# Uk gov thinking of withdrawing expat personal allowances



## JaneyO (Sep 24, 2012)

The UK gov obviously think expats are a soft target, nothing but wine swilling rich folks basking in the sun. First no winter fuel allowances and now, in the Budget, a suggestion they are going to look at withdrawing personal allowances for expats. 'Experts' seem to think they might not apply it to expats within the EU. Who knows, you can't trust any of them. I don't fancy paying £2500 tax to the Uk I pay my tax in Spain and its a lot less than that so I'm not going to benefit much from a double taxation treaty. We might be ok in Spain but expats in US, Australia etc should be worried. My question is this- who do we contact to object to this idea, anybody know 'cos I'm going to protest!


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

JaneyO said:


> The UK gov obviously think expats are a soft target, nothing but wine swilling rich folks basking in the sun. First no winter fuel allowances and now, in the Budget, a suggestion they are going to look at withdrawing personal allowances for expats. 'Experts' seem to think they might not apply it to expats within the EU. Who knows, you can't trust any of them. I don't fancy paying £2500 tax to the Uk I pay my tax in Spain and its a lot less than that so I'm not going to benefit much from a double taxation treaty. We might be ok in Spain but expats in US, Australia etc should be worried. My question is this- who do we contact to object to this idea, anybody know 'cos I'm going to protest!


I mentioned this in another thread a few days ago, but when I read up about it, it seems it may not affect people living in EU countries, even if the proposal is adopted.


Expat tax break threatened, spelling bad news for pensioners - Telegraph

Even if it were adopted, though, surely it would only affect those people with public sector pensions which must be taxed in the UK - all other pensions could be paid gross if HMRC have the right documentation to confirm that you pay tax in Spain.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> I mentioned this in another thread a few days ago, but when I read up about it, it seems it may not affect people living in EU countries, even if the proposal is adopted.
> 
> 
> Expat tax break threatened, spelling bad news for pensioners - Telegraph
> ...


Spanish nationals who are in receipt of a U.K. gov pension, can apply to pay Spanish tax on the said pension.


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## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> I mentioned this in another thread a few days ago, but when I read up about it, it seems it may not affect people living in EU countries, even if the proposal is adopted.
> 
> 
> Expat tax break threatened, spelling bad news for pensioners - Telegraph
> ...


Even if it did only affect those with government pensions, and that is a huge amount, it would be a very serious situation.In the ex pat press it seemed everyone with UK pensions, in other words everybody, would be affected, and it did not mention about applying to those outside EU.
If it did come into being there will be an uprising, and possibly, an exodus!


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

extranjero said:


> Even if it did only affect those with government pensions, and that is a huge amount, it would be a very serious situation.In the ex pat press it seemed everyone with UK pensions, in other words everybody, would be affected, and it did not mention about applying to those outside EU.
> If it did come into being there will be an uprising, and possibly, an exodus!


I find the quality of "reporting" in the expat press appalling - they always appear to either get the wrong end of the stick or at best only tell half the story, which sets off all kinds of quite unnecessary hares running. If they reported this proposal in the way you describe, that's a typical example.

If I see anything that catches my eye in any of the English language publications over here I ALWAYS do a search for more detailed and reliable information about the issue. God knows, I'm no fan of the Torygraph, but I'd take their financial reporting over that of the expat rags any day!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

It is nothing to do with a tax break. If one is a UK taxpayer, one gets a certain amount tax free, that is nothing to do with tax breaks. It is just the sort of thing that this band of crooks sitting in parliament would dream of, provided it doesn't affect their lucrative schemes.


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## JaneyO (Sep 24, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> It is nothing to do with a tax break. If one is a UK taxpayer, one gets a certain amount tax free, that is nothing to do with tax breaks. It is just the sort of thing that this band of crooks sitting in parliament would dream of, provided it doesn't affect their lucrative schemes.


Well said! I really find the term 'tax breaks' offensive - like we're getting something nobody else is. I intend to find out about this so called 'consultation' and will be telling them what I think, having been a law abiding tax paying citizen in the uk all my working life I think even the suggestion is outrageous. I imagine the Spanish government won't be best pleased if they don't get my euros because I've already paid in the Uk. If they want to save some money they should look close to home and start with fraudulent, crooked (now ex) cabinet members.


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## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

I'm assuming that the references made to crooks sitting in parliament and crooked cabinet ministers doesn't refer to those in Spain?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Calas felices said:


> I'm assuming that the references made to crooks sitting in parliament and crooked cabinet ministers doesn't refer to those in Spain?


There are a few in Spain as well although neither can beat the US for that type of corruption.


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

It must be subsidising the 50p to 45p reduction in tax for their super rich friends in the city.


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## Nignoy (Jun 4, 2010)

*no problem for australian expats*



Lynn R said:


> I mentioned this in another thread a few days ago, but when I read up about it, it seems it may not affect people living in EU countries, even if the proposal is adopted.
> 
> 
> Expat tax break threatened, spelling bad news for pensioners - Telegraph
> ...


Australian expats pensions are frozen to a basic rate no allowances or addons expats in asia are the same, :Cry:


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