If you’re retired, living in France, and covered for healthcare by an S1 certificate from the UK, you might be wondering whether you can also earn money or run a small business.
It’s a common question among British pensioners in France — especially those wanting to supplement their income or stay active — but the answer depends on how your activity affects your social security status and your S1 healthcare cover.
What Is the UK S1 Certificate?
The S1 certificate allows UK pensioners living in France to access French state healthcare, while the UK government pays the cost.
You can apply for an S1 if you:
Receive the UK State Pension or another exportable UK benefit, and
Live permanently in France or another EU/EEA country.
Once you have your S1:
Register it with your local CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Maladie).
Get your French social security number and Carte Vitale.
Enjoy the same access to healthcare as a French resident.
Many S1 holders also take out a mutuelle (top-up insurance) to cover remaining costs.
Why the S1 Matters
The S1 offers several major benefits for UK retirees in France:
Healthcare paid by the UK – You don’t pay French health contributions.
Exemption from social charges – Your UK pension income is usually exempt from prélèvements sociaux (around 7–9%).
Seamless access – Once registered, you’re treated like any other French resident in the health system.
However, the S1 only applies when you’re not insured elsewhere. If you start working or paying into another system, your S1 cover ends.
Working or Running a Small Business While Holding an S1
Here’s where things get more complicated.
Working = Registration + Cotisations
In France, any professional activity that earns income, even small or occasional, requires registration and the payment of social security contributions (cotisations).
There’s no legal threshold that lets you earn “a bit on the side” without declaring it.
Examples of activities that must be declared:
Offering paid tarot readings, tutoring, translation, or consulting.
Selling crafts, artwork, or digital products.
Coaching or running workshops.
You’ll register your activity through URSSAF, usually under the micro-entreprise (auto-entrepreneur) regime. It’s simple and designed for small businesses, but still mandatory.
Cotisations Connect You to the French System
Once you register and start paying cotisations, France becomes your “competent state” for social security.
That means:
Your healthcare is now funded by France — not the UK.
Your S1 becomes invalid and is removed from your CPAM file.
You may also lose your exemption from French social charges on your UK pension.
Essentially, by running a business, you switch your healthcare responsibility from the UK to France.
No Exceptions for Small Earnings
Even minimal income requires registration.
If you earn nothing in a quarter or a year, you declare zero turnover and pay no cotisations — but you must still declare.
Failing to register can lead to fines or back-dated social contributions.
In Short
If you’re retired with a UK S1 and want to start a business in France:
Register your activity with URSSAF.
Pay cotisations on your turnover.
Expect your S1 to be cancelled — your healthcare will now be through the French system.
Before taking the leap, it’s important to calculate whether the income you’ll earn outweighs the loss of S1 benefits and the potential new charges.
What to Check Before You Start Working in France
Confirm your S1 status
Contact the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services to confirm your entitlement and ask how self-employment would affect it.
Speak to CPAM
Your local CPAM can tell you exactly what will happen to your French health cover if you register a business.
Get professional advice
A fiscal or social security adviser (expert-comptable or fiscaliste) can help you understand the tax and cotisation costs of becoming self-employed.
Keep thorough records
Store your S1, CPAM correspondence, and any URSSAF registration papers — they’re vital if your status is ever reviewed.
The Bottom Line
The S1 is a huge advantage for UK retirees in France: it gives access to excellent healthcare and saves money on social charges.
But as soon as you start earning income from work or self-employment in France, you must:
Register your activity,
Pay cotisations, and
Accept that your S1 will no longer apply.
That doesn’t mean you can’t work — it just means you’ll join the French healthcare system like any other worker.
So before launching that side business, take a moment to calculate whether it’s worth the trade-off. Getting advice first can protect your healthcare rights and your wallet.