Expat Struggles in Spain

Expat Globe

Once a dream destination for millions of expat Brits, the continuing Euro crisis is turning life in the Spanish sun into something of a nightmare.

The symptoms of the Spanish sickness are numerous and varied; unemployment north of 20% and property prices in continual decline, rising prices and a faltering banking sector.

And it isn’t just the native Spanish feeling the squeeze with the British expats not able to return home finding it increasingly difficult to make their offshore lifestyles financially viable.

Chillingly it seems that more and more British expats are also succumbing to scam artists posing as legitimate Independent Financial Advisers. Several victims of such scams recently even grouped together to pursue those responsible through the Spanish courts.

However, with legal action expensive and unreliable it is more key than ever that IFAs are found through reputable sources only.

Even the Spanish government is making the life of the British expat harder. With many expats retired and not contributing significantly to the Spanish tax take, the government see the community as an easy target.

Recent developments include a dispute with the UK government over the EU mandated requirement to provide reciprocal healthcare. It seems even paying prescriptions costs could soon be part of the headache of living in the Spanish sun.