Healthcare for UK nationals living in Germany
How to get state healthcare if you live, work or study in Germany.
Stay up to date
This guidance will be updated if anything changes to how you get state healthcare in Germany.
This information is about living in Germany. There are different rules if you바카라 사이트檙e visiting Germany - find out how to on the NHS website.
You must have health insurance cover to live in Germany. You may still have to pay for some services or to use some parts of the healthcare system.
German residents join a health insurer called a 바카라 사이트楰rankenkasse바카라 사이트� and pay monthly insurance contributions. Around 90% of residents join a 바카라 사이트榮tatutory바카라 사이트� health insurer ().
Around 10% of residents join a private health insurer (private Krankenkasse).
UK nationals usually access the German healthcare system in one of these ways:
- joining a statutory German health insurer
- joining a private German health insurer
- using a UK-issued GHIC or EHIC for temporary stays when studying, or as a 바카라 사이트榩osted바카라 사이트� (detached) worker
- registering a UK-issued S1 form with a statutory health insurer (see 바카라 사이트楿K-funded healthcare: getting and using an S1 form in Germany바카라 사이트� below)
Healthcare if you live and work in Germany
If you are planning on moving to Germany, see the guidance on Living in Germany for more information about visa and residency requirements.
You must show proof of healthcare cover:
- before you can register as a resident
- when you apply for a visa
For details about the healthcare cover required for residency applications, contact local authorities in Germany or the appropriate German embassy or consulate in the UK.
You must have health insurance if you live in Germany.
You can add your dependants to your statutory insurance plan for free.
If you바카라 사이트檙e employed with a German employer you can join a health insurance scheme through them.
If you바카라 사이트檙e self-employed or not covered through work you need to register directly with your chosen health insurer.
You may be entitled to a German EHIC for travel, including visits to the UK.
You may also have the right to apply for a UK S1 if you start drawing a UK State Pension (see 바카라 사이트楿K-funded healthcare: getting and using an S1 form in Germany바카라 사이트� below).
How to register for healthcare
First you need to register as a resident with the German authorities.
If you moved to Germany before 1 January 2021, you need the new residence document (Aufenthaltsdokument-GB).
Once you바카라 사이트檝e registered as a resident, you can join a health insurer. (in German).
Your health insurer will send you an ID card. Your German EHIC is on the back (if you join a statutory health insurer).
You can go to any GP practice in Germany. You do not need to register with the practice.
You do not always need to be referred by a GP for further treatment. When you need a referral, you바카라 사이트檒l be given a piece of paper called an 바카라 사이트樏渂erweisungsschein바카라 사이트�.
If you바카라 사이트檙e registered with a statutory health insurer rather than a private insurer, you need to make sure you go to a doctor or dentist who treats statutory-insured patients. These doctors and dentists are usually identified as:
- 바카라 사이트楰assenarzt바카라 사이트� (statutory health insurance physician)
- 바카라 사이트榁ertragsarzt바카라 사이트� (registered contract physician)
- 바카라 사이트楢lle Kassen바카라 사이트� (all health insurance funds accepted)
Take your health insurance card with you whenever you visit a doctor, dentist or healthcare provider.
How to access healthcare services
on the Germany Hospital Directory website (German language website, translates into English).
How much you바카라 사이트檒l pay
You바카라 사이트檒l pay monthly insurance contributions to your insurance provider. If you바카라 사이트檙e employed and have joined a statutory insurer, your contributions will be taken from your salary before you바카라 사이트檙e paid.
You may still need to pay part of the cost of medical services you use. For example:
- hospital stays cost 10 euros per day
- prescription medicines cost up to 10 euros
If your UK employer has sent you to Germany temporarily (바카라 사이트榩osted workers바카라 사이트�)
A posted worker, also known as a 바카라 사이트榙etached worker바카라 사이트�, is someone who is employed or self-employed in the UK, but temporarily sent to a European Economic Area (EEA) country.
UK posted workers can access healthcare in Germany using a GHIC, EHIC or S1 form.
HMRC has a helpline for National Insurance enquiries from non-UK residents. They can answer questions about posted worker status and explain which documents you will need to get healthcare while posted.
UK-funded healthcare: getting and using an S1 form in Germany
There바카라 사이트檚 different guidance if you have an S1 as a 바카라 사이트榩osted worker바카라 사이트� (see 바카라 사이트業f your UK employer has sent you to Germany temporarily (바카라 사이트榩osted workers바카라 사이트�)바카라 사이트� above).
You may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK if you바카라 사이트檙e a resident in Germany and receive a UK State Pension or an exportable benefit. See on the NHS website for more information about eligibility.
You may also be entitled to an S1 form if you바카라 사이트檙e a frontier worker (someone who works in one state and lives in another). You must contact HMRC National Insurance enquiries to find out if you바카라 사이트檙e eligible.
Not all UK benefits that can be claimed while abroad entitle you to UK-funded healthcare. Read more about claiming benefits if you move abroad or contact Jobcentre Plus to ask about a benefit.
Once you have an S1 form, you must register it with a statutory German health insurer.
This will mean you and your dependants will be entitled to healthcare in Germany on the same basis as German citizens who have a statutory health insurer.
You바카라 사이트檒l also get:
- a UK-issued GHIC or EHIC for travel
- planned treatments in other EU countries
You can find out more about and the rules on on the NHS website.
Dependants and family members may be classified differently in Germany than the UK.
Check with the local authorities when you register your S1 form.
If you바카라 사이트檙e entitled to an S1 form as a dependant of a State Pensioner, your health cover will be cancelled once you begin claiming your UK State Pension.
You will be sent a new S1 form to your registered address from NHS Overseas Healthcare Services. You must register this form to ensure continuation of healthcare cover.
You are responsible for informing NHS Overseas Healthcare Services if you change your address or your circumstances change.
NHS Overseas Healthcare Services
Telephone: +44 (0)191 218 1999
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Saturday, 9am to 3pm
How to get an S1 form
If you have a UK State Pension or another qualifying exportable benefit, you must request an application form by phone from NHS Overseas Healthcare Services (see contact details above).
How to use an S1 form in Germany
You must register your S1 form with your chosen statutory health insurer in Germany. (in German). Contact them to find out what documents you need to provide. It usually includes:
- your passport
- proof that you바카라 사이트檙e registered as a resident in Germany
- proof of income or that you바카라 사이트檙e a pensioner
Once you바카라 사이트檝e registered your S1, you바카라 사이트檒l get a health insurance ID card. This shows that you바카라 사이트檙e entitled to healthcare on the same basis as a German citizen.
If you are experiencing delays registering your S1 with local authorities and require emergency or urgent treatment, contact the Overseas Healthcare Services on 0044 191 218 1999.
Studying in Germany
You should apply for a Student GHIC to get medically necessary, state-provided healthcare for the duration of your study period in Germany, whether this is for part or all of your course. This means that you바카라 사이트檒l get necessary healthcare services on the same basis as an German citizen either for free or at a reduced cost.
If you already hold a valid Student EHIC you can use this until the card expires.
on the NHS website.
If you have a job while studying, you need to join a German health insurer (statutory or private). This includes if you바카라 사이트檙e doing a paid placement or internship. For students, this costs around 100 euros a month.
Getting treatment in the UK
Because the NHS is a residency-based system, under NHS rules UK nationals who move abroad on a permanent basis may lose their entitlement to free NHS healthcare.
If you are a UK national and move to the EU, you should not expect to be able to use NHS services for free when visiting the UK unless you have an EHIC, PRC or S2 to show your healthcare costs are funded by the EU country in which you now live, or another exemption applies.
Some former UK residents do not have to pay for NHS treatment when visiting England. This includes:
- UK war pensioners
- UK government employees
- UK nationals living in the EU on or before 31 December 2020, once they have a registered, UK-issued S1
Read more about using the NHS when you no longer live in the UK (see 바카라 사이트楿K nationals who no longer live in the UK바카라 사이트� in Healthcare for visitors to the UK from the EU).
If you return to live in the UK you바카라 사이트檒l be able to use the NHS like any other UK resident.
Read more about using the NHS when you return to live in the UK.
Updates to this page
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Guidance fully reviewed
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Updated 'Healthcare if you live and work in Germany' to include information about how to find your nearest hospital or clinic. Updated 'UK-funded healthcare' to include information for S1 dependants who begin claiming a UK State Pension, and guidance for S1 holders who are experiencing delays in registering their S1. Updated 'Studying in Germany' to include more information on Student GHIC and Student EHIC cards. Updated 'Getting treatment in the UK' to provide additional detail about NHS access when visiting the UK.
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Updated 'If your UK employer has sent you to Germany temporarily ('posted workers')' to reflect that posted workers can continue to get healthcare in Germany using an EHIC, GHIC or S1 form, and added link about healthcare when you no longer live in the UK to 'Getting treatment in the UK' section.
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Updated sections on living and working in Germany, using an S1 form in Germany, posted workers and studying in Germany. Changes reflect healthcare arrangements for people moving to Germany under the new rules of the UK바카라 사이트檚 deal with the EU.
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Updated 2 sections: 바카라 사이트楬ealthcare if you바카라 사이트檙e using an S1 form in Germany and 바카라 사이트楬ealthcare if you바카라 사이트檙e studying in Germany바카라 사이트�. Students and people with a registered S1 in Germany can now apply for a new UK European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) that will remain valid from 1 January 2021.
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First published.