Social Insurance and Pensions in Luxembourg

Medical Care and Social Insurance

Luxembourg enjoys an excellent healthcare system with a high standard of state-funded healthcare. You may also choose private healthcare. The Caisse de Maladie collects healthcare contributions, and all employed people pay into this. If you are not working you must prove that you have health insurance to obtain a residence permit. Those contributions also cover the pensions in Luxembourg.

When you see the healthcare professional you pay a fee, which is reimbursed, between 80 and 100%, usually, and for medicines, around 78%. Dentists may also be in the Caisse de Maladie. Emergency treatment in a neighbouring country may also be reimbursed at the same rate as in Luxembourg.

Supplementary private health insurance is also popular in Luxembourg with one of the Mutuelles, affiliated to the Ministry of Social Security, and this will pay the part of your fee not covered by your caisse, and may offer other benefits.

When you choose your doctor, make sure he/she is contracted to the state medical scheme, unless you want to pay the fees yourself. GPs tend to close on Wednesday afternoons. There are no private hospitals in Luxembourg, they are all run by the Caisse de Maladie.

If you receive a UK state retirement pension or long-term incapacity benefit, you may be entitled to state-funded healthcare paid for by the UK. You’ll need to apply for form S1 from the International Pension Centre (tel:  0191 218 7777). You need to register your S1 with the Luxembourg authorities. This entitles you to an EHIC issued by the UK, which allows access to medical care in other EEA countries, including Britain.

It would be advisable to KEEP YOUR OWN ACCURATE AND DETAILED RECORDS! One good thing for us is that most doctors speak good English and are happy to practise it.

The NHS website gives excellent advice and up-to-date information. http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad

Pensions in Luxembourg

If you are a pensioner, you need to inform the IPC (International Pension Centre) to prevent problems with your pension payments (tel: 0191 218 7777).

Luxembourg has double taxation agreements with the UK so you will not be taxed twice — provided you ensure that the tax offices are aware of your circumstances. You can arrange to have your pension paid directly into your Luxembourgish bank account, and still benefit from the increases as if you still lived in Britain. Contact HMRC and your pension providers well before you leave the UK.

If you’ve only worked, lived or are working abroad then you must claim the state pension through the relevant authority of the country where you currently live and have worked in.

Check the prices of removals to Luxembourg.