Paphos Life

I am led to believe that all persons of pension age resident in Cyprus will have to pay 1.7% of their income as from March 1st under the Gesy plan. I am now wondering what the advantage of holding an S1 is although Immigration are still requiring one to be held by applicants.

The fact of the matter is we just don't know. Nobody (e.g. Cyprus Govt, High Commission) are telling us anything. When you do ask, nobody knows.

However, logic says that the S1 will continue, as without it we would be asked for the full cost of treatment which would be a lot more than 1.7% of income.

I know the Cypriot state pensioners will pay 1.7% of their income but as josef k writes above there has been no mention regarding UK state pensioners, not even in the media let alone from official sources. Regarding the S1 form, I would expect it to remain in use until the state health benefits issue is resolved between the UK and EU.

As the Brexit negotiations stagger on I don't anticipate an early announcement on this subject.

My accountant informed me yesterday that she had received information that ALL pensioners will be liable for the 1.7 % Gesy payment and that this would be payable to the tax office. How, when etc was still unknown apparently.

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:14 am I honestly do not believe anyone knows....

Strange? havant you been telling everyone on here from day one, that nothing will change after Brexit, boy are you in for a shock.

Found this on the gesy web site goto gesy.org.cy information then News click on Commencement of Contributions dated 1/02/2019 if you download this PDF file it is 8 pages it tells you everything about payments for working and pensioners through the tax system.
Dave

This is the answer I got when I emailed GESY. The reply, perhaps, should say "as a UK NATIONAL resident in Cyprus" but I guess that's just a mistake in the translation from Greek to English.

According to the GHS regulations, all Cyprus tax residents who receive a pension or any income from the Republic of Cyprus or abroad are obliged to pay a contribution of 1,70% on their pension/income for the 1st phase of the GHS (1st March 2019) and 2,65% for the 2nd phase (1st March 2020). Kindly note that as a UK resident in Cyprus, you will have to pay the contribution directly to the Tax Department through self-assessment. For more information regarding whether the UK Government will defray the costs, you will have to contact the responsible department of your Government.

Thank you for contacting us, we remain at your disposal.

GHS Contact Centre

Health Insurance Organisation

Tel: 17000, calling from abroad: +357-22017000

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.gesy.org.cy/contactus

On page 2 item 2 defines pensioner and item 3 defines all other forms of payments under article 5 of the tax law ie dividends rent etc so if you complete a tax return as a natural person even like me you dont pay tax we will still have to pay gesy at 1.7% of declared income.That is how I read this document and everybody would pay and be treated the same as a local with regard to health.
Dave

I would hope that the BHC can give a positive answer to the additional health costs that are being levied by the Cypriot authorities since even for a pensioner below the tax threshold substantial amounts will have to be paid. Around €300 per person this year and €500 per person next year irrespective of any Brexit outcome. I fear though the answer will be that these charges are a matter for the host country and residents will have to comply and that any compensation from the UK will not be forthcoming.
Big amounts for a pensioner couple on a tight budget.

chatsworth wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 3:15 pm I would hope that the BHC can give a positive answer to the additional health costs that are being levied by the Cypriot authorities since even for a pensioner below the tax threshold substantial amounts will have to be paid. Around €300 per person this year and €500 per person next year irrespective of any Brexit outcome. I fear though the answer will be that these charges are a matter for the host country and residents will have to comply and that any compensation from the UK will not be forthcoming.
Big amounts for a pensioner couple on a tight budget.

300/500 is peanuts to receive health care for a year, one euro a day?

Hudswell - I have also emailed BHC & will post what they reply. Will be interesting to see if we get the same standard reply!

WHL
Peanuts ?
Idiotic remark !

Personally, I think the UK will pick up the healthcare costs of their pensioners in Europe, as they do now but things may need to settle a bit first before the actual mechanism kicks in once we leave the EU!


Shane

chatsworth wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:30 pm WHL
Peanuts ?
Idiotic remark !

As usual

chatsworth wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 6:30 pm WHL
Peanuts ?
Idiotic remark !

In your opinion. You obviously haven't a clue, how much health care costs.

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:34 pm

WHL wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 4:01 pm

chatsworth wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 3:15 pm I would hope that the BHC can give a positive answer to the additional health costs that are being levied by the Cypriot authorities since even for a pensioner below the tax threshold substantial amounts will have to be paid. Around €300 per person this year and €500 per person next year irrespective of any Brexit outcome. I fear though the answer will be that these charges are a matter for the host country and residents will have to comply and that any compensation from the UK will not be forthcoming.
Big amounts for a pensioner couple on a tight budget.

300/500 is peanuts to receive health care for a year, one euro a day?

Well it’s 300/500 more than State pensioners are paying today, and for some not peanuts.

Nothing stays the same in life, For Cyprus it's a massive achievement to finally get a National Health service up and running. One euro a day is nothing.

Certainly a significant amount when taken together with increases in rent, electricity etc if you are on a low income. Many UK state pensioners I know get less than the Cyprus minimum wage, so a couple where each has a UK state pension will be paying €300 a year each for GESY contributions and that will have an effect on their lifestyle. However, I thought it was 1.7% of income, not sure where the figures of 300 or 500 come from.

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:44 pm For you nothing perhaps but €500 a year for some is significant...I currently pay about €2000 private, for me, if I have to pay into the system it’s a result...as a pensioner in the UK you pay nothing...hopefully reciprocal agreements will be in place and UK pensioners will not have to pay directly from their pensions, having payed NI most of their lives.

It's not relavent if pensioners in the UK pay nothing. Your living in Cyprus now.

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:18 pm

WHL wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:03 pm

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 9:44 pm For you nothing perhaps but €500 a year for some is significant...I currently pay about €2000 private, for me, if I have to pay into the system it’s a result...as a pensioner in the UK you pay nothing...hopefully reciprocal agreements will be in place and UK pensioners will not have to pay directly from their pensions, having payed NI most of their lives.

It's not relavent if pensioners in the UK pay nothing. Your living in Cyprus now.

Are you really that dim, or just being provocative..unusual for you enjoy the Zivinia. The discussion (a big word I know) is in regard to the UK Government picking up the bill for UK expats in Cyprus as the currently do. If the concept is too much for you to take in perhaps you should just step aside.

You can't debate, so you come out with the insults... Just about sums you up.... Pathetic

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:56 pm Oh pot calling kettle...I can understand the concept of what is happening is difficult to understand...or is it? Currently UK expat pensioners living in Cyprus are entitled to free reciprocal medical care, GESY has thrown a spanner in the works, not Brexit..so will the UK government continue to fund care or will UK expat pensioners now be required to pay up to €500 out of their pension directly to the Cypriot Government? To some to You apparently, a price acceptable, to others, living on a basic UK pension, dealing with increased utility charges and perhaps increased rental agreements, and a increasing cost of living, an additional drain on their resources, possibly for a couple an additional €1000 a year..debate.

Wind your neck in, Its the same for Cypriot pensioners. They got free treatment up to now, they too will now pay, don't they have the same living expenses, the NHS is great project for Cyprus as it is for the UK... You can't blame Cyprus if the UK refuses to pay for expat treatment.