Can I still retire to Spain from the UK after Brexit?

Yes — but you need a visa (the non-lucrative visa for most retirees) before you arrive. The 90-in-180-day Schengen limit applies to anyone without residency.

Will my UK State Pension still increase each year if I live in Spain?

Yes — Spain is a 'triple-lock' country. Your pension is uprated each April just as if you lived in the UK, both for pre-Brexit and new resident retirees.

Do I keep my NHS access if I move to Spain?

Not as a resident — but the S1 form gives you full Spanish public healthcare paid for by the UK, which is effectively the same entitlement just delivered through Spain's SNS.

Is my private pension taxed twice if I move to Spain?

No. Apply for the NT (no tax) code via HMRC after Spanish residency. The UK provider then pays your pension gross and you declare it on the Spanish Modelo 100.

It loses tax-protected status the moment you're Spanish tax resident — all returns become Spanish-taxable. Consider restructuring before you move.

By nationality

Retiring from the UK to the Costa Blanca

Post-Brexit, retiring from the UK to Spain takes a visa, a translated criminal record and a private insurance policy — but with around 70,000 Britons already resident in Alicante province, the path is well worn. Here is exactly what changed and what you need to do.

Last updated 1 June 2026

The post-Brexit landscape

British retirees can no longer move to Spain freely. Since 1 January 2021, UK nationals are 'third-country nationals' and need a visa to stay longer than 90 days in any 180-day period — the standard NLV (non-lucrative visa) is the route most retirees take.

Britons already resident before the Withdrawal Agreement cut-off retain their pre-Brexit rights via the TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero) marked 'Acuerdo de Retirada'. That document is your golden ticket — keep it safe.

The visa — non-lucrative visa for Britons

The full NLV requirements are covered in our dedicated guide. The UK-specific points to know:

✦Apply at the Spanish Consulate in London, Manchester or Edinburgh — appointments often book out 3–6 months ahead
✦ACRO criminal record check is the accepted document — needs apostille from the FCDO (£30) and sworn translation
✦DBS checks are NOT accepted
✦Insurance must be from a Spanish-authorised insurer (BUPA International is not accepted; Sanitas, Adeslas, DKV and Asisa are)
✦Bank statements must show consistent income or savings — large recent deposits raise questions
✦Allow £1,500–£2,500 in total fees and translations per applicant

Healthcare — the S1 form

The Withdrawal Agreement preserved one of the single biggest benefits for UK retirees in Spain: the S1 form. If you draw a UK State Pension (or qualifying benefit), the NHS issues an S1 that entitles you to full Spanish public healthcare, fully reimbursed by the UK.

You apply via the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services line. Allow 4–8 weeks. Once in Spain, register the S1 at the INSS (social security office), then take the resulting certificate to your local health centre to get your SIP card.

S1 means you can drop private insurance

Once your S1 is registered, you no longer need to maintain the private policy your NLV required — although many retirees keep a slimmer private policy alongside for fast specialist access and English-speaking GPs.

Pensions — what changes

Pension	What to do	Spanish treatment
UK State Pension	Apply for NT code via HMRC form Spain/Individual	Taxed in Spain only
Private / SIPP / drawdown	NT code; keep platform on UK reporting	Taxed in Spain only
Company / occupational	NT code; provider stops UK PAYE	Taxed in Spain only
Civil service (NHS, teacher, police, forces)	Remains on UK PAYE	UK only, but Spain factors it into rate
25% tax-free lump sum	Take BEFORE Spanish residency	Fully taxable if taken as a resident

ISAs, premium bonds and investments

Tax wrappers that are tax-free in the UK lose that status the moment you're Spanish tax resident. ISAs become reportable income (interest, dividends, capital gains all taxable in Spain). Premium Bonds prizes are taxable. Many Britons restructure into a Spanish-compliant investment bond (Lombard International, Quilter International) before moving — get advice from a cross-border IFA, not your high-street UK adviser.

The triple-lock and pension uprating

Good news: Spain is one of the countries where the UK State Pension is still uprated each April under the triple-lock — unlike Canada, Australia or South Africa where it's frozen. The Withdrawal Agreement preserved this in perpetuity for those resident before 31 December 2020, and the UK–EU Coordination Protocol extended it to all new movers afterwards.

Where the Brits live

✦Torrevieja & Orihuela Costa — by far the largest British communities; English is everywhere, property is affordable
✦Jávea, Moraira & Calpe — established British towns with bigger budgets and more privacy
✦Albir & Alfaz del Pi — smaller but well-served, with mixed British/Dutch/Nordic feel
✦Inland Marina Alta — Jalón, Lliber, Benissa villages — for those who want hills, quiet and bigger plots

Non-lucrative visa

Spain's main retirement visa, end to end.

Healthcare for retirees

How the S1 plugs into SNS.

How foreign pensions are taxed

Full UK pension treatment in Spain.

Tax residency

The 183-day rule explained.

Best places to retire

Where British retirees cluster.

Cost of living

UK vs Costa Blanca monthly budgets.