For people living in Spain with Spanish public health care provided by an S1 form they should apply for the New EHIC card and not the GHIC which is for UK residents only. You can only apply for this if you were legally resident in Spain (i.e. had a green EU resident card) before 31st Dec 2020. This means you are covered by the withdrawal agreement.
It appears that though the EHIC covers you for urgent care while visiting other EU countries apart from Spain, it does not cover you in the UK. You are always advises by the UK Government to take out additional travel insurance.
The new UK EHIC will cover you for all medically necessary, state-provided healthcare when visiting another EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein.
Below is copied from EHIC website
“If you hold an S1, your EHIC will not cover you in the country you live in or the UK”
The government has introduced a three tier pricing system for electricity according to time of day. The aim is to even out usage, making energy generation more efficient.
This will be applied automatically via your smart meter to all people who have their contract with the provider of ultimate recourse (Iberdrola in Alicante).
The low rate is applicable all day during Saturday and Sunday and National Holidays. Other days it is from midnight to 8 am.
The standard rate (llano) is from 08.00 to 10.00, from 14.00 to 18.00 and from 22.00 to midnight.
The highest rate is from 10.00 to 14.00 and from 18.00 to 22.00
Once you have filled in your details you can print it off or save it by clicking Imprimir/print and then Save to PDF.
You can either print it off or email it to yourself, open email on your phone and download the PDF to phone memory. It is easier to do on a computer than on a smartphone. You may have difficulty opening file on a smartphone. Make sure you have an app to read PDF such as Adobe Acrobat. If not download from App store.
On an Android smartphone download the GVA Coronavirus App. (With iPhones you may get a security notice forbidding you to proceed)
1. Enter your SIP number and date of birth.
2. You will be asked if you want to protect it with a code. You can press Ahora no/Not now.
3. At the bottom press info. (Cita is if you have Covid symptoms).
4. Halfway down left, select web vacunacion.
5 .Choose Certificado Covid UE, then again Solicitar Certificado Covid EU. Then choose Certificado de Vacunacion. (There are other options for non-vaccinated, see below)
6. Enter your SIP, Date of Birth and date of issue of SIP card. This is shown on your SIP card under data d’emissio mm/yy. Then introduce security letters shown.
7. It will show last 3 digits of you mobile number. If correct press Enviar SMS. If incorrect select Modificar Datos de Contacto. ( You can only do this if you have digital signature Cl@ve) If you don’t have cl@ve you will have to correct your phone number at your health centre,
8. You will get a code sent by text message to your phone. Enter it and press Consultar.
9. It will then allow you to download a PDF certificate to your phone. It will appear on your phone under downloads or files according to your type of phone. You need PDF reader to open it, see above. You
You can get a certificate after having had only one dose of a two vaccine course,
If you have not had Covid vaccine you can get two other types of certificate.
Certificate of having had PCR test in last 72 hours or having had Anitgen test (eg lateral Flow) in last 48 hours.
Or Certificate of having had Covid Infection in last year. This becomes valid 11 days after having a positive PCR test.
You should update your contact details (telephone and email) to make sure Sanitat can contact you when it is your turn for a vaccine.You need SIP Card Number, Date of Birth, and Date of Issue and typing in the Security Code. Validate the data then input your phone numbers (Spanish phone numbers only) and email address. Then press ENVIAR. You will get a message back to say it has been done correctly. NB Sanitat recommends you use updated browsers of Microsoft Edge, Safari, or Firefox to avoid problems.
If you can not do it online you can do it at the reception of your health centre.
Obtaining Volante de Empadronamiento from Benidorm. Most benefit claims need a certificad de empadronamiento, generally the historico with all family members listed on it.
The extension office of Benidorm Ayuntamiento in Avenida Juan Fuster Zaragoza 1, on the corner of the health centre block, opposite the GB Bar (formerly Mad Monk) now say that you no longer need an appointment.
However if you want to make an appointment use this link:
Social Bonus. Iberdrola Electricity Discount for Low Income ( Pensioners, Covid Affected,) Also Large Families ie more than 3 children. The account should be in name of claimant (Titular)
It is easy to apply online or at Iberdrola office. On the first page is a chart showing annual income levels below which you can claim. Also when you start to fill it in you will be shown the monthly limits below which you can apply.
You need to be on the regulated variable tariff, Pvpc not on a special deal except for Dia y Noche.
If you are not supplied by Iberdrola you should enquire with your supplier, but if it is a free market tariff you are on, you can not claim this discount bonus.
(If you are receiving UK pension and Attendance allowance, remember that they are paid 4 weekly so you will have to multiply them by 13 and divide by 12 to get the monthly figure.)
The discount is normally 25% (vulnerable) but can be 40% (severley vulnerable) for people on a very low income. The income limits vary according to family size and special circumstances.
Special circunstances include single parent, disability more than 33% if you have a disability card from Alicante, or Dependency grade 1 or 2 if you have this on an “Informe de salud para reconocimiento de prestaciones sociales)The latter, an assessment of your disability is done by the nurse and doctor at your Health Centre.
Large Families and Pensioners receiving a Spanish pension can get the 25% discount without proving income, but can claim the 40% discount if they fall below the income limits.
Large families with more than 3 children will need a large family certificate to claim.
Remember British pensioners will have to show income with a P60.
Also if you do not have a libro de familia, you will need to get a certificate of Fe de Vida to show you are alive. You can get these from the local registry office, courts (Juzgado) or justice of peace office (Juzgado de Paz)
Obtaining Volante de Empadronamiento from Benidorm. Most benefit claims need a volante de empadronamiento, generally the historico with all family members listed on it. You can do it online if you have cl@ve at this link. https://sede.benidorm.org/catalogo-de-servicios
or making an appointment for using this link ( also for making appointment for other council services except PROP office)
La Nucia and Al faz de Pi do not require appointments to get volante de empadronamiento from town hall. Neither does Villajoyosa, but you get in from the Casa de Juventud.
You have to renew discount every two years apart from Large Families who renew when their large family certificate runs out. There is a separate link for renewals on the main page.
New UK EHIC for health cover in EU. The UK has introduced a new Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)to replace the EHIC card once it has run out. However this is not available to UK residents of EU countries such as Spain. If you are a Spanish resident and have an S1, E121, E106 or E109 you should apply for the new UK EHIC (not the GHIC) at https://services.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/cra/start
No Change to Exportable Benefitssuch as Attendance Allowance if you have Spanish Residency before 31st December 2020. People already claiming benefits such as Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance from the UK will see no change in their benefits.
New claims can still be made providing you can prove you were a Spanish Resident before 31st Dec 2020. You will have to send a copy of your residency card.
UK Pensions and health care with S1 continue as before Brexit.
Due to a 27% increase in Covid-19 incidence this week, Sanitat Valencia has reversed the freedoms for Christmas and New Year. As from Monday 21st December reunions of family and friends whether at home or outside will be limited to six people consisting of people from a maximum of two households. The curfew will be reduced to 11pm except for 24th and 31st December when it will be midnight. The borders of Valencia region will be closed except for people returning to their place of residence. Source Twitter account GVA Sanitat.
Sanitat Valencia has announced that it will permit family reunions of up to 10 people on 24,25 & 26 of Dec and 1,5 & 6 of Jan 2021 and the curfew on those days will be 1.00 hours. This does not include reunions with friends which will continue to be limited to 6.
