Costa del Crime

The old name, first given to the Spanish Costa's in the popular press in the 70s  I believe, seems to have taken on a new meaning in recent days. First we had the Government here raising the issue of illegal use of the Spanish NHS now the British Government is pledged to catch those defrauding their system for a large proportion of the 43 million pound they pay out every year to fraudulent claimants living abroad.
In such difficult economic times no Government can afford to ignore the blatant misuse of its limited funds and I am sure a lot of the perpetrators of such frauds will now be caught and brought to justice. For some it will mean a double whammy as being in reciept of some UK benefits will have given them access to the Spanish health care system. I can only imagine that once caught for claiming long term disability or sickness benefit for example whilst able to work, often working on the black here, they will be on interest to both governments.
The small Pension, Benefit & Health care team based in Spain provide support to the estimated 1million Britons living there. They work with the Spanish Authorities on behalf of the DWP and Department of Health to prevent and detect benefit fraud, ensure correct access to the Spanish health care system, and combat misuse of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
What is termed abroad fraud involves a range of scams such as people on means-tested benefits going abroad but failing to declare their absence, undeclared property abroad, and individuals working while claiming sickness benefits. Here in Spain  claims for Income Support or Pension Credit are the most frequently investigated for fraud.
It has puzzled us in the past when we have heard people who are below state pension retirement age talk about getting a a"winter fuel payment". Understandable if they suffered from ill health and received a disability pension but confusing when we saw they working or  running a business here. What goes around comes around as they say and I am guessing they will very soon being feeling pretty sick indeed, when they are found out.

http://campaigns.dwp.gov.uk/campaigns/benefit-thieves/

you'll be older too.

Its nearly here I am almost a fully paid up Pensioner or pensionista as they say in Spain. I will receive my UK pension from mid November although I have been 60 since the beginning of this year, this is due to the movement toward equality in pension ages in UK. As I often say back in the hippy trippy sixties this day seemed light years away, note to self stop repeating yourself its a real give away, not to mention being to ramble! So back to the point.
Having filled in the 23 page form that Newcastle sent me, question like have you ever lived in UK, YOU HAVE MY NATIONAL INSURANCE NUMBER I YELL. Duly received the information and paperwork necessary to tackle the Spanish health care system, so off to Cieza to do the business.

All went well and our Spanish held out, we had every piece of official paperwork known to man, and woman, with us, we've learnt a few things about how to do things here over the last 7 years. Then at the last hurdle, the processing of Johns form as my dependant, we fell. The very nice and very helpful chap in the office wanted the form to be completed by "Newcastle".
Back home and a couple of weeks of emails to the UK later we have our answer. Using the very efficient appointment system we phoned and got an appointment for 9 o’clock the following day. The man from Newcastle he says no! What we have is what they issue.
We explained what we have learnt, took original emails and translations, printouts from EU websites giving details of law and procedure. Our man in Cieza is again as helpful as can be but his Jefe (boss) wants an officially filled in form. He will do his best and explain what we have told him and ring us. We have no doubt he will, on the morning of our second appointment he rang just after 8 to ensure we took our marriage certificate.
Its all been a bit frustrating but throughout the local office have been polite and helpful, we figure they have just never done this before. Its a learning curve. We have no doubt it a will all be sorted in the end and Spain will get the payments from UK. And after all its good to keep the brain active at my age.

Whilst we are on the subject we just love the Spanish word for retirement, its jubilación,. Sounds so celebratory doesn’t it.

Photo is of me aged 6.