Boletín OEG de Prensa, nº 483

Boletín de Prensa del Observatorio Europeo de Gerontomigraciones

Nº 483, 13 de febrero, 2026

European Observatory on Gerontomigration Press Bulletin

#483 (13 February 2026)

 
 
Para cobrar una pensión contributiva en España, la ley exige que el beneficiario tenga su residencia habitual en el país. Esto significa que la Seguridad Social puede requerir pruebas de residencia si detecta que la persona pasa largos periodos fuera del territorio español.
 
For the second year running, the relocation company, 1st Move International, analysed Google search data around emigration. As well as the expected 22% rise in the search term at the start of the year, presumably thanks to the New Year blues and dreary British winter weather, they discovered that Spain’s expat appeal had declined by 28%. ... they noticed an 18.9% year-on-year increase in searches for Portugal. ... Mike Harvey, managing director at 1st Move International, explains: "Spain’s long been a UK favourite for retirees and Brits looking for a warmer, calmer pace of life, and for now that remains true. However, mass tourism and the decision to impose taxes on foreign property buyers have affected affordability, making it more complex for retirees and long-term residents to move to Spain." He adds: "While these measures aim to address housing shortages, they may also have unintended consequences for international buyers and those seeking a flexible lifestyle abroad..."
 
The monthly magazine and website International Living recently released its 2026 Annual Global Retirement Index, which ranks countries based on their suitability for retirement. The outlet considers various categories, including climate, healthcare, cost of living, housing, and visas, and its index is based on more than 40 years of on-the-ground experience and in-depth reporting from its trusted network of expats and correspondents. With the cost of living in Portugal and Spain climbing and visa rules becoming more restrictive, Greece has surged to the top, jumping from seventh place to be crowned the world’s number one retirement destination for 2026.
 
"The exact amount of pension Brits need to retire in Spain in 2026", Daily Express, 06 | 02 | 2026 - Noticia
According to official data from the Department for Work and Pensions, the average income for pensioner couples in financial year ending 2024 was £595 per week, which works out to £30,940 per year across 52 weeks. ... The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, calculates that the average pension for a single person ranges from £13,400 for up to £43,900, and between £21,600 and £60,600 for a couple. / Given that living costs in much Spain are generally lower than most parts of Britain, spending your post-work years ... on a Spanish beach may still be a possibility, though you'll likely need to tap into other savings and other forms of passive income to get a visa there, The Local reports... the non-lucrative visas ... "initially granted for one year, then renewed for two years, and again for another two. After five years, you can apply for long-term residency". ... Britons should also be aware that they won't be able to benefit from free healthcare as they do in the UK, and getting private healthcare insurance is a stipulation of the visa. This can range from around €50 to €300 a month depending on your plan and health circumstances. But after you've lived there for more than one year, you can apply to join the public health insurance scheme, called the Convenio Especial, which is often cheaper for older residents.
 
"Retiring in Spain: pros and cons in 2026", Idealista/News, 03 | 02 | 2026 - Reportaje (Cesca Rampley)
Weigh key pros and cons in 2026, including lifestyle, costs, healthcare, taxes, climate and how well Spain fits your plans.
 
Solo 504 de los 6.830 nuevos habitantes son españoles, 2.700 proceden de otros países europeos y los estadounidenses crecen un 30%
 
"What you need to know about Spain’s half million undocumented migrants residency plan", Euro Weekly News, 02 | 02 | 2026 - Reportaje (Adam Woodward)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the Spanish Government announced on January 27 the urgent processing of an extraordinary regularisation for migrants living illegally in the country. The Council of Ministers approved a draft Royal Decree to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands already residing in Spain before December 31. ... The measure is planned to guarantee rights, provide legal certainty, and promote integration for people living in Spanish society illegally. It is expected to benefit between around 500,000 and 600,000 individuals living in Spain under the radar so that they can work legally, contribute to the tax and social security systems, and be advantaged by public services. ... Applications are expected to open in early April 2026 and close on June 30, with resolutions within three months. ... This has caused some level of frustration among other applicants for residency via “arraigo”, most notably Britons who have complained of already having waited 3 years for a resolution on legal residency when the government officially reduced that time to two years in May 2025. Whether these new applicants will be fast-tracked is unclear at this stage. And whether the system will be resilient enough to manage 500,000+ more applicants has been called into doubt.
 
"Illegal Britons in Spain could benefit from new paperwork amnesty", Majorca Daily Bulletin, 28 | 01 | 2026 - Reportaje (Jason Moore)
Britons living in Spain "under the radar" could benefit from a new scheme launched by the Spanish government which will mean that they will be issued with paperwork with few questions asked as long as they do not have a criminal record. Legally registered in Spain there are about 300,000 Britons but the number is said to be far higher. ... Despite the best efforts of both the Spanish and British authorities there are a number of Britons, living in Spain, who still do not have the necessary paperwork. This new scheme could give them an opportunity to legalise their situation.
 
El pleito entre gran­des con­tri­bu­yen­tes espa­ñoles jubi­la­dos en Por­tu­gal y Hacienda lle­gará pronto a la jus­ti­cia. ... Se asume que se lle­gará al Supremo... Los afec­ta­dos han con­tra­tado ase­so­res ... para defen­der su resi­den­cia fis­cal en Por­tu­gal y la vali­dez del cer­ti­fi­cado fis­cal por­tu­gués... Hacienda ha inten­tado demos­trar que la resi­den­cia seguía en Espa­ña y, cuando esto no ha sido posi­ble, ha negado el cer­ti­fi­cado de resi­den­cia por­tu­gués, recha­zando con­si­de­rar la apli­ca­ción del con­ve­nio entre los dos paí­ses.
 
"Costly mis­takes pen­sion­ers make when mov­ing abroad", The i Paper, 16 | 01 | 2026 - Reportaje (Emily Brae­ger)
Rising liv­ing costs in Bri­tain and the prom­ise of warmer cli­mates and a more com­fort­able life­style else­where are push­ing grow­ing num­bers of Bri­tons to retire in another coun­try. Accord­ing to the Depart­ment for Work and Pen­sions, about 1.1 mil­lion UK pen­sion­ers live abroad, with Spain, France, Aus­tralia and Canada among the most pop­u­lar des­tin­a­tions. Decisions taken just before leav­ing the coun­try can shape income for life and determ­ine whether a return is afford­able. Here, ... the most com­mon fin­an­cial mis­takes pen­sion­ers make.
 
Últimas noticias OEG
 
Reseña por Samuel Ramos Pérez de Mayte Echezarreta Ferrer, La residencia de los gerontoinimigrantes. Derechos y obligaciones de los jubilados extranjeros en los lugares europeos de retiro (Tirant lo Blanch), en Cuadernos de Trabajo Social, 38(2), pp.559-561.