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Moving to Spain from the UK now means applying for a visa, unless you were already living there before 2021. Most Britons use the non-lucrative visa if they live on pensions or savings, or the digital nomad visa if they work remotely, then register on the padrón and get a residence card. The decisions that matter most after that are healthcare, how your pensions are taxed, and Spain’s reporting rules for assets you keep in the UK.
This guide works through those decisions in the order you’ll meet them, using GOV.UK, the Spanish government and the UK–Spain tax treaty, and flags the points where the official guidance runs out.
Moving to Spain from the UK: do you need a visa?
Yes, unless you’re covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. Short trips are capped at 90 days in any 180-day period; settling in Spain takes a national visa or residence permit (GOV.UK). Days spent on a Spanish residence card are separate from that visitor allowance.
| Your situation | Route |
|---|---|
| Retired or living off capital | Non-lucrative visa: €28,800 yearly for a single applicant, no work |
| Working remotely for UK or other foreign employers or clients | Digital nomad visa: €2,442 a month in 2026 |
| Lived legally in Spain before January 1, 2021 | Withdrawal Agreement rights, documented by a TIE card |
Retirees should start with the non-lucrative visa, where UK applicants file an ACRO certificate and pay the London consulate’s fee. Every other route is compared in our overview of Spain visas.
If you moved before 2021
British people who lived legally in Spain before January 1, 2021 may keep rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. GOV.UK says the TIE is the only residence document listed in the agreement, and the older green residence certificate isn’t proof of exemption from Entry/Exit System registration at the border (GOV.UK), so swapping it for a TIE avoids problems when travelling.
Healthcare: S1, convenio especial or private cover
Which healthcare route you use depends mainly on whether you receive a UK State Pension.
| Your situation | Route | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving a UK State Pension | S1, registered with Spain’s social security (INSS) | Paid by the UK |
| Working or self-employed in Spain | Spanish social security contributions | Through contributions |
| Not working, no S1, under a year in Spain | Private health insurance | Market price |
| Not working, no S1, at least a year on the padrón | Convenio especial (pay-in public cover) | €60 a month under 65, €157 from 65 |
If you draw a UK State Pension, you could qualify for an S1, registered at an INSS office or online (GOV.UK). GOV.UK’s guidance doesn’t say whether people who moved after 2020 can get a new S1, so ask NHS Overseas Healthcare Services before relying on it. S1 holders can’t join the convenio especial.
The convenio especial gives access to Spain’s public health service for economically inactive residents who have lived in Spain for at least a year, are on the padrón and have no other public cover (Ministerio de Sanidad). Prescriptions aren’t subsidised under it, so you pay the full price for outpatient medicines. Non-lucrative visa applicants without an S1 need private insurance for the application; the London consulate also accepts a registered S1.
A worked example: retiring at 60, before the State Pension
Take a 60-year-old who retires to Málaga on a workplace pension, years before State Pension age. With no S1, they buy private insurance for the visa. After at least a year of residence and padrón registration, the convenio especial may become available at €60 a month, rising to €157 at 65. Whether their time on the visa counts toward that year, whether the renewal accepts the convenio instead of private insurance, and whether they could get an S1 once their State Pension starts are all points to confirm before relying on them.
Your UK State Pension in Spain
Spain is one of the countries where DWP applies the yearly State Pension uprating, so your pension isn’t frozen (GOV.UK). HMRC doesn’t usually tax a non-resident’s State Pension (GOV.UK).
Tell HMRC you’re leaving, usually on form P85, and remember that non-residents can’t use HMRC’s online services to report UK income, so you’ll need a paper return, compatible software or an adviser if you still file.
How your pensions are taxed under the UK–Spain treaty
Once you’re a Spanish tax resident, the treaty gives Spain the right to tax most pensions (UK–Spain convention). Residence for tax starts once you pass 183 days in Spain within a calendar year, or when Spain is the centre of your economic interests (Ley 35/2006, article 9).
| Income | Where it’s taxed |
|---|---|
| Private and workplace pensions | Only in Spain (article 17) |
| Government-service pensions (civil service and similar) | Only in the UK, unless you’re both resident in and a national of Spain (article 18) |
| UK State Pension | Not named in the treaty; take advice on how it’s treated |
The treaty’s list of covered taxes doesn’t include UK inheritance tax or Spanish inheritance tax. Rental income from UK property, and how relief works for it, is a point to take advice on.
Spanish reporting and wealth taxes
Spain asks residents to declare foreign assets and can tax large fortunes, two things many Britons don’t expect.
- Modelo 720: residents declare foreign bank accounts, investments or property when a category exceeds €50,000, and generally file again only when a category rises significantly. The penalties were reformed in 2022 after a ruling by the EU Court of Justice (Agencia Tributaria).
- Wealth tax: each region sets its own allowance, and where a region hasn’t set one the allowance is €700,000 (Ley 19/1991). A separate national tax applies to net wealth above €3 million (Ley 38/2022).
- Inheritance tax: heirs resident in Spain pay Spanish inheritance tax on assets anywhere in the world, under regional rules that vary widely (Ley 29/1987). With UK inheritance tax outside the treaty, cross-border estates need specialist advice.
Practical steps: driving, pets and paperwork
GOV.UK says you can drive on a UK licence for up to six months as a resident; exchange it before then to keep driving (GOV.UK). UK and Gibraltar licences can be exchanged under a bilateral agreement; Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man licences can’t, so holders need a Spanish test.
Pets travelling from Great Britain need an animal health certificate from an official vet, used within 10 days of issue, and a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel; GB pet passports aren’t accepted. Budget for the move with our cost of living in Spain figures. When you settle, register on the padrón at your town hall, apply for your TIE within a month of arriving on a non-lucrative visa, and keep the padrón up to date, since healthcare and many services depend on it.
Frequently asked questions
What British movers ask most.
Can I move to Spain from the UK without a visa?
Only for short visits, capped at 90 days in a rolling 180. Settling there requires a visa, unless you were resident before 2021 under the Withdrawal Agreement.
Can I use the NHS in Spain?
Not as a resident. People drawing a UK State Pension may qualify for a UK-funded S1 for Spanish state healthcare; everyone else relies on private cover or, after a year, the convenio especial.
Is my UK State Pension frozen in Spain?
No. Spain is on the list of countries where the State Pension rises every year.
Do I pay tax in Spain on my UK pension?
Under article 17, Spain alone taxes private and workplace pensions after you become resident. Civil-service-type pensions remain with HMRC unless you’re a Spanish national.
Can I drive in Spain on a UK licence?
For up to six months as a resident, according to GOV.UK. Exchange it for a Spanish licence before then.
What is Modelo 720?
Spain’s declaration of foreign assets. Residents file it when accounts, investments or property abroad exceed €50,000 in a category.
Moving to Spain from the UK works best when the visa, healthcare and tax questions are settled before you go: pick the visa that matches your income, work out whether you’ll have an S1 or need private cover, and map your pensions and UK assets against the treaty and Modelo 720. The Spain relocation guide covers the rest of the move.
Sources
- Living in Spain
- Spain entry requirements
- Healthcare in Spain
- Convenio especial (special agreement for healthcare)
- Countries where the State Pension is increased each year
- UK–Spain double taxation convention
- Tax on your UK income if you live abroad
- Modelo 720: penalties and effects
- Ley 19/1991 (Wealth Tax)
- Ley 38/2022 (temporary solidarity tax on large fortunes)
- Tell HMRC you're leaving the UK (P85)
- Ley 29/1987 (Inheritance and Gift Tax)
- Ley 35/2006 (Personal Income Tax Act)
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Immigration and tax rules change often and depend on your circumstances. Check the official sources above and speak to a licensed professional before you apply or move. Read how we research and review in our editorial guidelines.
