Spain is a popular destination among British expats, famed for its sun, sea, sand, low cost of living and laidback lifestyle.
To ensure a safe, well-informed experience, it’s important to be up to date with the latest guidance for residing in the European country.
Britons who live in Spain or are thinking of making the move have been issued a new update on an emergency app.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) encouraged residents to download the ALERTCOPS mobile app, which provides crucial emergency assistance features for Britons abroad.
Britons living in Spain should download the ALERTCOPS mobile app
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It offers immediate help in dangerous situations through a simple interface, offering an SOS button for emergency assistance and geo-targeted safety alerts.
ALLERTCOPS also provides a “discreet and simple” communication channel with the Spanish Police and Civil Guard for those who experience or witness a crime.
Users should note that “this service works throughout Spain, apart from the Basque country and Catalonia”.
For Britons in Spain, the FCDO provides additional emergency guidance, including numbers that are worth noting down.
Emergency numbers
Dial the European emergency number (112) in Spain for the police, ambulance or fire brigade, or dial:
- 091 for police
- 061 for health emergencies
- 080 for firefighters
- 092 for local police
The EU 116 000 hotline is available to report missing children in Spain or other EU countries.
Specific guidance exists for victims of rape or sexual assault in Spain, including information on medical assistance, the Spanish legal system and reporting assaults to the police.
ALLERTCOPS provides a ‘discreet’ communication channel with the Spanish Police and Civil Guard
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Those who have been victims of crime, arrested or have been affected by a crisis should contact the British Embassy in Madrid or the nearest consulate.
The FCDO also offers guidance on international parental child abduction, with links to Spanish and EU protocols.
While Spain remains the most favoured choice for British expats worldwide, there are some downsides to living in the European hotspot.
An expat in Málaga revealed the “problem” with living on the Spanish coast, admitting that there are things she “doesn’t like”.
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