France in Focus

My OH is being made redundant at the end of March which means he can no longer pay into French health care through his off shore employer.

We're not sure what to do so he can continue to be covered.

I have an S1 so it won't affect me, but as France is his competent state we can't apply for anything from the UK.

If he gets employment through a UK agency we hope he will pay NI, therefore does the E106 still exist?

He does have a carte vitale and mutuelle cover but this is based on a salary.

Help please, as to what we can do to maintain his health cover.

Is your husband planning to find more work, or is he in a position to retire, if he wants to retire then there is a possibility that he could piggyback onto your S1.

My wife was medically retired when we moved to france, therefore elegable for an S1, as her partner at the time, I was also elegable for healthcare under her S1, I am now retirement age, so have my own S1, but qualified under her S1 for many years.

I asked if he intended to get work, as this would probably not be the best solution in that case.

I am no expert, so there may be various reasons why this may not work.

But all I can suggest is ring the NHS overseas help line and speak to them, they have always been very helpfull whenever I have contacted them.

Bonne chance
Dave

As it stands at the moment he can't piggyback on my S1, because he's been paying into the French system.

He doesn't retire for 2 more years but until then he hopes to work with an agency, pay NI for those 2 years (he's at least 22 years short so we know he won't get a full pension) but at least he will be back in the UK system.

It's the time in between I'm concerned about,

manonthemoon2 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 11, 2025 7:13 pm As it stands at the moment he can't piggyback on my S1, because he's been paying into the French system.

He doesn't retire for 2 more years but until then he hopes to work with an agency, pay NI for those 2 years (he's at least 22 years short so we know he won't get a full pension) but at least he will be back in the UK system.

It's the time in between I'm concerned about,

I had a feeling that it wouldn't be that easy, from what you are saying is correct he is on the french system, has he been paying french tax and social charges, if so is there a possibility that he could sign on to the french system as unemployed, and maintain his health cover that way?

Either way I think your first port of call should be an accountant, that has knowledge of both uk and french financial systems and see what they come back with. I am sure with a bit of searching on the internet you should be able to track one down.

If your OH has a shortfall of 22 years for a UK pension, You can still apply to top up for a full pension I believe. I did this before I retired having only 14 years paid up at the time. The few thousand that it cost me has been the best investment ever, it has paid back in just a few years and is still paying. If you don’t have the readies, it would be worth borrowing it from somewhere, as loan interest is far-far below the returns you will get.
https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-i ... tributions

Polarengineer wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 8:01 am If your OH has a shortfall of 22 years for a UK pension, You can still apply to top up for a full pension I believe. I did this before I retired having only 14 years paid up at the time. The few thousand that it cost me has been the best investment ever, it has paid back in just a few years and is still paying. If you don’t have the readies, it would be worth borrowing it from somewhere, as loan interest is far-far below the returns you will get.
https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-i ... tributions

i think i read somewhere that this is changing, and you have to apply asap to get the full benefit.

This is what the government website says on repaying contributions.

https://www.gov.uk/voluntary-national-i ... /deadlines

So probably too late in your case.