Immigrating to Ireland from the UK

Even though Ireland is not a far distance to move, it is still a massive life decision and considered a big move to cross the Irish sea. The below list will help you to prepare for the big move as a British expat:

• Valid passport with at least six months of validity left on it
• Details of travel arrangements
• Birth certificates
• Marriage certificates
• UK Driving license
• Proof of address and identity
• Bank account statements
• Details on your a moving company
• Give notice for your current home’s lease or sell or rent your house
• Give notice at your workplace (if applicable)
• Tell HMRC that you’re leaving the UK. If you’re at retirement age, apply to receive your UK state pension over in Ireland
• Contact all relevant companies to close your account or notify them of your new address
• If you have any pets, ensure they have all the shots they need as well as a pet passport
• Identify whether you can bring your car to Ireland duty-free or whether you need to pay a customs charge
• You may require UK criminal record from the UK criminal records check

When you arrive in Ireland, you will want to go ahead and open an Irish bank account, use a good currency transfer service to convert your British currency, find a private healthcare insurance plan for you and your family (if relevant) and apply for an Irish driving license (as your UK licence/Northern Ireland licence will not be valid in Ireland).

It is worthwhile noting that the cost of living in Ireland is widely accepted as significantly higher than in the UK. For example, consumer prices, including rent, are 18.4% higher in Ireland than in the UK. Before making the decision to move, it is important to research jobs, housing, healthcare, taxes, and quality of life to help you make the best decision for you and your family.

As a UK resident, you should have a National Insurance number (NI) assigned to you. In Ireland, this is called the Personal Public Service (PPS) number. The PPS number is required for the Irish Tax and Customs Revenue service (equivalent to HMRC) to determine your appropriate tax band.

The tax rate in Ireland on taxable earned income is as follows:

• People without dependent children pay tax at a rate of 20% on the first €33,800 you earn
• Single or widowed people, 20% on the first €37,800 you earn
• Married couples, 20% on the first €42,800 you earn
• For all people, 40% of the remainder of the earned income
• Corporation tax in Ireland is low at 12.5%
• The Value Added Tax rate in Ireland is relatively high at 23%, (compared to the UK’s 20%) and applies to most goods and services.

To access healthcare, UK citizens can access health in Ireland. The Irish healthcare sector has a two-tier public and private system. The public system is government-funded, while the private system is paid for by patients. If you qualify for a medical card, you will be able to access some healthcare services for free or at a reduced cost. Private health insurance can be expensive, with an average annual cost of €2,059. As well as this, dental care and the cost of medicines and prescriptions can be costly with or without private insurance.

As a retiree that is a UK citizen, you don’t need to worry about getting a visa for Ireland, but there are a couple of other things for UK retirees to consider before moving there.

One of the main considerations is pensions. The best practice is to apply for the International Pensions Centre to have your UK state pension paid to you in Ireland. It is also possible to take all of your pension incomes into one place, you can transfer personal pensions from the UK to Ireland.

If you plan to do this though, make sure you choose an Irish pension scheme that is on the HMRC’s Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS) list. If it is not on this list, you could face a very large tax bill. It could also be a good idea to seek expert pensions advice to help you find the most tax-efficient way of transferring your pension.

As a pensioner in Ireland, you may also be able to access free healthcare services with a medical card, which is means-tested.

These are some of the requirements: your weekly income must be below a certain figure. Pensions, earnings, interest from the capital and all other sources of income are included. The weekly gross income limit for the over-70s medical card is €550 for a single person and €1,050 for couples who are married, cohabiting or in a civil partnership.

If your income is higher than the allowed, you will automatically be assessed for the GP visit card, which has higher income limits. Ther is also an option to apply for the Drugs Payment Scheme.

Total Law is recognized as an excellent service for people undergoing immigration. Total Law is an accomplished team of immigration lawyers that can support you in your application and immigration processes. If you are not a UK citizen, our team can determine what Irish visa best suits your circumstances, can support the entire application process, and ease all of your stresses by answering all of your questions. With the help of our team, your chances of success are increased!

We are available seven days a week and can be reached either by phone on 0333 305 9375 or by our easy to use online chat function. We look forward to hearing from you soon.