Buy within the next twelve months to ensure guaranteed protected rights on the Costa del Sol
The evening of Brexit came and went, with many people crowding the streets for the subdued affair. In La Cala de Mijas there came a very heart-warming message from the Town Hall officials to assure ex-pats living in La Cala de Mijas continued support.
Many ex-pats voted remain, purely because of the EU safety net for those living and loving the Costa de Sol, who came to the Costa del Sol to escape the dreary UK weather and doom and gloom politics.
The moving speech by the authorities of Mijas could not have come at a better time, Brexit Day!
Without doubt, the Costa del Sol is a perfect escape bolthole and the reassurance extended by the Spanish locals and government has gone a long way to chase off the despairing uncertainties brought about by Brexit. The ex-pat community in the villages and towns of the Costa del Sol continue to thrive and buying and selling properties is as buoyant as ever. Despite the referendum result in 2016 Spain continued to attract homebuyers, with an increase of 12 per cent over previous years during 2017 and 2018 according the Spanish Land Registry. The general air of “Que sera, sera” is as meaningful today as when Doris Day sang those iconic words. One thing we can be sure of, the sun will continue to shine more than not and sunny days make everything perfect.
Without doubt, ex-pats and Spanish homebuyers are worried about the future, especially regarding healthcare, pensions and residency entitlements. Spanish authorities and the UK Government now enter into a transition phase and are doing their best to answer the myriad of questions by ex-pats, both in the UK and in Spain.
The Withdrawal Agreement guarantees continued access to existing health plans, and UK pensions will remain in place for those drawing on their pension while living in Spain, provided each individual obtained the correct paperwork and confirmed as a resident by the end of the withdrawal period.
This transitionary withdrawal agreement over the next 12 months allows the UK to remain in the single market and provides time to stabilise a long-term relationship.
The Withdrawal Agreement provides, at least for 12 months, protection for those living and working in Spain and this protection continues provided you have moved to Spain by the end of this period.
Pensions – UK Pensions will continue to rise in line with inflation, and there is no threat to the freezing of pensions – provided you live in Spain already or relocate to Spain by the end of 2020. Even though the future of state pensions lies in further negotiations, the UK and Spain are actively encouraging homebuyers in Spain from the UK. Remember, the guarantees remain until the end of 2020, helping people to push on with that dream move to a place in the sun.
Residency and Health Care – Hugh Elliott, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Spain, stated via Facebook that ‘UK state pensioners will continue to have lifelong healthcare as long as they remain living in Spain and this also applies to residents who claim the UK state pension in the future.’
For people without any health care in place, new applications may involve a medical evaluation to obtain the necessary S1. For those who can afford it, the options for private health care remains a viable choice and peace of mind in the event of sickness or accidents. For example, Sanitas provide the same level of care as BUPA in the UK, at affordable premiums and with fabulous private hospitals and consultations.
For now, pressure groups and ministers remain committed to alleviating any concerns for the future of ex-pats in Spain. This resulting confidence continues that Spain and the UK will ensure that the UK’s ex-pat communities will receive the best treatment up to, during and after the Withdrawal Period.
For those wanting to work in Spain, again, the stipulations provide that individuals can work in Spain provided they settle here legally by the end of the Withdrawal Period. It is a case of ensuring your paperwork, including NIE for tax purposes, is up to date. Not much will change except maybe the requirement for work visas in the future, nothing is clear right now, but that is a long way off, and we remain confident that the bureaucracy surrounding non-EU individuals working in Spain will not alter a great deal.
Great reassurance for those already settled in Spain but we cannot emphasise enough about ensuring you have in place all the legal requirements for residency. These vital guarantees for your essential future rights and benefits during the next 12 months and, we are confident that new ex-pats will benefit from a deal between the UK and Spain to protect the rights of the ex-pats living in each EU country to continue feeding this thriving economy post 2020 and into 2021.
With all Spain has to offer, especially the Costa del Sol with its friendly, welcoming, relaxed, family oriented culture, Brexit should not put off buyers. The kind folks of Costa del Sol are rightly encouraging Brits to buy and offering a range of options to purchase properties in the area, not forgetting Spain’s “Golden Visa” scheme, and the gift of automatic residency regardless of EU status with a property purchase of €500,000 upwards.
Get in touch with us today to discuss your options, your future and your dreams of owning a property on the delightful Costa del Sol!