# Live in Spain, 'commute' to work in UK. Possible?



## iarmst (Apr 1, 2013)

Hi there,

Not certain if anyone has done this but looking for some advice if anyone has.

Basically I am able to work from home in the SW of England two days a week with my job. I travel to London for three days. My company does not really care where I live but as I am on UK payroll and have a UK contract I am sure there is some stipulation that I am resident in the UK.

My idea is this. As I have a permanent UK job I am classed as 'UK resident for tax purposes'. Would it be possible (forgetting about the expense for a moment) to live in Spain and fly across to London on a Monday evening, returning on a Thursday evening? I could still be in the office three days a week and would keep a PO Box style home address in the UK.

Is this legal on a UK contract does anyone know?

Thanks, iarmst


----------



## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

iarmst said:


> Is this legal on a UK contract does anyone know?


Unless you want to let us read your contract  I don't think you'll get a real answer.

You likely need to keep a domicile (flat,apartment,bed at the parents home etc) to really be an UK tax resident.


----------



## iarmst (Apr 1, 2013)

I looked through my employment manual, all 65 pages of it, and it does not mention anything about residency. I guess a cryptic conversation with HR might be in order.

Anyway, just pondering this as an option as it's snowing today in London so I know my wife will be yearning for Spain when I get home late tonight.

Cheers, iarmt


----------



## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Plenty have and do commute whilst living in Spain, it is a topic that is discussed often on this forum.

The traveling must be a pain though


----------



## iarmst (Apr 1, 2013)

I used to do it before when we lived in Barcelona but had to stop it as I was only going across to the UK 8 days every month.

It is not easy but the upside is getting on the plane from London Gatwick on a Thursday to come back 'home' puts a smile on your face


----------



## Dunpleecin (Dec 20, 2012)

You'll soon get sick of a 3 hour flight and another hour or two going through security etc every time. I think the novelty will soon wear off. This is bad because if it affects your moods it might affect your work etc etc.

Sounds a great notion but in practice, I think you would soon tire of it.


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

From July 25th BA are flying daily direct non-stop Granada (GRX) to London City (LCY) and of course, tyheir fare includes everything not like some "budget"airlines whose fare can be more than BA by the time you include the add-ons and hidden charges.


----------



## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

I watched a programme where the bloke lived in Barcelona & flew out every morning to arrive in his office in City of London for 9a.m, & back every night . Monday to friday .

You can be non-resident in the UK whilst still being fiscally resident.
The payment of tax & N.I. contributions in the UK will not necessarily allow you to continue being entitled to UK healthcare & the fact that you won't be resident in Spain means you'll have no entitlement here.

The question is extremely complex. You would be better asking the questions of the social security overseas healthcare team in Newcastle; the inland revenue & also your employer.
The fact that you have a wife that will obviously be living here complicates the matter even further. 

My wife is self -employed in the UK but a permanent Spanish resident. She flies in, works & flies back. She has no abode in the UK ,nor any address . She is registered to pay Tax in the UK ( this does not necessarily need to be so but for our purposes is ideal.) All the above means that there is no entitlement , nor legal obligation or requirement to pay National insurance contributions. ?? Don't ask me why . I asked & that is the decision that the Overseas healthcare team specialist department came up with.


----------



## Karen58 (Aug 1, 2012)

My husband works in UK and his flight has 5 other guys 3 Brits and 2 Spanish who commute every Friday evening and return either Sunday night/Monday mornings. We have a UK address & motorhome he uses 2-3 nights but usually in a hotel most nights as travels around England for business meetings. His company is French owned, they have received our lifestyle as totally European as my husband is German. In fact he was featured inthe company magazine which applauded our lifestyle choice . He is here 96 days annually over a 12 month period and some 10 extra days give or take for a longer summer stay it is working out very well. He enjoys coming to bright skies, no DIY and trips to Sainsburys every Saturday as all done by me!!! A mini weekly honeymoon for us both and thank heavens for Skype too. His colleagues both male and female our envious of us and it works for us but may be a problem for those couples with children (ours are all grown up) as an absent parent is very stressful. I am taking early retirement, private medical insurance paid for by his company so all is sorted. No problems regarding resident declarations as have no external income as my pension does not kick in till 2023 and my income from my husband is not taxable as he is paid under PAYE..P60's confirm.


----------



## Karen58 (Aug 1, 2012)

Karen58 said:


> My husband works in UK and his flight has 5 other guys 3 Brits and 2 Spanish who commute every Friday evening and return either Sunday night/Monday mornings. We have a UK address & motorhome he uses 2-3 nights but usually in a hotel most nights as travels around England for business meetings. His company is French owned, they have received our lifestyle as totally European as my husband is German. In fact he was featured inthe company magazine which applauded our lifestyle choice . He is here 96 days annually over a 12 month period and some 10 extra days give or take for a longer summer stay it is working out very well. He enjoys coming to bright skies, no DIY and trips to Sainsburys every Saturday as all done by me!!! A mini weekly honeymoon for us both and thank heavens for Skype too. His colleagues both male and female our envious of us and it works for us but may be a problem for those couples with children (ours are all grown up) as an absent parent is very stressful. I am taking early retirement, private medical insurance paid for by his company so all is sorted. No problems regarding resident declarations as have no external income as my pension does not kick in till 2023 and my income from my husband is not taxable as he is paid under PAYE..P60's confirm. I have lived here before till 2006 and have rekindled my social life and as maintained friendships with both Spanish and expats on my return last year.


----------



## titania (Jan 3, 2013)

Dunpleecin said:


> You'll soon get sick of a 3 hour flight and another hour or two going through security etc every time. I think the novelty will soon wear off. This is bad because if it affects your moods it might affect your work etc etc.
> 
> Sounds a great notion but in practice, I think you would soon tire of it.


No I don't think one would tire of it if the incentive, financial and/or emotional, is sufficient...

I did it for 5 years, Geneva-London Fridays, London-Geneva Sunday evenings or Monday mornings. The only drawback is bad weather and Tube repairs, which means you must make sure your job can take it if you arrive one day late because of snow or failures on your Tube/train connections. I stopped because my son (London) became self-sufficient and I remarried (Geneva) not because I tired of travelling.

PS make sure you book your flights at least 5-6 months in advance.


----------



## iarmst (Apr 1, 2013)

titania said:


> No I don't think one would tire of it if the incentive, financial and/or emotional, is sufficient...
> 
> I did it for 5 years, Geneva-London Fridays, London-Geneva Sunday evenings or Monday mornings. The only drawback is bad weather and Tube repairs, which means you must make sure your job can take it if you arrive one day late because of snow or failures on your Tube/train connections. I stopped because my son (London) became self-sufficient and I remarried (Geneva) not because I tired of travelling.
> 
> PS make sure you book your flights at least 5-6 months in advance.


I tend to agree, I think that if the incentive is there to go back to the UK to work (financial) and to be able to live in Spain it has got to be worth it. But maybe not for ever. Just until the economic situation in Spain improves. But who knows when that could be. 

You're right about the potential pitfalls with flying (weather, delays, strikes) and the time it takes from point A to point B.

My view is that life is too short to not take a risk or two


----------



## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

I commuted regularly sometimes twice a week to London when I lived in Prague. I continued for a couple of years after moving to Spain but packed it in.

Flying from Malaga or Gibraltar to London took more than twice as long as from Prague/London/Prague. Bad weather in Gib in winter meant we were bussed to Malaga which in turn meant arriving in London in the small hours for a nine o'clock meeting. We lived a ten minute taxi drive from Prague Airport, here we live an hour away, depending on traffic.

I was lucky, I flew BA Business Class as all my expenses were covered. When there were delays I could relax in the BA Lounge and enjoy all the comforts with 'free' food, wine and newspapers.
But even with using Fast Track, the whole business became tedious and tiring and once the novelty of living outside the UK wore off I was glad to stay at home in Spain.

But like most things, it's horses for courses and I did enjoy the first couple of years.


----------

