The
OLIVE PRESS
Summer of fun S ND O
FREE
Your
expat
voice in Spain
Vol. 4 Issue 86 www.theolivepress.es August 7th - August 20th 2020
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OU
AS
FF
HA
Celebrities flock to Ibiza as they search for coronavirus relief...
MALLORCA
R C O ST
Paradise in peril
Yet anotheer virgin beach under threat as developers plot a new resort...
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Bye bye UK hola España!
Sunken treasure
The fight is on as Spain tries to claim a multi-billion euro fortune discovered on the sea bed...
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Numbers of Brits making a new home in Spain jumps 500% as time runs out BRITS have been scrambling to make a new life in Spain with the numbers registering the country as their new home jumping fivefold in the run up to Brexit. New research has revealed that over 20,000 expats applied for a residency card (residencia) as part of the rush to stay in the country following the referendum in 2016. Spain is the most popular place for Brits to move to, according to the data, with thousands of Brits fleeing to the costas for sun, sand and
The great expat escape is part of a wider trend seen across Europe, with researchers revealing that the number of Brits hurrying to take certainty following the Brexit vote. up citizenship in an EU state has Research from the WZB Social Sci- soared by 500%, with a whopping ence Center showed an average of 73,642 people moving away from 2,300 people from the UK sought the UK in 2016-18. residency in Spain each year be- While Spain was the most popular destination for Brits, Germany and tween 2008 and 2015. But after the referendum in 2016, France also saw a significant rise the number rose by five times the in the number of expats arriving amount, with 21,250 Brits regis- from British shores. The spike suggests that the refertering between 2016 and 2018. endum results vote prompted Brits to make their move official before Brexit was finalised and freedom of movement came to an end. Co-author Daniel Auer said: “The uncertainty surrounding Brexit has certainly caused large If you suffer from... Or you need... numbers of people • Mobility problems • Help with to pack their bags in both directions.” washing /dressing • Pain / Breathlessness He added: “These • Falls / Stumbles • Supervision increases are of a magnitude that you would expect when a You could be entitled to extra income By Simon Wade & Kirsty McKenzie
KIM CLARK
Benefits Consultancy
by claiming UK sickness/disability benefits while living in Spain
FOR ADVICE OR TO BOOK A CONSULTATION call 950 169 729 or 663 297 568 www.ukbenefitsinspain.com
952 147 834
country is hit by a major economic or political crisis.” His colleague Daniel Tetlow said that the rise was a ‘striking commitment to integrate or socially embed’. He continued: “We’re observing a phenomenon and a redefining of what it means to be British European.” During the research, half of interviewees revealed they chose to leave the UK quickly, showing ‘increased impulsiveness, spontaneity and risk-taking.’ Brits voted to leave the EU back in 2016 and while the country officially left in January, Britain remains bound by EU rules during a transition period that lasts until the end of 2020. For years, many Brits have lived and worked in Spain without formally registering, but uncertainty over new rules means thousands are scrambling to preserve their residency and employment status. Despite 21,250 Brits successfully securing a residence card between 2016 and 2018, registering in Spain has now become an uphill struggle for many as Brexit looms closer. Torture by red tape: Page 6
Tel: 952 147 834 See page 13
TM