WE live in Spain. When we arrived here, after marrying in Phil, all I did was send them a copy of our marriage cert from Phil. My wife was issued with a Nat Ins No. and I immediately got an addition to my OAP and the British Gov started paying the Spanish Medical service for her medical cover.
After all she is not allowed to visit UK without a visa and all the hassle that entails, so as far as we are concerned the UK Gov can go *++++***** (opps nearly used a bad word) themselves !!!