Relocating to Spain with Children: Schools, Healthcare and the Right Property
Moving a family to Spain means weighing school runs, paediatric care and daily logistics alongside the property itself. This guide sets out what British parents typically check before choosing a neighbourhood and signing anything.
Who is behind this page. Sókerim is a Spanish real-estate agency (Lyrio Home Solutions, S.L.) with offices in the Madrid region and Alicante and a network of about 1,000 collaborating agencies across Spain. We help people who live abroad find, buy and manage property in Spain, in English, from the first search to the keys.
Why location matters more than the house itself
When a family relocates from the United Kingdom to Spain, the property search rarely starts with bricks and mortar. It starts with a map: where are the international or bilingual schools, how far is the nearest paediatrician or hospital with English-speaking staff, and which neighbourhoods make the daily commute manageable for working parents. Only once those answers are clear does it make sense to start comparing houses.
This is also where local knowledge earns its keep. A property that looks ideal online can sit forty minutes from the nearest suitable school, or in an area where the health centre has long waiting lists for non-residents. Visiting neighbourhoods in person, or at least by video call with someone who knows the area, before shortlisting properties saves families from costly mistakes later.
The Spanish "Golden Visa" for property investors ended on 3 April 2025 and is no longer an available route for relocating families — residence now depends on the standard visa or permit routes.
Finding the right neighbourhood in Spain for your family
International and bilingual schools in Spain tend to cluster in specific residential areas, often close to larger towns rather than in the historic centre. Families moving to Spain usually start by mapping the schools that match their children's ages and curriculum needs, then work outward to see which neighbourhoods sit within a reasonable daily journey — on foot, by school bus or by car.
Healthcare follows a similar logic. Public health centres serve defined catchment areas, and private clinics with English-speaking consultants are not spread evenly across every town. Checking which facilities serve a given street, and how registration works for non-residents versus residents, is worth doing before falling in love with a particular house.
Shortlist neighbourhoods first, properties second — visiting in person or by video before narrowing the search avoids discovering, after an offer is in, that the school run is unworkable.
Schools and healthcare: the checks that matter
Beyond distance, parents moving to Spain generally want to know admission timelines, whether a school has availability mid-year, and whether the curriculum will allow children to return smoothly to a UK school system later if needed. None of this is guesswork: schools publish enrolment windows and most will answer direct questions from prospective families.
On healthcare, it is worth distinguishing between the public system — which non-resident owners access differently from residents — and private insurance, which many relocating families choose at least initially for flexibility and shorter waiting times. A local tax and legal adviser can also confirm how the double taxation agreement between Spain and the United Kingdom affects any UK income or pension while the family is settling in.
NIE
Start the paperwork early
A Spanish tax number (NIE) and usually a Spanish bank account are needed before a purchase can complete. British buyers typically also prepare recent payslips or a P60, their last filed Self Assessment return, bank statements from the last few months, details of any existing loans, and a valid passport — the same documents a Spanish lender or notary will expect to see.
Matching the property to daily family life
Once a neighbourhood is chosen, the property itself should be judged against ordinary family routines: is there safe outdoor space, is the building or community suited to children, and how far is it realistically — not just on a map — from the school gate and the health centre. For rental or future resale, it is also worth asking whether the area has restrictions on short-term lets, since tourist rentals need a regional licence and many buildings prohibit them outright.
Since the United Kingdom uses the pound rather than the euro, it is also sensible to plan the currency transfer early: exchange-rate movements between the offer and completion can change the final cost in sterling terms, so many families fix a transfer date or use a currency service rather than leaving it to the last moment.
| Step | Approx. timing | Who is usually involved |
|---|---|---|
| Obtaining the NIE and opening a bank account | A few weeks | Gestoría, bank |
| Viewings and property checks | Ongoing | Agency, lawyer |
| Signing before the notary | On a fixed date | Notary, lawyer, bank |
| Land registry update | Some weeks | Land registry, gestoría |
- Walking or short-drive distance to the chosen school, not just the nearest one
- A health centre or clinic with capacity for new patients, including children
- Community rules that suit family life, such as space for children to play safely
- Clarity on whether short-term letting is restricted, if renting out is ever considered
- A realistic sense of commuting times during term time, not holiday traffic
If you live in the United Kingdom
Spain is a relatively short flight away from most UK airports, making regular visits to a Spanish property straightforward for owners based in Britain. Many British buyers are drawn to Spain for its climate, coastal lifestyle and established expatriate communities. One practical point to bear in mind is that Spanish inheritance law differs from UK rules, so it is worth taking specific advice on how it may affect the property and one's estate. Currency movements between sterling and the euro can also affect the overall cost of purchase and ongoing expenses.
What a Spanish bank will usually ask you for
- Proof of income: recent P60 and payslips
- Last filed UK tax return (Self Assessment)
- Bank statements from the last three to six months
- Evidence of existing loans or mortgage commitments
- Valid passport or UK national identity document
Tax at home and in Spain
Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm how rental income or gains from Spanish property must be declared and reported to HMRC.
Staying in Spain
As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and must apply for a visa or residence permit for longer stays.
Since the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling (GBP) rather than the euro, buyers should factor in exchange-rate movements and currency conversion costs when paying for a property or transferring funds to Spain.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to speak Spanish to enrol our children in school in Spain?
Not necessarily, but it depends on the school. Public schools generally teach in Spanish (and sometimes a co-official language), while international and bilingual schools offer more support for English-speaking families. Our own communication with clients is in English, and a local school adviser can explain enrolment and language requirements for each option in Spain.
Can we live in Spain year-round as UK citizens without a visa?
No. As the United Kingdom is no longer in the EU, British citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. A longer stay, including relocating a family permanently, requires applying for the appropriate visa or residence permit beforehand.
Will our UK income still be taxed if we move to Spain?
Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement, so you should not be taxed twice on the same income. However, residence status changes what you must declare and where, so a local tax adviser should review your specific situation, including any rental income or pension from the UK.
How do we check if a neighbourhood actually has good access to healthcare before buying?
Ask directly about catchment areas for the nearest public health centre, and check which private clinics or hospitals in or near Spain have English-speaking doctors. Visiting the area and speaking to local families or the school itself often gives a clearer picture than online searches alone.
Does the exchange rate between pounds and euros affect how much we actually pay?
Yes. Since the UK uses sterling and Spain uses the euro, the final cost in pounds can shift between agreeing a price and completing the transfer. Many buyers fix a transfer date or use a currency specialist to manage this, rather than leaving the conversion to the last moment.