Expats to foot medical bill

The move has prompted fury in the exile community on the Mediterranean Sea coast. It feels it is being victimised by the Spanish, following years of clashes with authorization over the country's planning laws.

Many people moved to Spain on retirement believing they would be covered by the country's medical scheme. Now they are being forced to take out expensive private insurance.

The determination by politicians in Valencia has caused uproar in the area and the British people consulate in Alicante has been deluged with calls from concerned expatriates.

Bob Houliston, 71, a retired diplomat who is now president of the Claro political party, which represents the 20,000 expat occupant of the Orihuela area near Alicante, said the move could have "serious consequences".

"The timing of this determination could not have been worse. Now is not the time to cause person hardship and widespread uncertainty which can only add to the image job the part has to contend with," he said.

"It should surely be possible for the United Kingdom and Valencia government authorization to find solutions for the comparatively small figure of British people citizens life in Valencia who could otherwise face real adversity."

In 2002 the provincial government offered free health care to all exile of all EU nationalities in a bid to get foreign investment in the area's property marketplace, which at that time was booming. The marketplace is now experiencing a similar downturn to that being seen in the UK.

The opinion only applies to people who took early retirement and moved to Spain, mainly aged in their fifties. Older retirees and individuals on long-term incapacity benefit are unaffected, as they are covered under a reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK.

A spokesman for the regional health ministry said: "It is costing us an extra €1bn (£790m) annually to look after a million new residents as well as long-stay tourists, and our services are at saturation point. Some come to Spain to have their heart operation or hip replacement here at a better standard and more quickly than in their own country."

The expatriates however, hope to fight the ruling. In France last year, expatriates successfully had a similar plan partially overturned, so it now only applies to new arrivals.