UK Government writes to UK citizens in EU

[wanderer]

The UK Government has written to 365,000 UK nationals living in Europe with advice on the actions they need to take to prepare for the end of the UK transition period on December 31.

This includes 16,197 letters issued to UK state pensioners and benefit recipients in Cyprus, the British High Commission said on Tuesday.

The letters advise on how to register for residency and healthcare, exchange driving licences and check new passport validity rules online. It is one of the largest-ever mail outs by the UK Government to UK nationals living in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, the High Commission said.

“We are committed to informing and supporting our British community about all the necessary actions they should take to secure their status in Cyprus, particularly as we approach the end of the UK-EU Transition Period. Since 2017, the British High Commission in Cyprus has organised 20 outreach events, with more than 10,000 Brits attending in person or online and we continue our public information campaign to ensure we reach as many Brits as possible,” British High Commissioner to Cyprus Stephen Lillie said.

The UK government has been running a public information campaign featuring online, radio and newspaper adverts across 30 countries informing UK nationals of the actions they need to take. This is in addition to the hundreds of town hall meetings, street surgeries and online Q&As run by the UK’s Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates across Europe.

It has also allocated £3 million for charities and community voluntary organisations across Europe to assist UK nationals that may need additional help to register or apply to protect their residency rights. This includes potentially at-risk groups, such as pensioners and disabled people and those living in remote areas or who have mobility difficulties. Beneficiaries include SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, the Church of England diocese in France and Age in Spain.

UK nationals resident before December 31, can continue living and working in Cyprus but may need to register or apply for residency. British pensioners will continue to receive their pensions as they do now.

UK nationals can find the most up to date information on actions they may need to take in the ‘Living in Guide’ for their country at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-cyprus



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[jayceebee]

Ummm, I wonder if they've written to us at our Mersin 10, Turkey addresses?

If so, we will probably find out what to do in February/March!!!

[waddo]

Only if you told them where you live and registered with the High Commission! Never bothered myself as I told them I was leaving and where I was going before I left. Never even got a response to that so don’t expect any further communication unless they want something - lol.

[jofra]

"The UK Government has written to 365,000 UK nationals living in Europe...."
...or would this actually be "living in the EU..." - for example, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and Switzerland are in Europe but are not members of the EU. Will expats in these countries be contacted?
While Cyprus as an island is in the EU, the TRNC does not apparently fall completely under the aegis of the EU...

[Hair Cut]

Ummm, I wonder if they've written to us at our Mersin 10, Turkey addresses?

If so, we will probably find out what to do in February/March!!!

I don't think Turkey is part of the EU.

[jayceebee]

Ummm, I wonder if they've written to us at our Mersin 10, Turkey addresses?

If so, we will probably find out what to do in February/March!!!

I don't think Turkey is part of the EU.

Neither is Switzerland.
I was just wondering if they had considered Turkey too since there is a special status for it regarding index linked pension payments to UK nationals "resident" there?

[Hair Cut]

Ummm, I wonder if they've written to us at our Mersin 10, Turkey addresses?

If so, we will probably find out what to do in February/March!!!

I don't think Turkey is part of the EU.

Neither is Switzerland.
I was just wondering if they had considered Turkey too since there is a special status for it regarding index linked pension payments to UK nationals "resident" there?

Countries the UK has a social security agreement with
The UK has agreements with some other countries to protect the social security rights of workers moving between the 2 countries.

These are sometimes known as ‘bilateral agreements’ or ‘reciprocal agreements’.

If you live in one of the following countries and receive a UK State Pension, you will usually get an increase in your pension every year:

Barbados
Bermuda
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Gibraltar
Guernsey
the Isle of Man
Israel
Jamaica
Jersey
Kosovo
Mauritius
Montenegro
North Macedonia
the Philippines
Serbia
Turkey
USA
The UK has social security agreements with Canada and New Zealand, but you cannot get a yearly increase in your UK State Pension if you live in either of those countries.

[waddo]

The content of the letter sent only applies to you if you live in the RoC! The High Commission in Nicosia kindly sent the letter addressed to me to my old address in the UK - not lived there for 13 years - the people who live there kindly scanned it into an email and sent it to me! Good to see that the High Commission is so bang up to date.

[Hair Cut]

Thanks for the info "Waddo"