Does a UK-issued EHIC apply abroad if working under UK limited company?

[Guest22]

According to this NHS webpage on the EHIC, if you live abroad in an EEA country, you're entitled to a UK-issued EHIC if you are a worker posted to work there by your UK employer.

So, does it count if I work for the client abroad under my UK limited company which I am a director of (an employee, effectively)? The contract is between the client and my UK limited company, and they pay my UK limited company in euros to a UK account. My view is that I am effectively a worker posted to work for the client abroad by my UK limited company.

[fannyadams]

That's exactly what you are.

[eek]

Not quite you are entitled to an EHIC card if you are ordinarily resident in the UK see https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-man...nual/cbtm10020 as this link has the definition of what ordinarily resident means.

Your limited company has no bearing on what you can do and that argument immediately falls apart when the chief director and shareholder is working abroad for reasons I'm not going to go into here but can be seen in the German Tax people calling threads..

[WTFH]

Yes, it does apply to other EEA countries.
Just remember that most countries implemented the EHIC correctly (unlike the UK), so you may have to pay up-front then claim back later.
And don’t forget that they expire.

As the webpage you linked to states -

If you live in Europe

You cannot apply online for a UK-issued EHIC. Instead, you’ll need to request an EHIC-E application form with the Overseas Healthcare Team. Simply call 0191 218 1999 from the UK or 0044 (0)191 218 1999 from abroad, (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm).
For more detailed information, see the Moving abroad section or phone the EHIC enquiry line on 0300 330 1350.
If you are not eligible for a UK-issued EHIC, you should see if you are eligible for an EHIC in the country you are currently living in.
Residents of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are not eligible for an EHIC.

[fannyadams]

Not quite you are entitled to an EHIC card if you are ordinarily resident in the UK see https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-man...nual/cbtm10020 as this link has the definition of what ordinarily resident means.

Your limited company has no bearing on what you can do and that argument immediately falls apart when the chief director and shareholder is working abroad for reasons I'm not going to go into here but can be seen in the German Tax people calling threads..

"If you live in Europe

If you live in another EEA country or Switzerland, you will be entitled to a UK-issued EHIC if one of the following applies to you:

you receive a UK State Pension or exportable UK benefit and have a UK-issued S1 form (certificate of entitlement) registered in your country of residence

you are a worker posted to work in another EEA country or Switzerland by your UK employer, or a frontier worker living in the EEA and working in the UK

you are a family member of a posted worker or of someone working in the UK and you are not covered in your own right by the EEA country you reside in

you are a student going to another EEA country or Switzerland to study

You cannot apply online for a UK-issued EHIC. Instead, you’ll need to request an EHIC-E application form with the Overseas Healthcare Team. Simply call 0191 218 1999 from the UK or 0044 (0)191 218 1999 from abroad, (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm)."

[eek]

you are a worker posted to work in another EEA country or Switzerland by your UK employer, or a frontier worker living in the EEA and working in the UK

See my second line. If you work for a large company - the company is posting you abroad as the management of the company remains in the UK - so this isn't a problem.

If however you work for your own company that logic doesn't work - if you work in Germany the management of the company moves to Germany and hence is now resident in Germany which is why we end up with interesting tax discussions and those discussions would carry over into this area.

So it ends up being a question of under which criteria do you qualify for a EHIC card for. And if its only the working for a company .... basis I wouldn't want to take the risk myself. You may well be fine (and I suspect you would be) but you may equally discover that you have a massive bill to pay.

And its not as if travel insurance for anyone our age is that expensive....

[stek]

EHIC only covers you for the first three months when you are still counted as a visitor. After that you are redident, exercising a treaty right and in the local system which is either funded from local tax or paid for depending on country.

[stek]

See my second line. If you work for a large company - the company is posting you abroad as the management of the company remains in the UK - so this isn't a problem.

If however you work for your own company that logic doesn't work - if you work in Germany the management of the company moves to Germany and hence is now resident in Germany which is why we end up with interesting tax discussions and those discussions would carry over into this area.

So it ends up being a question of under which criteria do you qualify for a EHIC card for. And if its only the working for a company .... basis I wouldn't want to take the risk myself. You may well be fine (and I suspect you would be) but you may equally discover that you have a massive bill to pay.

And its not as if travel insurance for anyone our age is that expensive....

Here in Ireland I have a PPSN card for health insurance, with an EHIC card the GP won't even see you, it's a trip to A&E. Same in Denmark, I had to give them my CPR number before I could make an appointment with the Docs otherwise it's A&E again. Cost £60 taxi too in Copenhagen and it was only a few miles...

I'd never rely on the EHIC, like I said it's for visitors and no replacement for proper insurance, either in local system or bought beforehand.

[northernladyuk]

Here in Ireland I have a PPSN card for health insurance, with an EHIC card the GP won't even see you, it's a trip to A&E.

You have a Public Services Card (PSC), not a PPSN card, as a PPSN gives you no entitlement to public healthcare. As for GP, that's not correct - you just pay the GP the private fee, the same as any resident Irish citizen who doesn't hold a GMS or GP Visit Under 6 / Over 70 card. I don't know why you'd go to A&E.

[stek]

You have a Public Services Card (PSC), not a PPSN card, as a PPSN gives you no entitlement to public healthcare. As for GP, that's not correct - you just pay the GP the private fee, the same as any resident Irish citizen who doesn't hold a GMS or GP Visit Under 6 / Over 70 card. I don't know why you'd go to A&E.

Just what the doc told me! Probably I didn't listen.

What have I got then? (checks wallet) yes, ur right - it's PSC card, with my PPS number on it. I stand corrected, funny what you assume....