The short version: An expat is someone living in a country they weren’t born in. If you’ve moved to or from the UK, your tax situation can get complicated because you might owe tax in more than one place.
UK tax residence
HMRC decides if you’re a UK tax resident based on how many days you spend here and where your home is. Broadly, if you’re in the UK for 183 days or more in a tax year, or your only home is here, you’re likely a UK resident.
What does residence mean for tax?
UK residents pay tax on their worldwide income, not just what they earn in the UK. Non residents only pay UK tax on UK source income. The distinction matters a lot if you have income from multiple countries.
Double taxation
Without protection, you could end up paying tax in two countries on the same income. The UK has double taxation agreements with many countries to prevent this. If there’s an agreement with your other country, you can usually claim relief so you’re not taxed twice.
What if there’s no agreement?
You might genuinely owe tax in both places. It’s worth getting advice to minimise what you pay legally.
Living abroad or moving to the UK and confused about your tax obligations? Talk to us and we’ll help you navigate it.
