Promising news

Good on your Ray for thinking the Spanish will look after you after brexit. My guess God forbid you have an illness you'll be back milking our nhs just saying !!! 

Well, I think this is really good news in that a government is willing to take a stand and be clear so that people can make decisions about whether to leave or stay (in the UK or Spain!).

I am aware that there is already a law in place in the UK, and agreed in Europe, that, following the March 29th, 2019 deadline, there will be a 'grace period', during which time anyone coming or going between the UK and Europe will retain rights that existed prior to the DEAL. However, if there is NO deal, I do not know if this agreement will be null and void.

I had not planned to move to Spain until April 2020 (which is within the agreed Grace Period) - so I will be curious if Spain includes the Grace Period in their commitment to UK citizens living in Spain, or if it will only apply to those having legal residency by March 29th.

"milking king our NHS"?

Anyone who's paid their dues over a lifetime of work is perfectly entitled to return to UK at any time and receive care from the NHS so where you get "milking" from is beyond me and quite frankly offensive although looking back that seems to be something of a recurring theme in your posts.

Thank you for that clarification, Kim (re: all bets off in the event of a No Deal). 

I feel a bit like many, I assume - thinking I will relocate to Spain sooner rather than later in the event of a No Deal. We also don't know what will happen once the No Deal status is confirmed, around Tuesday coming. 2nd Referendum? 

The NHS is paid for by those that are working, if you have been lucky enough to work all your life then at the time you paid for those who were retired. If you are now retired then you deserve to put your feet up and let someone else pay for you, this is not milking the NHS. Just as those that are of retirement age living in Spain are getting free Spanish healthcare paid for by the NHS.  The biggest problem that face expats will be if the UK decides to freeze Pension increases like the have done in non EU countries.

And, technically, if one is an official resident in Spain over retirement age, then my understanding is that one has been removed from the U K NHS system as such and registered into the Spanish system, which transfer is actually funded by the U.K. govt. 

As for the deeply offensive remark re ‘milking’ our NHS, if one is legal and registered here, it’s really not possible. It’s more likely to be illegal expats here, not paying tax and ‘milking’ the Spanish system through unfair use of EHIC cards.

Agreed Stephanie, there are still too many Expats who are abusing the system and flying under the radar.

Well said

I've now seen the new website I referred to in my initial post, and my hopes were dashed.

http://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/lang/en/brexit/howtoprepare/Paginas/index.aspx

All it states is the innocuous:

In the case of withdrawal without an agreement, the contingency measures the Government of Spain is working on seek to safeguard the interests of British citizens who, prior to the date on which the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union takes place, exercised their right to free movement and reside in Spain.

It seems that we'll have to wait for the Real Decreto which is expected to be issued next month.