We have just started to look into a move to France. We'd like to take my mum whos nearly 80 but want to keep it as simple for her as possible. Can she keep her UK residency? Her UK property and investments would remain in the UK and her pensions to be paid into Uk accounts as normal. Could she just open a french bank and transfer funds over as and when she needed? What would she need as far as healthcare was concerned, baring in mind her age? Any advice or information appreciated.
I dont think that is possible. If she spends more than so many days in France, then she will have to reg here. It is very simple, she can keep everything in uk, she can open a bank account here and even get her pension paid in euros from the UK to her French account. She can get a E121 from England for her health care, but France only pay 70% and then you buy a top up, so England will only pay 70%. You dont have to buy a top up, but remember if she became ill you would be expected to pay the short fall. Thats it really, Im sure if I am wrong someone will come on and tell you., but really you would be better to telephone the English help lines and they would be able to tell you everything you need to know.
Oh just a thought I dont know where she would be taxed, but someone else will tell you that.
Hope this helps alittle
Bonjour. Je tient à préciser qu'en France tout est possible. Votre mère peut garder sa résidence britanique. Elle peut ouvrir un compte en banque en France et y transférer ce dont elle a besoin quand elle le désir. En ce qui conceerne les soins de santé, elle peut demander une carte européenne d'assurance maladie. J'espère avoir pu vous aider.
This would depend on how much her UK property and investments were worth.
Be aware that if she lives offically full time in France, she will be subject to the rules there. Only real estate in another country can be disposed of as she wishes, when she unfortunantly passes on.
Her worldwide assets (excluding real estate in countries other than France) would be subject to French inheritance rules.
Of course if she only "visited" for short periods and did not need the services in France much, who is to know where she is living?
She would 'officially' become French resident when she has been in the country for six months, or from when she decided it was a full time move.
She could be just "trying out" France before making a final decision on the full time move to her daughter/sons place.
If we are talking large amounts here it would be best to see an adviser.
She can use her EHIC for the first three months. After that - if she intends to make France her home for more than half of the year - then she is a French resident - as said above, like it or not. It really is not complicated and her E121 would cover her heathcare as for any French person (70% or so except for some long-term chronic conditions and illnesses which are covered 100%) so the advice to get top up insurance is good, as at an advanced age hospital costs could be steep. If she chose to "get away with" using her EHIC long term, then there's a good chance that the authorities would smell a rat if she needed prolonged treatment and was very obviously living with you. The UK would most likely refuse to honour any payments and you and your mother would end up copping for the lot!
For the sake of a bit of paperwork, which you'll have to do for yourselves anyway, I would not take the risk with an elderly person who might need a lot of healthcare - no matter how fit she is now.
As Coops has pointed out she cannot retain her UK residency and as a resident she would not be covered by an EHIC although would be entitled to an E121.
That aside, the wisdom of this move needs careful thought and as eBaynut has said proffessional advice should be sought as to the tax and inheritance issues.
What I would be more concerned about is if this woman leads an independent life in the UK, has friends and a social life even drives a car, does she really want to spend her last days in a foreign country out of her comfort zone, not being able to go where and when she wants? Only being able to converse with English friends of the OP, miles away from her friends, not being able to talk to the Doctor, optician, dentist or nurse?
Many elderley relatives have found this idealic move to be one to a life of total misery, complete isolation and reliance on their relatives who in many cases have their own established lives and agendas and little time to worry about them or their needs. This leads to resentment and misery all round.
Of course this does not apply to all of such moves but it is increasingly becoming a problem as people solve the problems of the elderly parents left behind in the UK by dumping them in an annexe in France and then wishing they had not brought them here and the parents wishing they were back in the UK.
Why not post a sensible answer, people will appreciate it more
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