After 40 years of grafting, some retirees opt to uproot and leave the UK in search of a new life of sun and relaxation.
But while this may be a welcome boost for your mental health and suntan, moving abroad on a permanent basis could raise problems for your healthcare.
Planning your medical needs before moving abroad is crucial to understand what you will be entitled to after you leave the UK, the NHS warns.
On their website, they state that if you’re moving abroad on a permanent basis, people are ‘no longer automatically entitled to medical treatment in the UK under normal NHS rules’.
Before leaving, you must tell your GP practice that you’re moving abroad so you can be removed from the NHS register.
It is then important to check what healthcare services are available in the country you’re moving to as their system may not include all the free treatment you once got in the UK.
In many countries, they expect you to make patient contributions or join a national health insurance scheme to receive treatment if you become ill living abroad.
The NHS website states: “If you’re moving abroad on a permanent basis, you’ll no longer automatically be entitled to medical treatment in the UK under normal NHS rules.
“This is because the NHS is a residence-based healthcare system.”
One retired British couple found out the realities of this when they were denied cancer treatment on the NHS and were forced to fork out £64,000 because they emigrated abroad.
Michael and Kim West sold up and moved to San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua in 2024 after retiring and spent £230,000 on building their dream home.
But just three months after the house was completed in July 2025, former army engineer Michael was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a type of blood cancer affecting bone marrow.
Former equestrian Kim said the couple didn’t realise they couldn’t access the NHS for treatment as they no longer had a house in the UK, so were forced to stump up cash for treatment.
This included a mix of different cancer medications, as the cancer is now affecting the 69-year-old’s kidneys, and six blood transfusions.
The couple had enough savings to cover building the house, living comfortably and healthcare for normal circumstances, but not for such an ‘aggressive’ form of cancer.
Michael has had £64,000-worth of treatment so far and due to it ‘eating away’ at their savings, Kim has now set up a fundraising page.
Kim, from Dover, Kent, said: “We sold our house in the UK and we both got our state pensions.
“We came here, we bought the land and built the house within six months.
“In July Michael was diagnosed. He was losing weight, he had bone pain. Michael is 6ft 6in and he has always been slim but he just lost so much weight, it’s been horrible to watch.
“This is an aggressive cancer that can be treated, but it takes a lot of money.
“His kidneys joined in on the act because Multiple Myeloma attacks the kidneys and stops them from filtering properly.
“Once we get the cancer under control the kidneys will improve. It’s just eating away all of our savings.
“It’s money we didn’t expect to be paying out long term. He was losing weight and complaining of pain in his ribs, one night it got so bad he was almost crying with pain.
“I took him down to a clinic and paid for a blood test, his bloods were all over the place.
“The healthcare here is better than anywhere in the UK. They saw him the next day and the consultant looked at the blood and he knew what it was.
“He had to do a bone marrow test to prove it was Multiple Myeloma.
“He started the treatment and then his haemoglobin went so low they had to stop the treatment and give him blood transfusions that cost money.
“A lot of people in the UK keep asking me why we won’t come back.
“I was born and bred in Britain, I’m as English as they come, so is Michael. We didn’t realise we can’t access the NHS except for emergencies because we don’t have a house there.”
Kim, 68, said Michael first noticed his symptoms when he rapidly lost weight and had pain in his bones and ribs.
Michael spent 10 days in intensive care having medication and dialysis, but struggles to walk and relies on a frame to get around.
The mum-of-one said Michael is on medication costing $4,300 for each treatment and also needs $600 a week for dialysis.
While devastated about her husband’s diagnosis, Kim says it’s ‘better’ to be in a beautiful country than in the UK.
Kim said: “We’re devastated. He’s ill but he is ill in a beautiful place. It’s safer here than anywhere I’ve ever been my whole life.
“We’ve both always been as healthy as healthy can be.
“I was absolutely shocked, I’ve got this 6ft 6in husband who I adore and he’s got cancer, he’s never been ill, he can just about walk now.
“We bought a zimmer frame for days when he feels a bit fragile, it’s just horrible to watch. Even though it’s not chemo it makes him feel terrible.
“He was in intensive care for 10 days, when he came out he could barely walk.
“It’s a beautiful country, it is stunning, it’s underpopulated, there’s not really any tourism, prices here are much lower than in the UK.
“The house is stunning, I overlook the jungle and the sea.
“We don’t want to move back, the temperature is constant all year round, you have a wet and dry season, I’ve got the most beautiful view.
“Michael and I know he’d rather be ill here where the weather is lovely and the view is beautiful than live in the UK at the moment where it’s not good.
“Someone said to look at Nicaragua, we came for two weeks and decided this is where we want to be.”
Michael said: “It [the diagnosis] was a big shock. The pain I had in my bones, chest and pelvis was really painful so that’s why we rushed to hospital.
“They confirmed it the next day and we were in the hospital for two weeks.
“I’m not feeling good at all, the bone pain is really bad and my mouth is very sore.
“We’re going there now to see the pain management team, they need to be careful with what they give me because some painkillers can affect the kidneys.”
You can donate to Kim’s GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/xsfvp-michaels-cancer?.
What is Multiple Myeloma?
Multiple Myeloma is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.
Bone marrow, which is found inside bones, is where blood cells are made. Myeloma happens when your bone marrow makes certain blood cells (plasma cells) that do not work properly.
Myeloma can affect different parts of your body, including your kidneys and immune system.
