an alarming picture of the possible risks surrounding the Entry-Exit System’s implementation.

“Clearly, this policy could have a very serious impact, not only for tourists and travel operators but also for local businesses. I implore decision makers on both sides of the Channel to take note of this evidence.”

READ ALSO: What affect will the EES border system have on travel to France?

The Port of Dover has already been struggling with the increased checks required since Brexit and there are fears the situation could be even worse once the EES starts to operate.

Given the possible impacts, the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee last year launched an inquiry calling for views by affected entities with deadline for replies on January 12th 2024.

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