Retiring to Europe? You should wait until Brexit negotiations on pensions and healthcare access have concluded

The Centre for European Reform's John Springford has suggested that countries like Spain could demand the ageing and burdensome British diaspora pays for itself. Currently, Brits visiting Spain can receive free access to Spanish GPs, and the NHS will pay for their hospital treatments. But the Spanish government shoulders the burden of hospital treatments once those people become permanent residents.

"The British position has long been that government expenditure must be reserved for immigrants who are in work, or have long-established ties to the member state in which they live," wrote Springford. "Many British emigrants to Spain fail that test. [...] To avoid the charge of hypocrisy, Britain could agree to pay Spain to cover healthcare costs, accept that migrants should pay for it themselves, or have Britons risk their health by travelling home to be treated by the NHS."