Not sure of S1 status after Newcastle somehow emigrated me from France to Finland

Health Care & Carte Vitale
1

I have raised this before, but reading about an S1 deadline of end June has spurred me on to do something.

My wife and I moved here in early 2006, just under retirement ages. After a period of paying cotisations for health cover, we gained Carte Vitales in 2008. Utterly and totally no problems until early 2021. We both needed new EHIC cards and applied to Uk for these. My wife’s appeared (3 weeks). Mine didn’t.

After a couple of phone calls to Newcastle I found the reason – I do not have a registered S1. And this came about because the DHS (or whatever they are called) decided that I lived in Finland. And I remembered a letter from them maybe a year ago which kept mentioning Finland. I took no real notice because the letter was set out just the same as my wife’s letter, except hers said France where mine said Finland -I took it as an admin error.

Newcastle said they could do nothing, but I would have to re-register my S1 with France. They sent me two copies of my S1.

Nothing has changed regarding my health access here - doctor, pharmacy, consultant - all accept the carte vitale with no issues - last time last week.

I am a little reluctant to go to (Bergerac) CPAM offices to try to explain - my French is up to it, but I am apprehensive that I’ll be setting the cat amongst the pigeons, so to speak.

I have been prompted to ask for advice since I just read of some sort of deadline (end June) regarding S1 submissions.

2

This is not the case, the end June date is for the CDS. S1s are a separate issue and there is no ‘deadline’ although you oviously need to get it sorted out! S1s can still be future issued for those that lived here prior to 31 /12/20 but havent’ hit retirement yet so no deadline at all.

3

I know what you mean Roger, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Tough choice, pain now or pain later, as an old colleague of mine used to say.