| The UK Prime Minister has announced that the British government will continue pension uprating, payment of disability benefits and healthcare cover after Brexit for British expatriates in the EU.
Speaking in the House of Commons on 26 June 2017, Theresa May said: “The UK will continue to export and uprate the UK state pension and provide associated healthcare cover within the EU. We will continue to protect the export of other benefits and associated healthcare cover where the individual is in receipt of those benefits on the cut-off date”. The cut-off date refers to a date, yet to be set, between the article 50 trigger day, March 29, 2017 and the day the UK leaves the EU, which may be March 29, 2019. She added that subject to negotiation, the UK would like to continue to participate in the European Health Insurance Card scheme so UK cardholders continue having free or reduced cost healthcare on visits to the EU, and vice versa. The obligations agreed to in the EU withdrawal treaty will bind the UK as a matter of international law, she said. “We will also incorporate the commitments into UK law, guaranteeing we will stand firmly by our part of the deal.” (Source connexionfrance.com) Further details are given in the 26 June 2017 UK Government policy paper at the link below. Safeguarding the position of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU The assumption is that the UK Government will aim to apply this policy also to UK Citizens residing in Switzerland. However, we will have to await the outcome of the negotiations for a definite answer. Graham Robertson |
British Residents’ Association of Switzerland