Healthcare arrangements for people moving within EEA countries
You usually have to pay into a state sickness insurance fund or a private healthcare scheme to be covered for healthcare in most other EEA countries. The terms on access to healthcare depends on the law of the country you go to. The contributions you pay usually cover you for both cash sickness benefits and healthcare. To help you meet the rules of the other EEA country, the UK national insurance contributions you paid when you were self-employed or working for an employer may be used. You may need form E104. This tells the other country about times when you were insured in the UK. You can get it from the HMRC Residency. The UK can only cover you for healthcare in another EEA country if the information in the following sections
- Visiting another EEA country
- Employed or self-employed in another EEA country
- Living but not working in another EEA country
- Getting long-term Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, widow’s benefits, bereavement benefits or State Pension when you are living in another EEA country
- Getting Maternity Allowance or short-term Incapacity Benefit when you are living in another EEA country
- Getting Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit when you are living in another EEA country
- Getting Working Tax Credit, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Carer’s Allowance in another EEA country
applies to you. If you remain insured in the UK, you will be able to get healthcare under the other country’s scheme as though you were insured there. But you may have to pay part or all of the costs of some services which are free of charge under the NHS.
In all cases, the healthcare you get in the other EEA country is provided on the same basis as healthcare given to people who are insured there. The guide (see Useful leaflets and guides) which tells you about other EEA countries’ schemes will give you more information. Or you can ask the authorities who run the local sickness insurance scheme in the other country. You should note that if you pay voluntary insurance contributions to the UK scheme, this does not mean that the UK will pay for your healthcare while you are abroad.
Medical services in the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands
If you want to know about medical services in the Isle of Man, please contact the Department of Health and Social Security in the Isle of Man. See Addresses for enquiries about medical treatment.
If you want to know about medical services in Jersey, please contact the States of Jersey Department of Health. See Addresses for enquiries about medical treatment.
If you want to know about medical services in Guernsey (including Alderney, Sark, Herm and Jethou), please contact the States of Guernsey Board of Health. See Addresses for enquiries about medical treatment.
