Brexit’s Impact on Elderly Britons in Spain
MADRID – The reality of Brexit has ushered in a significant care crisis for elderly Britons residing in Spain, as charities report a marked decline in the number of UK citizens willing to relocate to Europe and engage in volunteer work. The new post-Brexit regulations stipulate that Britons can only spend 90 days in every 180 in Spain, necessitating visa applications for those who wish to reside there for extended periods.
This bureaucratic hurdle has deterred many Britons from pursuing a new life in Spain. A substantial number of retirees in the country depend on charities such as the British Legion and Age Concern, particularly as their families remain in the UK. Accessing Spanish social services can be quite challenging due to language barriers, further complicating their situation.
Unfortunately, since the Brexit transition, there has been a significant drop in the number of volunteers available to provide assistance, intensifying the strain on these charities. Michelle Greenwood, the secretary and fundraising manager at Age Concern on the Costa del Sol, who has called Spain home for 15 years, shared her observations. She noted that prior to the Brexit vote, the charity boasted up to 30 volunteers, but currently, that number has dwindled to just five.
Aging Population and Volunteer Shortage
Greenwood remarked, “There are fewer people making the move to Spain now. Before Brexit, there were no restrictions on their time spent here. Many individuals maintained homes in the UK and engaged in voluntary work during their stays.” She elaborated, “That dynamic has changed dramatically. Now, potential volunteers are deterred by the limitations on their time in Spain, which has directly impacted the number of individuals willing to offer their support.”
The repercussions of this volunteer shortage are being felt acutely by the elderly population. Greenwood explained, “Many newcomers have remained within the English-speaking community and have not integrated into Spanish society. They rely on hope rather than practical solutions, but when health issues arise, they find themselves struggling to navigate the system.”
One such case is Tracy, who preferred to keep her last name private. She is the primary caregiver for her husband, Don, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. The couple relocated from Chester in Lancashire to Benalmádena, a picturesque town near Málaga on the Costa del Sol in 2020. Tracy expressed her frustrations, stating, “Age Concern has been incredibly supportive, but when we reached out to Afab, a Spanish organization for Alzheimer’s care, we encountered hostility. They informed us that their services were exclusively for Spaniards.”
She continued, “It took us over a year just to get an appointment with a neurologist here. The lack of accessible healthcare and support is overwhelming.”
Experts Weigh In on the Crisis
Dr. Kelly Hall, a social policy expert at the University of Birmingham who has authored multiple studies on the care needs of British expats, commented on the growing pressures faced by the voluntary sector in Spain. She stated, “The number of people relocating to Spain is decreasing, as is the purchase of holiday homes and the pool of volunteers. This is a ticking time bomb for our community.”
Dr. Hall, who contributed to the book Retirement Migrants and Dependents: Caring for Sunseekers, which challenges common perceptions of British retirees in Spain, noted that many of them move to be close to family. However, the lack of language skills and social connections often leads to feelings of isolation among these individuals. Presently, approximately 400,000 Britons are residents in Spain, according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute, although the specific number of pensioners remains uncertain.
