Likely consequenses of brexit

Well, we are a community- supporting each other - and we live so close to France - we are sort of all in the same boat, and belong to several support groups.

For obvious reasons, mainly the cost of living- there are very few UK expats retired in Switzerland- apart from billionaires or those who have worked in Switzerland for a long time. I do not know of any others in our region who are on UK pensions only. So it is good to be able to join forces and exchange concerns with our compatriots in nearby France.

But your situations are different are they not?

Actually DD’s godmother and her husband (both lawyers) retired to Switzerland only two years ago. U.K. pensions.

to some extent- yes- but the loss of health care, the falling pound, the non payment of some pensions- are pretty much the same- the feelings of loss and worries are pretty much the same- and I for one am very glad we have them to share our concerns with. In some ways, we might be worse affected, in others not- No-one knows for sure- what will happen post Brexit, to any of us- and no-one knows what will happen to reciprocal agreements with Switzerland.

All financiers will tell you that the pound will continue to fall, for a period of time which can be months or years- and that whenever the Euro and the £ fall, the Swiss Franc rises- the combination of the two may well transfer in a 60, 70% loss of income- which combined with loss of health care reciprocity and the massive cost of compulsory Swiss health insurance- would mean perhaps 80+ % loss- Tell me, would you be comfortable with that?

Will have to go back to work probably- running residential language courses. I loved it when I did it in the UK, but not sure that I shall have the energy at almost 70...

I am not complaining- you asked - I explain.

Well they are very rare indeed. I don't know any.

The Vaud I believe.
But not relevant.

jura in France, if the worst comes to the worst and pensioners lose the healthcare funding from UK, they can always join the french system. They might have to pay, 8% of income above a generous allowance. That's what we would have done if we has stayed. Maybe Switzerland is different.
Most of the people I know who are staying in France have worked there, paid into the french social security system. including health insurance, so aren't worried.

And you wonder from we, British expats retired in the EU, are worried

Well, I am now as I thought you lived in Switzerland jura. And that Switzerland is not part of the EU.
Did I get that wrong?
Please forgive me if I am making assumptions.

and no-one knows what will happen to reciprocal agreements with Switzerland.
I would think that, with Switzerland's agreement, the UK and Switzerland could agree a reciprocal healthcare arrangement as the UK has with many other countries outside the EU.

Of course, this would presumably be for emergency treatment only and would not enable UK citizens to go to Switzerland for operations and other pre-planned healthcare and vice versa.

Fennel, if retirees who have not worked in France, who now benefit from Form S1 and reciprocal conditions, will not be allowed to join the French system if they cannot get Carte de Séjour or be allowed to become residents.

MawBroon- Vaud- so we are almost neighbours- we should get in touch. We were in Lausanne al day today. 34C.

Jalima - I have just sent a couple of long replies to MawBroon on the very subject. Do you not read posts?

Do you not read posts?
Only yours jura

but you obviously did not- as you asked the same question and did not read my clear answers ;)

That must be an unfortunate habit of mine, I see a post and think I will reply, only to find subsequent posts have superseded them.

Oh dear, knuckles suitably rapped.

To qualify for reciprocal health care in Switzerland, all care not emergency, as if you are resident, you can't possibly go back for all health care- you have to be retired of state pensionable age (not early retirement), permanently resident here, and have no Swiss Pension or income at all. I do not qualify for a Swiss pension, as I came to UK aged 19 and worked in UK all my adult life. It is not free- we have to pay the first 300CHF per year and then 10% up to 700CHF. So each knee replacement cost us 300 + 700 = 1000CHF- paid of course with sterling pension which have gone down in value by 50%- and will probably fall further. As said, if we had to have Swiss Heath Insurance, which is normally compulsory for all- but from which we are exempted as explained above- it would be 600CHF or more per MONTH- then the first 300 and the 10% up to 700- so 1000 a year.

UK citizens cannot come and use the Swiss healthcare system- only those who are resident and tax payers here. Emergency care for non residents is provided by EHIC, the old E111- 2 totally different things

no rapping of knucles from me- but having just spent time to reply in detail, did not really want to start again. Fair enough, no?

With hindsight, should have got both knees done same year, one in Jan and one in November - and it would have cost me 1000 for both instead of each stoooopid me.

I had lived here in Germany for 30 years before I even heard of reciprical health payments for expats. I could hardly believe it and wondered that the NHS could afford it. Maybe because I am married to a German I slipped into the health service here and nobody asked any questions. Spouses and children if not earning get health care through the family breadwinner.
I can understand expats here worrying as health care is more expensive here. but all those I know including DD1 have already got their German Citizenship.
DD1 (born in the UK) has just applied for a Britsh passprt for her 15 year old son, so that he can travel to the Uk easier.

We bot have dual nationality- but we have contributed all our lives in the UK system- so are exempted from paying for compulsory health and accident insurance here- as explained above.

So, Jura, you’d be in the same position as people like my aunt and uncle who emigrated to Australia? They still got their UK pension but it was paid at the level when they left with no increases. I believe Canada and much of the rest of the world is the same.

no, very different situation.

Why? If its a hard Brexit surely the EU will be under the same conditions as the rest of the world?

If it's a 'hard Brexit' (by which I assume you mean 'No Deal' Nfk) all Eu citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU will be in legal limbo as their residence in the EU or the UK is governed by EU legislation which will immediately cease to apply on 30th March 2019

But as you have said (somewhere) it’s not about you - or is it?

Those is Switzerland will also be in limbo, and may well lose all the rights given by the Reciprocal agreements with EU, for those from UK.

We, UK retirees in the EU and Switzerland- are all in it together- so many are my close friends - we support each other. I also have UK friends who have bought property here to retire, but they just cannot make the ove now due to the falling pound, the rising franc and all the uncertainties about health care, etc.