USC Bringing Father over, how long?

[clairerubunda 0]

Wow, so someone who has paid NI all there life cant get stuff on the NHS just because they live abroad? What a cheek!

I would have assumed that as he is no longer earning, his situaton would be the same anywhere he lives...........he isnt contributing anymore as he isnt working, he is all paid up, so what does it matter where he lives! Hmmmmm i wonder if he knowes this?

Thanks guys, informative as ever!

Ps. I have a toyboy too, mine is 7 years younger!

[Kez/JWolf 6]

My old GP would not see me as a NHS patient when I was home on Vacation... I had to pay as a private patient and claim it off my medical insurance....

Was not cheap.... just for some anti-biotics

Kez

[clairerubunda 0]

It is a state program and any perminant resident can join as it is based on a sliding scale depending on income...

Do know if your state has a similar program as it dont say in your profile where you are from...

Kez

I am in Dublin, Ohio They will be in California.

[Boiler 43,717]

It is a state program and any perminant resident can join as it is based on a sliding scale depending on income...

Do know if your state has a similar program as it dont say in your profile where you are from...

Kez

I am in Dublin, Ohio They will be in California.

CA has some State benefits, the Gubernator was proposing something more inclusive, but taht is a long way off.

Wow, so someone who has paid NI all there life cant get stuff on the NHS just because they live abroad? What a cheek!

I would have assumed that as he is no longer earning, his situaton would be the same anywhere he lives...........he isnt contributing anymore as he isnt working, he is all paid up, so what does it matter where he lives! Hmmmmm i wonder if he knowes this?

Thanks guys, informative as ever!

Ps. I have a toyboy too, mine is 7 years younger!

NI is just a tax, like any other, not hypothecated.

As far as i am aware my Surgery would have no reason to know I emmigrated. Unless I told them.

[munchkins 0]

That is perfectly true Boiler, if one does not notify their GP, I too, wonder how it can be enforced but there have been cases. would be interesting to find out if anyone on here besides Niagaenola has come across it or if Niagaenola had told them that he/she was living abroad.

I know that when you leave your doctors practice to move abroad, it is a legal requirement that you deregister, wonder how many do that??

Edited February 6, 2007 by munchkins

[Kez/JWolf 6]

If you notify the Inland revenue that you are no longer working and living in the UK then they send a printout to DWP and local health authority... this is so that GP's do not get paid for patients that are no longer in the UK... The local health authority will notify your GP and your medical registration will be revoked...

This was explained to me by my GP when I went to see him while I was on vacation.... I did not tell them I was no longer resident in the UK as when I left I was only coming here on vacation....

Kez

[Boiler 43,717]

If you notify the Inland revenue that you are no longer working and living in the UK then they send a printout to DWP and local health authority... this is so that GP's do not get paid for patients that are no longer in the UK... The local health authority will notify your GP and your medical registration will be revoked...

This was explained to me by my GP when I went to see him while I was on vacation.... I did not tell them I was no longer resident in the UK as when I left I was only coming here on vacation....

Kez

Hmmm

My last address for tax and my surgery are not in the same area.

Not denying. But I am slightly surprised that there is this logical connection.

You are of course still OK if you go to Emmergency.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Nope you are not... you will be billed for any in patient treatment you get.... if you do not live in the UK you can not get Free treatment on the NHS...

Kez

[Girona40 0]

The NHS are so mis-managed they have no clue who to charge for what and who not to! When I worked for the US Navy in the UK, a Senior Chief filled several prescriptions that he had a local doctor write for him. He wasn't charged a cent. I have been to see a doctor in the UK, where my parents live, and merely registered as a "visiting patient" and have never been charged - they merely asked me for my National Insurance Number and I never heard any more.

Millions of immigrants flock to the UK for free NHS treatment. My parents live in Dover and see it all the time when they are in their local surgery or at the hospital. None of these people pay a penny for treatment under the NHS and many have not even had their status in the UK confirmed - have no NI numbers, nothing.

I know of several people that live outside the UK that fly back to the UK every three months to claim benefits, get a check up with the doctor, go to the dentist, and pick up their state pensions. It happens all the time.

I don't think the NHS are going to come down on the OP's father should he need treatment of any kind. If he's paid his full stamp for his entire life they are not going to deny him benefits if he needs to use them. He just needs to quote his NI number and they'll see from his record that he is fully paid up.

[Boiler 43,717]

I don't think the NHS are going to come down on the OP's father should he need treatment of any kind. If he's paid his full stamp for his entire life they are not going to deny him benefits if he needs to use them. He just needs to quote his NI number and they'll see from his record that he is fully paid up.

I am not denying the reality, I remember a report that stated that 40% of NHS London Budget was consumed by Medical Tourists, but there is no such thing as being paid up for NI.

NI is a tax, thats all, all goes into the general fund. Think of it if you need to as car insurance, the fact that you paid last years is completely irrelevant once it has expired.

[Girona40 0]

I don't think the NHS are going to come down on the OP's father should he need treatment of any kind. If he's paid his full stamp for his entire life they are not going to deny him benefits if he needs to use them. He just needs to quote his NI number and they'll see from his record that he is fully paid up.

I am not denying the reality, I remember a report that stated that 40% of NHS London Budget was consumed by Medical Tourists, but there is no such thing as being paid up for NI.

NI is a tax, thats all, all goes into the general fund. Think of it if you need to as car insurance, the fact that you paid last years is completely irrelevant once it has expired.

Actually, it doesn't quite work like that. If you have paid in for 40 years, I think it is, you are not expected to pay any further into it.

My aunt, who is Lithuanian, had lived in the UK and paid her NI all her working life. She retired at 60, but for various reasons (lying about her age during WWII) she was only registered as being 58 years old. Anyway, to cut a long story short, they were only interested in the two years prior to her retirement. If she paid full stamp for that two years, giving her the required amount of "stamps" she was entitled to a full state pension. We simply paid up the outstanding amount and she got her retirement pension and full NHS benefits for the rest of her life.

I don't think things have changed since then, but I know that my father is now entitled to various benefits ONLY because he has paid into the NI system for the full required 40 years.

National Insurance is not a tax in the same way as income tax, or road tax, or poll tax, it is a National Insurance and there is a maximum you are required to pay into it, in order to receive benefits. Once you reach retirement age you are not required to pay the Insurance any longer and you are entitled to full-coverage benefits.

My father is certainly reaping the benefits of the NHS now and I thank God he didn't get sick here!

Edited February 6, 2007 by Girona40

[Girona40 0]

I don't think the NHS are going to come down on the OP's father should he need treatment of any kind. If he's paid his full stamp for his entire life they are not going to deny him benefits if he needs to use them. He just needs to quote his NI number and they'll see from his record that he is fully paid up.

I am not denying the reality, I remember a report that stated that 40% of NHS London Budget was consumed by Medical Tourists, but there is no such thing as being paid up for NI.

NI is a tax, thats all, all goes into the general fund. Think of it if you need to as car insurance, the fact that you paid last years is completely irrelevant once it has expired.

Actually, it doesn't quite work like that. If you have paid in for 40 years, I think it is, you are not expected to pay any further into it.

My aunt, who is Lithuanian, had lived in the UK and paid her NI all her working life. She retired at 60, but for various reasons (lying about her age during WWII) she was only registered as being 58 years old. Anyway, to cut a long story short, they were only interested in the two years prior to her retirement. If she paid full stamp for that two years, giving her the required amount of "stamps" she was entitled to a full state pension. We simply paid up the outstanding amount and she got her retirement pension and full NHS benefits for the rest of her life.

I don't think things have changed since then, but I know that my father is now entitled to various benefits ONLY because he has paid into the NI system for the full required 40 years.

National Insurance is not a tax in the same way as income tax, or road tax, or poll tax, it is a National Insurance and there is a maximum you are required to pay into it, in order to receive benefits. Once you reach retirement age you are not required to pay the Insurance any longer and you are entitled to full-coverage benefits.

My father is certainly reaping the benefits of the NHS now and I thank God he didn't get sick here!

By the way I am not saying that anyone living outside the UK is entitled to the benefits of the NHS. From what I understand they are clamping down on that pretty hard. However, I am not saying that people don't get it either. The reality is often different to the rules.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Being entitled to a pension based on your NI contrabutions has nothing to do with being entitled to NHS care... to recieve NHS care you must be resident in the UK... your State retirement pension is payable no mater where in the world you live...

Kez

[Boiler 43,717]

Being entitled to a pension based on your NI contrabutions has nothing to do with being entitled to NHS care... to recieve NHS care you must be resident in the UK... your State retirement pension is payable no mater where in the world you live...

Kez

Pensions seems to have come into it. And as Kez said that is a seperate issue.

But on that subject, there are similarities, you are paying for other peoples pension, not funding your own. There is no entitlement to anything when its your turn.

Being paid elsewhere is a complicated situation, probably best left alone. You might want to look at the situation in NZ if you have a stong stomach!