Moving to Ireland

Hi, my wife is Irish, we're both 65+ and both receiving the UK State pension plus a couple of other pensions and in total, between us, we have a pension income of not a lot - about €28k. We're buying a house in Wexford for cash. Unusually, despite our ages, we're also raising our grandson who has lived with us from a few weeks and who is now almost 12 years old. So that's painted the scene!

My questions are:

1. Will we qualify for a medical card?
2. One of us has a colostomy, will that person still receive free colostomy products as they currently do in the UK?
3. Our grandson has a moderate hearing loss, will he qualify for ongoing free treatment and replacement hearing aids?
4. Will child benefit still be payable in respect of our grandson - who by, UK or Irish authorities?

Any other advice will be warmly welcomed!

Cheers, Brian.

Can't help with detail but here are two websites that you could look at from an Irish perspective
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/home.aspx
and http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/


This post here helps also
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=137644

However you should also look at some of the expats sites for UK folk living abroad as to see what they can avail of from the UK when abroad.

1. Medical Card - If your total income derives from the UK and no Irish Pension is payable then you would be entitled to a medical card under EU rules.

2. Colostomy - The medical card would also cover the colostomy aids

3 Grandsons Hearing - As he is your dependent medical card should cover his
aids

4. Child Benefit - You may have to satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition but
perhaps the only way to be really sure is to submit the application form

There is an organisation someplace in the west called safehome, they offer help and advice to older Irish people returning to live in Ireland.

www.safehomeireland.com

Black Sheep said:

1. Medical Card - If your total income derives from the UK and no Irish Pension is payable then you would be entitled to a medical card under EU rules.

2. Colostomy - The medical card would also cover the colostomy aids

3 Grandsons Hearing - As he is your dependent medical card should cover his
aids

Click to expand...

As Black Sheep says, except you need to obtain a certificate of entitlement from the NHS before you do so, the so called Form S1. Here is the relevant EU entry.

Black Sheep said:

4. Child Benefit - You may have to satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition but
perhaps the only way to be really sure is to submit the application form

Click to expand...

As regards child benefit, the EU rules trumps habitual residence requirements so that would not be an issue (Art 67 of Regulation 883/2004).

Since you are retired I'm really not sure which country is responsible for the payment, but since you derive the main part of your pension from the UK I would not be surprised if they were responsible.... I'd suggest you start a conversation with them and see where it takes you.

This is all very helpful, thanks a lot. I'll follow the links and advice provided and I'm sure it'll all fall into place without too much hassle. We visit often and I'm really looking forward to the move. Thanks again.