Call for help on no-deal 'disaster'
Costa expats appeal to Ambassador Simon Manley
BRITISH expat groups have highlighted worries over a nodeal Brexit and the 'real risk of a humanitarian disaster' for the 77,000 pensioners resident in Spain.
Campaigners fear retired people – who make up a sizeable block of the 314,000 UK citizens legally living here – could lose out on crucial healthcare and pension rights.
And in a letter to Ambassador Simon Manley, representatives of Eurocitizens, ECREU, Bremain in Spain, and Brexpats Hear Our Voice, appeal for the diplomat’s help in highlighting growing worries with politicians in Westminster.
The four write: “Theresa May has repeatedly made a ‘total and dedicated commitment’ to protecting UK residents in the EU. We would like you to help us hold her to this promise by communicating to the UK government our concerns and to ensure that these issues are taken up as a matter of priority.”
The letter is accompanied by a copy of correspondence sent direct to the prime minister by British in Europe, the Europe-wide coalition of groups representing UK citizens, calling for Mrs May to take action.
It underlines how 190,000 UK pensioners face 'a desperate situation' if there is no-deal and emphasise 'the solution to their most serious problems lies in the hands of the British government'.
Commitment
And British in Europe has called for the premier to 'put minds at rest' by making a political commitment for the UK to pay for healthcare of pensioners while new schemes are negotiated bilaterally between the government and the remaining 27 EU member states.
The letter also calls for the government to agree to the indefinite uprating of the UK state pension for retired people living in Europe.
ECREU spokesman in Spain, Margaret Hales MBE, one of the four signatories of the letter to Mr Manley said: “Every time we watch British TV we see more discussions, more delays, and more meetings. It is now less than 50 days (until Brexit) and our future healthcare and pensions are still uncertain. It beggars belief.
“Not only that, but ‘our’ British prime minister, despite request after request, never talks to us Brits abroad or our representatives British in Europe. Civil society in Northern Ireland – population about as many as Brits abroad in the EU – meet her; the First Minister of Gibraltar, population 34,000, is always at No10.
“We are out of sight; forgotten. So Ambassador Manley, keep shouting about us loud and clear!”
The four, Margaret, Michael Harris of Eurocitizens, Sue Wilson of Bremain in Spain and Debbie Williams of Brexpats Hear Our Voice, have been angered by a recent UK government 'blithely' informing British expats that in the event of no deal the ‘S1’ healthcare scheme will end on March 30 – the day after Brexit.
The notification warns access to healthcare may change for pensioners and advises buying private health insurance.
However, the four representatives write: “As the government must be well aware, private medical insurance will be beyond the reach of many UK pensioners because, even if granted, the cost could be prohibitive for elderly people with chronic illnesses.”
Expat groups were also concerned the UK government had only promised to uprate state pensions for a year after Brexit; after which it would be ‘subject to reciprocity’.
Goalposts
Again the four tell Mr Manley: “This is a spurious stipulation as uprating is entirely within the grant of Her Majesty’s Government. In addition, the freezing of pensions would be to move the goalposts for the thousands of retirees who moved to Spain as EU citizens, taking into consideration that their income would be annually adjusted for inflation.
“Thus we would like the government to commit to continued pension uprating for all those Britons who moved to the UK in good faith as well as Spanish returnees with UK pensions.”
The letter asks for updated information on talks between the UK and Spain on reciprocal healthcare and social security arrangements in the event of no deal – it 'applauded' the recent bilateral agreement on political rights but added: “We are sure you will agree that there is little point in having the right to vote if you cannot access the healthcare needed to keep you alive.”
The group welcomed the Spanish government’s website containing broad proposals for citizens’ rights for British people living in Spain but said details had yet to be made.
“We would also be grateful if the British embassy could make the point to the Spanish government that any further delays in providing this information will prolong uncertainty and anguish amongst British residents.”
The letter also pointed out the no deal scenarios could be a 'disaster' unless contingency plans were urgently made and bilateral cooperation quickly established on the key areas.