Hello Carers,
My Dad is British living in Spain. I’ve lived in Australia 20+years but I am a citizen of both Aus and UK.
My 80yo Dad’s had a stroke Easter 2019 and needs 24 hour care. My Mum and Dad live together but she can’t care for him.
He’s too disabled to travel to the UK, and I don’t think he wants to.
I’m caring for him now at his home in Spain and I’ll have to quit my job if I am to continue. I’d still have a bit of money coming in from a tenant in Australia.
I’m wondering if anyone has any parallel experience to indicate if I’ve any chance of a state carer’s benefit, be it British or Spanish?
Cheers,
Ballantyne
Hi Ballantyne.
An answer needed way beyond what we mere forum members can provide.
Throw the uncertainty of Brexit into the mix and … nothing but " Ifs and buts " … what may apply now
thrown out the window come the final Brexit decision.
Claiming UK and / or Spanish benefits … a potential minefield if ever there was one !
If your father was residing in the UK , CHC / NHS Continuing healthcare could be an answer.
In Spain , what support does he and you get from the Spanish Health Service ???
Spanish equivalent of Attendance Allowance and Carers Allowance ? … and , would you both qualify ???
( Even if your father returned to the UK , there are " Problems " as ex pats do NOT automatically have the same
rights to health and social care as ordinary UK residents. )
If ever a move back to the UK was demned the answer , the following link is STRONGLY recommended :
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs25_returning_from_abroad_fcs.pdf
There are real surprises in there !
Internet search … EX PATS FAMILY CARERS … several out there with some interesting threads on caring abroad.
CAB … recommended for this one :
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
I would take my hat off to them if they could provide a definitive answer straight away.
Thanks Chris, great links.
Good luck … you will need it … and more !
A couple of my Polish neighbours … I assist them on the Universal Credit angle … have friends who are family carers , one
parent working , the other caring for a disabled child … absolute nightmare for them in trying to plan their immediate future
… stay or return … if they return , same type of penalties as our Government imposes on returning ex pats ???
Hi Ballantyne,
Unusual name, any relation to the family that used to live near Christchurch by any chance?
A lot depends on how long mum and dad have lived in Spain, I think. I have met a number of people who have moved back to the UK when someone became ill.
When deciding what to do for the best, it’s not what someone WANTS that matters, but what someone NEEDS.
Do they own a properly in Spain, or the UK?
Do they have over £46,000 in the bank?
“Brexit” might make things even more difficult for them.
__
A lot depends on how long mum and dad have lived in Spain, I think.
Yep … AGE UK link goes into that at some depth.
One of the pitfalls of seeking sunnier … and cheaper … abodes.
Fine … when your healthy.
Housing and the benefit systyem … two immediate problems for most … especially for those renting abroad.
Hi Ballantyne
You don’t say whereabouts in Spain your Father is living but you might find this link helpful
(The Associacion Help Vega Baja is a charity providing Emergency help to the English speaking population of the Southern Costa Blanca.)
HELP Vega Baja is a charity set up in Spain by British Expats to help and advise other Expats - one of our previous members is involved with it (which is how I know about it).
Good link , Susie … my sister is involved in one in Vejer de la Frontera … near to Cadiz / Gibraltar … far too local
to need a web site.
Three local Polish charities here in Worksop … more than ten now including other Eastern European natives across the border
in Lincolnshire … almost essential in certain parts over there.
( Look no further than the Brexit capital of the UK … Boston / South Holland. )
Thank you all for your advice and links - lots to work with there. I hadn’t thought of the idea of charities specifically for Poms in Spain, and I’ll definitely chase that up.
My parents own property in both Spain (Almeria, Andalucia) and UK. We can probably rent the UK one out to get some money coming in.
My Dad has just under UKP46,000 in the bank.
Bowlingbun, Ballantyne de Wolf is a pseudonym. I like the fruity names of radio announcers of yesteryear, Redvers Kyle, Valentine Dalyell, Edward de Souza etc.
Ballantyne de Wolf
Good pub quiz question.
I had him down as left back for QPR in the 1960s !
I’ve just had a friend who lives in Australia staying for a few days.
He was one of a group of Scouters who drove a Land Rover overland to Australia in 1969/70, along with my husband and some others. He was originally from Manchester, comes back to the UK most years, sometimes twice.
During a recent visit he got free NHS treatment for a knee problem - apparently if you have an NHS number, which dad would have had at some stage, and should be retrievable, free NHS treatment isn’t a problem.
Given the recent information, you and dad don’t need charity support, but you all need to sit down with a financial adviser and work out where to go from here. Some random ideas are selling one of the properties, or giving one to you, to generate an income for you whilst caring for dad. Or you going back to Australia and working whilst dad pays someone else. I’m sure dad would prefer you, but is that the best option for your own long term financial well being?