If you are an Irish, British or EU citizen and you moved across the border or started a cross-border job by 31st December 2020 then the Withdrawal Agreement applies to you and EU social security rules will continue to apply to you.

Under the EU rules frontier workers are entitled to healthcare both where they live and where they work.

Frontier workers living North, working South

• Are entitled to health care in NI, as they are legally resident in NI
• Are entitled to apply for an Irish Medical Card, subject to a means test

Frontier workers living South, working North

• Are entitled to a NI medical card, however, their spouse and children are not eligible
• Are eligible for free GP services
• Are eligible to register with a dentist
• Are eligible for maternity services from a GP, a midwife and an obstetrician in a hospital if necessary

If you belong to one of the following groups, you are also eligible for an Irish Medical Card under EU Regulations (without a means-test):

• You are living in Ireland and receiving a social security pension from another European Union /European Economic Area (EU/EEA) country or Switzerland and you are not getting an Irish social welfare payment (apart from Child Benefit or Early Childcare Supplement). You must not be liable to contribute to the Irish Social Welfare System, (i.e. PRSI)
• You are living in Ireland and working in another EU/EEA country or Switzerland and are liable to pay Social Insurance Contributions in that country
• You are living in Ireland and you are the dependent spouse or child of someone employed in another EU/EEA country and Switzerland. You must not be getting an Irish Social Welfare Payment apart from Child Benefit or Early Childcare Supplement and you must not be liable to contribute to the Irish social welfare system (PRSI).

For further information please visit the HSE website.

Retired Cross-Border Workers

Retired cross border workers may be entitled to NHS healthcare for continued treatment of an existing condition.

Retired cross-border workers  are no longer entitled to NI healthcare when they cease working in Northern Ireland. However, there is one important exemption to note:

Under Article 28 of EU regulation 883/2004  cross-border workers who retire due to “old age or invalidity” are entitled to access continuing treatment for a condition for which they are already receiving services in Northern Ireland.

Continuation of treatment is defined as “the continued investigation, diagnosis and treatment of an illness”.

However, retired cross border workers must access all other health services in the Republic of Ireland, it is only the continued treatment of a condition which can be provided for free in Northern Ireland.

It is very important to clarify your situation with your GP and local Health Trust prior to retiring or moving across the border.

For further information please visit EU Coordination of social security systems – Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 – Search the document for Article 28

See also:

• Border People Healthcare for Irish and British frontier workers (Common Travel Area)
• Border People Healthcare for EU frontier workers after 31st December 2020 (Future EU/UK Deal)

Page last checked: 7 December 2021

This webpage is for general information purposes only and while we endeavour to keep it up-to-date, errors may occur. It is very important that you check with the relevant body to ensure the information is current and is applicable to your situation.

If you would like to suggest amendments or highlight new information that could be useful to others please don’t hesitate to get in touch.