# Tax advice - Any recent UK expats in Dubai



## KINGY2110 (Oct 19, 2010)

Hi all. 

I am moving to Dubai end of March 2011 and would appreciate any guidance as to the financial essentials that need to be completed in the UK before I depart.

I have spent hours scanning the internet looking for advice on tax, which forms to complete and who I need to inform. As far as I am aware I need to complete a P85 and another form containing rental income from my house as I am shortly to become a landlord.

The tax issue gets more complicated for my pregnant wife as she will be moving and becoming a resident with me in Dubai, but will still working, eventually (in 17 months time when maternity finishes) in the UK as a stewardess for British Airways. As part of her job she will spend many night overseas in Europe so I think she will spend less than 91 nights in the uk.

Also with banking did you close your UK account? Ideally want to keep mine with Barclays as direct debits still going to be paid out but am wary of high fees.

Any advise welcome as my head is spinning. New job, emigrating and new father all in 2011. 

Thank you.

Paul


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## darlingbuds (May 27, 2010)

KINGY2110 said:


> Hi all.
> 
> I am moving to Dubai end of March 2011 and would appreciate any guidance as to the financial essentials that need to be completed in the UK before I depart.
> 
> ...


Hi there

We have a flat we rent out at home and had to complete an HM Revenue & Customs Non-resident Landlords form. You can download the file from the internet (just type in the name of the form), fill it in and send it off. If you don't the rental company will charge you tax (unless you are renting it privately). We sorted all this out before we left no problem.

There is a form called 'leaving the united kingdom' again you can download it and print online - this is the P85 you refer to. We haven't completed ours yet as we had to wait for our P45 etc to be issued which was after we left the UK, but are planning on filling this in when I come over in Feb for a couple of days with work. You can then claim your tax back as you always pay a year in advance, but it means you can't return to the UK for a FULL tax year afterwards, which is why you usually have to stay out for two years or you have to pay it back. You also have to keep UK visits to a minimum of 60 or 90 days a year to be treated as a non-tax resident - am sure someone will point out if I'm wrong with any of this or give you the right answer!!

So with your wife I guess it will depend how often she is flying back to the UK to whether she can be considered an non UK resident for tax purposes?

We have kept our bank accounts in the UK and would recommend this, we just keep some savings in there and it is handy to have incase you need it for anything. You will still need to open a UAE bank account here for your salary and you will need a cheque book for your rent and credit card for other things - landlords will only really accept cheques and they have to be from a Dubai bank account. You can easily transfer money over to your UK bank account if you need to though and vice versa for a small charge.

I'm sure you have this sorted but would recommend that you keep a UK address even if it is with family for forwarding stuff to do with any tax paperwork, bills from home etc. We have had a couple of problems with water and electric bills where they have repaid us and then tried to charge us again, all sorted now but wonder how we would have known otherwise. Also useful for tax correspondance etc as you can't rely on getting any post here, it take an age to arrive.

Hope that helps you.
Vicki


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

KINGY2110 said:


> Hi all.
> 
> I am moving to Dubai end of March 2011 and would appreciate any guidance as to the financial essentials that need to be completed in the UK before I depart.
> 
> ...


I advise on these matters professionally 

Start by taking a look at this link about general tax issues for British expats from my website:

General guidance for British expats | Financialuae's Blog

You need to complete HMRC form P85 and if renting out your house you should apply for the Non Resident Landlord Scheme.

Even if your wide spends less than 91 days in the UKk, if she is in Europe and working for an airline she is unlikely to be classed as a non-resident and would still be subject to tax, either in the UK or wherever in Europes she is resident.

Always keep a UK bank account open. It is very hard to open a new account if you have been away for some time. There should be negligible fees for a basic current account.

Other info on my site may also be helpful to you.

Good luck


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

darlingbuds said:


> Hi there
> 
> We have a flat we rent out at home and had to complete an HM Revenue & Customs Non-resident Landlords form. You can download the file from the internet (just type in the name of the form), fill it in and send it off. If you don't the rental company will charge you tax (unless you are renting it privately). We sorted all this out before we left no problem.
> 
> ...


That isn't correct. You have to be be UK non-resident for a full tax year for overseas earnings (in that tax year) to be exempt from UK income tax, but may still spend up to 91 days a year in the UK

-


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## Zak_Suleman (Feb 2, 2011)

Many thanks all, just saved me loads of time...


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