Many people enjoy a sea change.
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Useful contacts:
- ageconcern – has a very helpful ‘Retiring Abroad’ leaflet.
- International Pensions Centre - 0191 218 7777, or medical benefits unit: 0191 218 7547.
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More and more people are retiring abroad – or at least they spend a lot of time thinking about it while they’re working. Currently about 200,000 Britons a year move abroad, the majority being retired people or those about to retire. It’s understandable that you would be thinking of moving to a warmer, sunnier climate for your later years.
Pros
- Good for your tan. When you’ve had decades of the marvellous British summer you naturally hanker after the real thing… for rather longer than two days a year.
- Life is so much easier in the sun – you don’t have to wear so much, you tend to feel happier and lighter and it’s cheaper to run a home when you don’t have to heat it.
- Spending power. Many of the warmer countries are often cheaper as well. One’s retirement fund can stretch further with their prices.
- Well-being. More and more countries now have reciprocal arrangements with Britain for health and pension provision.
On the other hand… Cons
- The reality often comes up short. It is estimated that around a fifth of people who move abroad regret it for some reason – quite often because they’re simply homesick and miss friends and family. They also often find that the paradise in the sun they thought they’d found has all sorts of hidden horrors that only living there uncovers.
- Spending like you’re on holiday. Although many warmer countries are generally cheaper to live in, a lot of ex-pats find it hard to curb their spending and often end up finding their cost of living is as high as it was back home.
- Many retirees abroad miss the infrastructure they had back home – knowing their doctor, dentist, lawyer etc and having them close to hand. They often find it takes a long time to develop this support network abroad.
- If you do decide to move abroad when you retire, arming yourself with information beforehand will make it a much smoother, happier and wealthier time.
Practicalities
- Register with the local authorities in order to get access to any local welfare services to which you’re entitled – ask them if you’re in doubt.
- Register with the local British Consulate – this will help them keep in touch with you if you’re in difficulty or, say, there’s a national disaster.
- If you’re moving to a country in the European Economic Area country (EEA) - ie anywhere in the European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway – you need to apply for a residence permit within three months of arriving.
- Voting. You’re entitled to vote in general and EU elections (though not UK local government elections) for up to fifteen years after leaving the country. To do this, you need to contact the electoral registration office at the local council where you registered to vote, and get a bunch of forms to fill out. See The Electoral Commission's website for more.
- Friends and support: The local British consulate is a good place to go to get started. See the FCO website for a list of consulates abroad. They should have details of any ex-pat or English-speaking organisations in the area, such as clubs, associations, or charities. These are worth contacting, even if you feel you’ve moved to get away from it all – they’re likely to be a good source of practical advice and a good basis for a support network while you’re getting on your feet.
- Lawyers. There are lawyers in the UK who have, for example, knowledge of French or Spanish law. But, it’s likely to be far cheaper to get a lawyer in the place where you have moved. The local British consulate should have a list of local English-speaking lawyers to help you with any legal matters. And if you still haven’t made a will, then see one and do it!
- Driving. Check local driving laws and traffic regulations – they’re unlikely to be identical to those that you’re used to in the UK. Not everywhere will accept your UK driving licence: if you are moving to a country outside the EEA, you’ll need to get an International Driving Permit (IDP) before leaving the UK, and take it with you. In most EEA countries, you can drive on your UK licence, but will then have to get a local driving licence if you become a resident.
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