Am I "inactif"?

The term “inactif” is used by the French government to describe those people who move to France but do not take up paid employment or self-employment.

If you intend to work

If you intend to work - either in France or the UK - you will not be classed as "inactif". The new rules do not apply to you or your family.

If you are employed in France – you are permitted to join the French health service by virtue of your employment, as are your family and dependents. Rules regarding minimum hours, etc apply.

If you are self-employed in France, and have registered as such– you should be permitted to join the French health service by virtue of your self-employment, as are your family and dependents, but please check the rules for your particular type of self-employment before you actually move to France as we have heard of difficulties, for example from artists and writers who regard themselves as self employed but who not reach the relevant criteria to be regarded as such in France and are not permitted to have the relevant registration.

If you work in the UK, or offshore for a UK company and pay UK NI but live in France – you and / or your family and dependants may be able to affiliate to the French health service by virtue of a form E106 (working E106) or E109, but please check your eligibility with the relevant UK dept before your move.

If you do not intend to work

You will be classed as "inactif" and the new immigration and health rules will apply. Note, however the following regarding the health aspects of the rules.

If you receive the UK National Insurance Retirement Pension (NIRP) - you and your family will be able to affiliate to the French health service by virtue of forms E121.

If you receive a UK Government Incapacity Benefit (not just a private disability pension) – you may be able to obtain a form E121 from the UK government which entitles you and your family and dependents to affiliate to the French health service. Note, however that receipt of UK Incapacity Benefit may be regularly reviewed and the benefit itself is currently under review by the UK government. There is no guarantee that you will continue to receive Incapacity Benefit and hence E121 cover. Additionally, we do not yet know whether the review of Incapacity Benefit will result in some current E121 forms being withdrawn or if E121 forms will, in future, be issued to recipients of Incapacity Benefit or its replacement benefit. It is also unclear how the removal of E121 cover will be treated by the French authorities.

From the above it will be seen that, for health purposes, the the consequences of the term “inactif” most commonly affect those who take early retirement in the UK and move to France.

However, all is not lost. If you are “inactif”, and the above exceptions do not apply, note the following points.

If you have worked in the UK before moving to France, and paid National Insurance Contributions (NICs), you may be entitled to a form E106 which will enable you to affiliate to the French health system for up to 2½years, depending upon your recent NIC record and what time of the financial year you move to France – people who have been self-employed in UK can generally only get up to 12 months cover.
After 5 years’ legal and continuous residence you should be able to join the French health system. You may be asked to provide detailed evidence of your residency status such as your French tax returns.
When you reach UK retirement age and become entitled to the UK NIRP you can request a form E121 from the UK government which entitles you to affiliate to the French health service – but you will still need to pay up to approx 30% of health costs yourself or buy ‘top up’ insurance to cover this.

Am I "inactif"?

If you intend to work

If you do not intend to work

See also