Hi Everyone.

I currently live in norfolk england, with my partner.
We are hoping to move to france sometime next year, in the meantime we have been offered a 6 month rental on a cottage.
The cottage is in an area of normandy, the question i have, and would like information on, is this.

Myself and my partner dont work, i have been unwell for 8 yrs, and recieve incapacity benefit, and my partner is hoping to start his own buisness in (computer repairs etc) i am also recieving disability living allowance.

How would i be able to buy a property next year, i hear you ask?
Well i will be recieving a large sum of money within the next year!

But in the mean time i would like some advice about, what if any benefits i would be able to recieve if we moved to france for those 6 months.

At the moment in england, i also recieve housing benefit and council tax rebate.

We have decided we would like to leave the rat race of england, and buy somewhere were we could be a little self sufficiant.

Please feel free to email me with any information, or advice.

regards

Julie

Hi Julie and welcome to the forum.

I'm tempted to move this to the France section, however it's not really about France so much as the "portability" of your UK benefits. To be eligible for any benefits here in France, you'd have to have paid into the French social insurance system for a period of time.

From previous discussions we've had on this subject, it appears that only a limited selection of UK benefits are payable if you take up residence outside the UK - but with any kind of luck, someone with a bit more experience in this domain will stop by with the details.

If your partner needs or wants more information on starting a business in France, feel free to post a message in the France section. There are lots of things to consider, as the business environment is quite a bit different from the UK.
Cheers,
Bev

Hi Bev

Thanx for the welcome.

Do you think we would get a better response if we moved the thread, to the france section?

Any information you could give, re starting a buisness etc would be appreciated.

Im hoping to do a beauty course before moving there permenentaly.
As i say andy is wanting to start a computer buisness.

Its just the initial 6 months we are concerned about, dont want to loose my benefits until im sure we can move there permanantly.

Regards

Julie

You may want to take a look through the Spanish section. I know this question has come up before over there. And there are lots of British expats in the Spanish section. (I'm not much help since I'm originally American and don't know the British benefits system much at all.)

As for starting a business in France, that will depend quite a bit on your level of French. Even if you're looking to the anglophone expats as customers, there is a considerable level of registration and bureaucracy you'll have to get through - and it's tough enough when you speak decent French.

But see what you can find over in the Spanish section and if it isn't sufficient, you can always post again in the French section.
Cheers,
Bev

You can receive invalidity benefit anywhere in the EU provided you continue to supply whatever evidence you needed to supply in the UK (eg doctor's certificates) and continue to be too ill to work. They will only pay into a UK bank account. You should be aware that the DWP had a 3mth backlog when I applied in April.

As regards DLA that is slightly more difficult. At present some people get it whilst in Cyprus but some are having to fight it. Apparently the issue is under review at EU level and anything may happen. I seem to be getting the run-around with my application!

As you are in receipt of invalidity benefit you should be able to get an E121 to cover medical care. It provides care at the same level as a local person would get and may not give you the same as you would get in the UK eg you may have to pay for some medication. If you have a dependant spouse then they can also get an E121 if the country you are going to will accept him as your dependant (There is some doubt as to whether Cyprus will accept my husband as my dependant - I will find out Friday!).

I don't know about housing benefit. I can't see how you would get it if you own your own property abroad. Similarly, I doubt you would get council tax rebate as you won't be paying UK council tax.