Can I just clarify a point?
Post Brexit does a couple intending to retire to France (as “inactifs”) need to demonstrate the current SMIC (1273,76 € I think, for pensioners) each, or is there a lower figure for a couple?
I found this reference…
Is there an income test for moving to France post Brexit?
When you apply for your visa, you must provide various documents as well as proof that you have sufficient income. As a guide, income should be equivalent to the ‘SMIC’ (minimum wage in France) €1231 net per month. Decisions are taken on a case by case basis.
According to franceright.org “The French embassy in London has confirmed that it also will use this figure for a couple seeking a visitor visa/card; if you have children, however, the minimum income level will be higher. Resources can be in the form of capital: the guidance states that you must show resources that are ‘equivalent to 12 months SMIC’ so you would need to show available capital of at least this amount. Allowance can also be made if you live rent free or own your own property – this will reduce slightly the overall amount of money that you need to have.”
So it would seem the figure is for a couple, not indvidually…
So with the projected exchange rate at Billy’s planned retirement date, that’s £2,462 sterling per month,
(Just kidding.)
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Ha Ha - though at the rate we’re going you might not be wrong, kidding or not.
However … this reference says “per person”
I think I’d prefer to follow the view in the first link, not just because I provided it, but since it suggests that it came from the French Embassy as opposed to a financial planning “expert”…
The article also seemed a bit out of kilter with ages for State Pension requirement where it says “Both will be eligible for a UK state pension at the age of 60” 
Not well written from my perspective.
It fits in with what I’ve previously read as well, but the second made me wonder.
No, I didn’t notice that - yes I agree it makes you wonder about the article.
Of course it could be that they are due a workplace pension at 60 (not impossible if they have been with the same employer a long time) - but a bit sloppy nonetheless.
My own retirement is still sufficiently far away that the rules might have changed completely, though at the moment I think we’d still be OK even if it was “per person”.
Do nurses get their NHS pension at 60?
I think SMIC has gone up a couple of times since then, I seem to recall it being increased in the summer to cover inflation etc, in addition to the annual increase. Isnt it nearer 16 000 now?
I think that’s “gross” for those in employment - it’s a bit less for retirees, as far as I know.
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Can someone please post a Fr Gov link showing what finances they are looking for re Visa/Residency…
I found one this morning (can’t locate it now) but I don’t think it was talking about the SMIC increases… but might be wrong…
@Stella - Maybe this?
Or
https://www.welcometofrance.com/en/fiche/fact-sheet-british-nationals-and-their-family-members
The 5-yr Resident Card:
https://www.welcometofrance.com/en/fiche/resident-card
Does state **resources at least equal to the minimum wage, i.e. €20,147.40 as of 1st August 2022
There is Smic (salaire minimum de croissance) - Code du travail numérique which gives 1678,95€ gross, 1329,05 € net per month
And
Which says, effectively, 1273,76 € for pensioners.
and what is the DWP these days…??? (neither of us has full DWP)
is there much difference with SMIC ?
There isn’t visa category for retired people, so you can only apply for a visitor visa. €1329.05 month (annual average). There have been many recent reports that they are not asking for twice this for an INACTIF couple - which at one point they were.
This is from service -public:
Si vous êtes étranger et que vous souhaitez venir en France pour une durée supérieure à 3 mois, vous devez détenir un visa de long séjour valant titre de séjour (VL-TS) mention visiteur .
Vous êtes concerné si vous êtes étranger (sauf européen: Allemagne, Autriche, Belgique, Bulgarie, Chypre, Croatie, Danemark, Espagne, Estonie, Finlande, Grèce, Hongrie, Irlande, Islande, Italie, Lettonie, Liechtenstein, Lituanie, Luxembourg, Malte, Norvège, Pays-Bas, Pologne, Portugal, République tchèque, Roumanie, Slovaquie, Slovénie, Suède, Suisse ou algérien).
Vous devez vous engager à ne pas travailler en France et vous devez disposer de ressources suffisantes pour vivre pendant toute la durée de votre séjour.
Le montant minimal des ressources exigé pour une personne seule est de 1 329,05 € nets mensuels, sur 1 année.
Il peut s’agir de vos propres ressources (rentes ou pensions, revenus immobiliers, etc.) ou de celles d’un membre de votre famille. Vous pouvez présenter des attestations bancaires ou des cautions ou des preuves de revenus fournies par des personnes solvables.
Les conditions de logement sont également prises en compte dans l’évaluation de vos ressources, et éventuellement les cautions fournies par des personnes solvables (votre famille notamment).
Les allocations familiales ne sont pas prises en compte (elles sont versées pour assurer l’entretien des enfants).
This is for people with FRENCH pensions, not all retired people.
Agree, but if 1273,76 € per month is OK for a French retiree why would it not be OK for a non-French one?
There’s also:
Which suggests that you might get away with less if you already own a house in France (and are thus not paying a mortgage or rent).
… if you have no dependent children (also a consideration IIRC).
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Which is what I said.
My guess, and this is just a guess, is that people with French pensions are eligible for things that people with non French pensions aren’t. And that gives an extra financial cushion.
Well let’s put it this way…
If by DWP you mean state pension Stella, I think the full rate is around £9,300 p.a. So £775 p.m. That’s new state pension, I think there’s a lower scale for people who retired before that came in… unsure of when new state pension came in : maybe early April 2016. So for anyone who retired earlier their figure will be lower.
And before anyone says it’s too much, as you’ve said Stella, a very great number of people don’t get the full amount. Of those that don’t, I think I saw a frightening figure, that 90% are women.
For SMIC at 1273 Euros to be the same as £775, the exchange rate would need to be 1.64.
I think I saw somewhere they take about 70 euros as a rule of thumb off the monthly amount if own home or presumably other reason for not paying rent.
I’m sure that you are right but it seems to be a completely unrealistic amount for actual rent or mortgage.