The requirement that UK expats, many of whom are still UK Taxpayers, who need to avail themselves of the NHS when visiting the UK can be charged 150% of the actual cost of treatment has been discussed at length on this forum.

 

The Government is reviewing the impact on these charges to overseas visitors, which I assume includes expats.

 

Members who have a view on these changes to the charging of visitors may wish to respond to the consultation exercise, though in my experience little, if anything ever changes following these exercises, and the view of the majority of UK residents seems to be that we should be paying more, not less.

 

I'm very grateful to the member who gave me a heads up on this.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/review-into-nhs-overseas-visitor-charges-call-for-submissions 

Thanks for that. I've just had a rant about this on the pensions thread, as the topic was raised there, so I won't repeat it here.

11 hours ago, theoldgit said:

 

Members who have a view on these changes to the charging of visitors may wish to respond to the consultation exercise, though in my experience little, if anything ever changes following these exercises, and the view of the majority of UK residents seems to be that we should be paying more, not less.

I have noticed increasing hostility toward expats and the NHS.  I have been speaking to friends and colleagues about my upcoming retirement to Thailand and telling then I'll be back in the UK from time to time. A few have made the surprising comment that they 'hope I won't be coming back to use the NHS'.! My response is why not?  Its not like I've just arrived on a bus from Bucharest - I have actually paid into the system for 40 years which presumably helped build it up?

17 hours ago, HauptmannUK said:

I have noticed increasing hostility toward expats and the NHS.  I have been speaking to friends and colleagues about my upcoming retirement to Thailand and telling then I'll be back in the UK from time to time. A few have made the surprising comment that they 'hope I won't be coming back to use the NHS'.! My response is why not?  Its not like I've just arrived on a bus from Bucharest - I have actually paid into the system for 40 years which presumably helped build it up?

Unfortunately the only criteria to use the NHS is residency.  Your past contributions are not part of the equation. Many expats simply don't mention they have been abroad.  If you declare that you are returning to UK to resume residency then this immediately reinstates your rights. Do not listen to scare stories as this is the way it is.

19 hours ago, mommysboy said:

Unfortunately the only criteria to use the NHS is residency.  Your past contributions are not part of the equation. Many expats simply don't mention they have been abroad.  If you declare that you are returning to UK to resume residency then this immediately reinstates your rights. Do not listen to scare stories as this is the way it is.

..do not mention anything,..tell them what they want to hear...officially ,of course from returning ex-pat....,just state nothing about anything. 

If authority came along,told you to put hand in fire,you would do it I guess,   lol, same as OAP,  volunteering yourself for a good financial arse kicking.

  With 6 years of comments ,probably totalling quarter of a million quotes,nobody has quoted anything about individuals living in Thailand being persecuted /punished about not accepting the frozen bit..I find that remarkable,..seems to be a nonpunishable fact of life  lol

Posts flaming a member have been removed.