Laurence Dollimore
BRITISH pensioners in Spain have been warned they may have to return home for care due to depleting local volunteers.
Thousands of retired expats in the country often use UK care organisations like Age Concern or British Legion, because accessing local social services can be tricky due to language barriers and red tape.
But such groups are now being run by elderly people who themselves need care, and younger volunteers are not replacing them.
READ MORE: British pensioners living in Benidorm can now apply for financial help with carers
Speaking to the i, Dr Kelly Hall, a social policy expert at the University of Birmingham, said many Brits may be forced to come home unless a new generation of volunteers step up.
She said: “In terms of the ageing British community in Spain, care needs are becoming more pronounced. I would say it is a ticking time bomb.
“Unless there is a new generation (of carers) coming through it is true to say that the voluntary sector will be really struggling. I suspect more people will return to the UK.”
Dr Hall said the British voluntary network in Spain ‘might really struggle’ unless young volunteers are found, adding that they ‘fill a massive gap.’
Michelle Greenwood, a volunteer with Age Concern on the Costa del Sol, added that the situation is ‘really sad’.
While most elderly Spaniards rely on their many family members for help, British retirees often move over as a couple.
She told the i: “You end up depending on your husband or your partner but if you can no longer cope you go to an agency or a private care service.
“English-speaking care services charge €5,000 (£4,215) per month which is impossible for them.”
The main barrier for many elderly Brits who want to access Spanish social services is a lack of Spanish.
Only Brits who were resident before the 2020 Brexit agreement can qualify for public care in Spain.
Those who arrived afterwards must be on a non-lucrative visa and with private health insurance.
But elderly private care in Spain can set you back between €2,000 and €5,000 per month, making the help of charities essential.
