People residing in Great Britain and wishing to retire permanently in France should first inform their D.S.S. office a few weeks before the intended date of departure. The D.S.S. will set the necessary administrative arrangements in motion. (See address below).

 You are planning to move before you get your state pension (eg: you are already in receipt of your private pension)
You should apply for a form E106 (medical cover for up to 2 years) - see D.S.S. - Alternatively, a private insurance or voluntary contributions should be considered when the E106 expires or if you have not reached the age of state retirement (Contact your local French social security office).

 People receiving a UK state pension only
If the pensioner does not get a pension from France at a later date, the United Kingdom will accept costs. A form E121GB will be issued on request from the pensioner to allow him to register for health care in France.

 People receiving both a UK and French pensions
In this case, the French sickness insurance institution will be responsible for the health care costs and the pensioner will be treated as a French pensioner for health care purposes.

 People receiving a UK pension and will eventually receive another EU pension at a later date
A form E121GB will be issued. When the French (or other European Union Country) pension becomes payable, the health care liabilities will be reviewed. For example, the E121GB may have to be cancelled if insurance periods in the other European Union country were no longer than those in the UK. The Health care costs will then be the responsibility of this European Union country, which will provide the form E121.

Further information can be obtained from the D.S.S. (see address below), especially leaflet SA29 "your special security, health care and pensions right in the European Community".

DSS - Overseas Branch
EU Office
Longbenton
Newcastle upon Tyne NE98 1YX
Tel: 0191 213 5000

(Datas provided by the Consulat Général de France, London)

France does not have a PAYE system. Amounts automatically deducted from your gross salary on your pay slip are social contributions.

If you are a French resident, you have to fill a "déclaration de revenus n°2042" (Tax return) in May each year, asking you to state your income for the previous year.

You will have to send this "déclaration de revenus" to your local "Centre des Impôts" (Tax Office).

For more information about your taxes in France, contact your local Tax Office or:

 French Tax Authorities: http://www.impots.gouv.fr

 Tax Attaché Department : 0207.831.90.48
http://www.institut-francais.org.uk/fiscal/

    HMRC : http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/

(Datas provided by the Consulat Général de France, London)

Revenu Minimum d’Insertion (RMI)
The RMI is the French equivalent of the British Income Support. You are entitled to claim it if you are 25 years old and when you have a Carte de Séjour. RMI is not transferable to the UK.

Unemployment Benefit
Transferring UK unemployment benefit: If you are entitled to UK unemployment benefit and have been claiming this benefit for at least four weeks, you may continue to receive this benefit for up to 3 months whilst you seek work in France. You should inform, at least 5 working days before you leave, the office where you are claiming unemployment benefit of your intention to look for work elsewhere in the European Community. Your local office will then advise the Overseas Branch who will send you a E303 form which you should take to the nearest ANPE office within 7 days of your arrival in France.

For further details, please contact the D.S.S.- Overseas branch at the address above.

If you are entitled to French unemployment benefit, the reverse procedure is also possible. For further information on French unemployment benefit, contact your local ANPE.

 Family Allowance If you work in France with your family, such an allowance is paid after the birth of a second child and until the child is 20 years old.

You are entitled to British family benefits if the members of your family reside in the UK, provided you are insured in France.

For further information on family benefits whilst in France, contact your local Caisse des Allocations Familiales.

 Pensions Once working in France, you will pay contributions for a French state pension.

From the age of 60, you will have to contact the Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Vieillesse (CNAV) in order to receive a pro-rata pension according to the time you have been insured in France.

CNAV
110-112 rue de Flandres
75951 Paris cedex 19
tel: 0033 140 05 51 10

For details on how your contributions to the French pension scheme will affect your British state pension, please contact the DSS Overseas Branch at the address above.

Please note that:
Unemployment benefit is the only transferable benefit. Income Support, Housing Benefit, Child Benefit, Invalidity Benefit are not transferable. When applying for such benefits in France, a letter from your British Benefit Agency stating that you are not anymore receiving British benefits will be requested.

(Datas provided by the Consulat Général de France, London)