As an Expat living outside the UK, and receiving my Gov. Pension, can I get NHS treatment when in the UK?

Answer 1

Apparently not if you have been living abroad for more than 2 or possibly 3 years (can't remember which)....this was talked about on a TV programme earlier this year when expats in Spain couldn't get free medical treatment in Spain because they were not old enough and they also couldn't get free treatment back home because they had been out of the country for so long...totally unfair when every other Tom, Dick and Harry pay nothing into the system and get all the benefits thrown at them when they reach this country...you could always claim asylum!

Edit
According to this article it's 5 years...though this is dated 2004...interesting reading...give it a few seconds to load...
http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=7&story_id=12333

Answer 2

You will get free NHS treatment if you go to Poland and get a bus to central London. Otherwise as a tax paying, born and bred citizen of the UK you will lose your right to treatment if you are resident abroad. The solution, of course, is to pay your auntie Margaret's gas bill for her so that you have a utility bill as proof of address in the UK. Telling the truth will, of course, get you nowhere.....

Answer 3

Yes you can. In fact my SIL spent a number of years (from the age of 18-41) living abroad and when she cam to visit my MIL she received NHS treatment and they even found her old medical records and had them sent to my MIL local surgery.

Answer 4

unfair though it undoubtedly is people that have contributed all their lives to tax and social security schemes can be cut off from things like nhs treatment after 3 years living abroad........best to keep a base here and commute back and forward to where you are now.........

Answer 5

yes

Answer 6

Of cause you can, every other nationality does