Some questions re move to Dublin from UK

Chryan

Hi,

My husband and I are relocating to Dublin from London and I have some questions that I hope someone can help me with:

1. How to open a bank account for my salary payments? Can I open it in Ireland before moving there? I assume like the UK, they would want address proof? I have a nationwide UK account and I believe there are few branches in Dublin but is it going to be any quicker doing that?

2. What areas of city centre are relatively quiet and in a good neighbourhood? I will be working near spencer dock and would prefer to walk to work.

3.Can I transfer my Sky account from UK to Ireland? I read in the forum about the possibility of closing Sky UK without paying outstanding balance and opening one in Ireland ( and taking Sky UK box), any recent experience from someone?

4. what about sim-only/ mobile contracts deals? Is it easy to get it ( having no credit history in Ireland)?

5. Is it a good idea to pay NI in the UK and PRSI in Ireland although we might not go back for a very long time ( maybe never)? Will I be eligible to use NHS in UK if I travel here based on my past contribution? (Silly question probably)

This is it for now, but feel free to give your advice on anything else you may deem necessary.

Thanks
C

Boulevardier

In answer to q.2, if you don't mind apartments I would suggest Grand Canal Dock, across the river from your work.

Chryan

Thanks, I have been recommended that place from someone else as well.

For some reason I cant seem to edit my post, but I have another question:

6. what do most people do in terms of hospital and GP visits? I understand like national insurance, PRSI does some equivalent stuff ( apart from paying GPs €50-60 per visit and higher cost of medicines), but do I need a card for hospital visit that might make it cheaper? My husband is Irish citizen- any benefit having that ( for him and for me as his spouse)? Whats the usual way? We wont be eligible under means-tested system though.

cgcsb

Chryan wrote: »

1. How to open a bank account for my salary payments? Can I open it in Ireland before moving there? I assume like the UK, they would want address proof? I have a nationwide UK account and I believe there are few branches in Dublin but is it going to be any quicker doing that?

Same as the UK you need proof of address and it doesn't matter if you're already with the same bank/sister bank. You'll still need an address to open an account.

Chryan wrote: »

2. What areas of city centre are relatively quiet and in a good neighbourhood? I will be working near spencer dock and would prefer to walk to work.

There are lovely apartments all around Spencer Dock, the IFSC and Grand Canal Dock, but you'll pay a pretty penny for them. If you're looking for something cheaper I'd recommend the area around Amiens street, Talbot Street, perhaps as far as summerhill. You'll still be walking distance but it's a bit on the rough side mind. Although if you are used to living in London, there aren't really any 'rough' parts from your point of view.

Chryan wrote: »

3.Can I transfer my Sky account from UK to Ireland? I read in the forum about the possibility of closing Sky UK without paying outstanding balance and opening one in Ireland ( and taking Sky UK box), any recent experience from someone?

no experience of having done this but from what I know: You definitely won't be able to have the same sky account because we don't have the same TV packages here, you'll get (some) different channels and different subscription. Our Digitial television service also operates on a different frequency to the UK so at the very least you'll have to have a member of sky staff make some changes to your sky box, if it's possible at all.

Chryan wrote: »

4. what about sim-only/ mobile contracts deals? Is it easy to get it ( having no credit history in Ireland)?

In Ireland phone companies will throw sim cards at you, it's a very competitive sector. Usually they are free or with a small charge. The phone companies are:

Vodafone
Three
Meteor
Tesco Mobile
Emobile
An Post phone (not sure if that one is still around actually)

Chryan wrote: »

5. Is it a good idea to pay NI in the UK and PRSI in Ireland although we might not go back for a very long time ( maybe never)? Will I be eligible to use NHS in UK if I travel here based on my past contribution? (Silly question probably)

It was my understanding in the UK, that one could use the NHS regardless of how much you had paid into the system (or not at all)

cgcsb

Chryan wrote: »

6. what do most people do in terms of hospital and GP visits? I understand like national insurance, PRSI does some equivalent stuff ( apart from paying GPs €50-60 per visit and higher cost of medicines), but do I need a card for hospital visit that might make it cheaper? My husband is Irish citizen- any benefit having that ( for him and for me as his spouse)? Whats the usual way? We wont be eligible under means-tested system though.

Most people have private health insurance which will reduce the cost of doctor's visits. In public hospitals, a visit is free if you have been referred there by a GP. If you turn up to hospital to seek an appointment without a GP referral, you are charged a €100 fee. All public hospitals are subsidised by the state, so any procedures you have done there will be part funded by the state and part funded by you.

Your husband being an Irish citizen won't make a difference. As an EU national (I presume you are a UK citizen??), you will generally be treated the same as any Irish person by every government department.

The big health insurance companies are:
VHI
Laya
Permanent (I think)

Over the next few years we're switching to a system of Universal Health insurance so it's all a bit up in the air at the min.

carlmango11

Re: mobile phone - Have a look at 48months.ie too. From what I've seen they have the best deals although everything is done through the internet which might be an issue for some people.

GLaDOS

You should be able to get help with your sky query here: http://www.boards.ie/ttforum/1598

It's their own forum for customer service.

hfallada

I would not be in a hurry to bring over your sky as satelite dishes as are often not allowed in apartments here in Dublin. But are allowed in some. You hardly want to pay for a service you can't use

Buy health insurance in Ireland. It allows you access to private hospitals which are modern and efficient. Without private health insurance you can wait months for something like a routine MRI, where as with private health insurance it can be done within a few days in a private hospital

JuliusCaesar

The form E111 allows you to use the health services all around the EU as though you were in your home country. It's for tourists, so might not apply to you. Worth checking out though.

No need to pay National Insurance (I was puzzled by the reference to Northern Ireland!) in the UK if you are paying PRSI here.

Chryan

Thank you all, some very useful info!

FreudianSlippers

Isn't there a moving to the UK forum on boards?

Chryan

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

Isn't there a moving to the UK forum on boards?

But I am moving to the RoI..

FreudianSlippers

Chryan wrote: »

But I am moving to the RoI..

Sorry, I misread. :embarrassed:

odyssey06

Chryan wrote: »

6. what do most people do in terms of hospital and GP visits? I understand like national insurance, PRSI does some equivalent stuff ( apart from paying GPs €50-60 per visit and higher cost of medicines), but do I need a card for hospital visit that might make it cheaper? My husband is Irish citizen- any benefit having that ( for him and for me as his spouse)? Whats the usual way? We wont be eligible under means-tested system though.

Some Irish companies pay the medical insurance premium for their employees. So double-check with your HR department whether you will get that as a benefit or not.
Some medical insurance plans will reimburse you for GP visits, 50-75%.
For prescriptions, shop around... wide variance in prices.

You can claim tax credits of 20% against any medical expenses (e.g. GP, physio visits, prescription medicines) under a MED1 claim. So keep your receipts.
So, let's say you pay 50e for a GP visit and 20e for prescribed medicines.
You are reimbursed 50% or 25e by your provider for the GP visit.
So your MED1 claim is for 25e + 20e = 45e.

Typically, medical insurance plans will not cover dental. That's a separate policy.

Richard

cgcsb wrote: »

no experience of having done this but from what I know: You definitely won't be able to have the same sky account because we don't have the same TV packages here, you'll get (some) different channels and different subscription. Our Digitial television service also operates on a different frequency to the UK so at the very least you'll have to have a member of sky staff make some changes to your sky box, if it's possible at all.

The sky boxes are the same. They might need to send you a new card, however. It mIght be worth ringing up to ask.

The channel line-ups are slightly different - Sky in Ireland has the main Irish channels and doesn't have ITV channels (though does have some, if not all BBC channels).

It was my understanding in the UK, that one could use the NHS regardless of how much you had paid into the system (or not at all)

That's true.

Also, in terms of pensions contributions there is some mutual recognition of pensions contributions between the two states. The UK Department of Work and Pensions could help you out here.

Chryan

I think there are more mutual agreements between Ireland and UK than other EU countries. We dont know our long term future plans so best not to move pension pots yet.

I doubt being a government job, I will get any private med benefits! What do you do for dentist (not on private med insurance)? How much does it cost for visitation and say root canal or fillings? I think here in UK there is a fixed fee for dentist visits and root canaling is some £220 inclusive everything from NHS.

Someone mentioned the mobile phone website for phones. Assume it does a credit check before approving a contract? I doubt I can get a contract without staying in Ireland for few months. Hopefully pay as you go or monthly sim will be easier to avail.

We were also looking at daft.ie for flats/ apartments to live in. From your experience how long does it take to put deposit down to getting keys from an agent? We are planning to come over midweek in Jan first week and select a flat within 2 days, fly back to UK and move in 2-3 weeks time. Possible? The website says available immediately for most rentals. How true is that?

Thanks everyone for being patient and your advice. Keep them coming!