Boletín OEG de Prensa, nº 494

Boletín de Prensa del Observatorio Europeo de Gerontomigraciones

Nº 494, 25 de septiembre, 2026

European Observatory on Gerontomigration Press Bulletin

#494 (25 September 2026)

 
 
British pensioners living legally in Spain are benefiting from an automatic 4.8% increase to their UK State Pension for the current 2026/27 tax year. Because Spain is part of the European Economic Area (EEA), it is one of the designated locations where the UK’s “triple lock” mechanism applies, protecting expat retirees from frozen pension rates. ... But ... the UK government introduced major structural changes ... affecting expats who want to buy voluntary National Insurance (NI) years to boost their future payout. ... The cheap Class 2 voluntary contributions ... have been abolished for overseas residents. ... Expats looking to plug contribution gaps must now use Class 3 rates...
 
"UK break-up debate returns: what could it mean for British expats in Spain?", Euro Weekly News, 14 | 09 | 2026 -  Reportaje (Harry Dennis)
British residents in Spain do not need to change their passports, pensions, healthcare arrangements or residence documents following the meeting of pro-independence leaders in Cardiff on Monday September 14, and the meeting doesn’t suddenly launch a referendum or begin the break-up of the United Kingdom. It does, however, put Scottish and Welsh independence and Irish reunification back on the political agenda, and raises an understandable question for people who have already built their lives abroad. If the UK’s borders eventually changed, where would that leave British citizens living in Spain?
 
More British people aged 65 and over are now leaving than arriving to live in Spain
 
Multinational campaigners in Orihuela Costa demand independence from distant council over claims of severe underinvestment and tax exploitation
 
Según el informe publicado este martes por Idealista, Alemania amplió ... su ventaja sobre Reino Unido y consolidó su liderazgo entre los extranjeros interesados en financiar la compra de vivienda en España. Tras alemanes, británicos y suizos se situaron los franceses ... neerlandeses ... y estadounidenses... El ‘top 10’ lo completaron Irlanda ... Bélgica ... Suecia ... e Italia... Por destinos, ... una clara preferencia por los mercados residenciales del litoral mediterráneo, en contraste con la demanda nacional, que se concentra principalmente en Madrid y Barcelona.
 
"British expat state pensioners in Spain at risk of smaller increases", Majorca Daily Bulletin, 07 | 09 | 2026 - Noticia
The British Chambers of Commerce has urged finance minister John Healey to replace Britain’s pension so-called “triple lock” with inflation-linked increases ahead of his first budget, saying the savings could help boost ‌youth employment ​and ‌growth.
 
Por primera vez, los pensionistas residentes en el extranjero tendrán que acreditar durante este año 2026 dos veces su vivencia -en marzo y septiembre- para poder seguir cobrando la pensión que les corresponda. Esta segunda campaña del año se prolongará hasta el 30 de septiembre. A partir de 2027, la vivencia deberá ser acreditada en tres ocasiones cada año: en enero, en mayo y en septiembre.
 
"Brits abandon holiday homes in Spain as new 90-day rule blamed", Daily Express, 06 | 09 | 2026 -  Reportaje (Jennifer Pinto)
The era of Britain's long-standing dominance of Spain's overseas property market may be coming to an end, according to the latest figures from the Spanish Land Registrars. ... For someone who owns a second home and wants to spend several months of the year in Spain, the restriction can be a significant drawback. Before, British citizens could spend much longer periods in Spain without facing the same restrictions, making it considerably easier to use a property as a winter retreat or holiday home. The new rules have also made the prospect of retiring to Spain more complicated for Britons who do not have residency. ... Spanish property prices have risen sharply in recent years, particularly in the seaside and island locations... Higher borrowing costs and changes in the pound's value against the euro have also affected affordability.
 
"British professionals overtaking retirees in Spain", Majorca Daily Bulletin, 05 | 09 | 2026 -  Reportaje (Humphrey Carter)
90-day rule has forced some pensioners to return to the UK