Moving back to UK but still working abroad...

[Gingey]

Hi all,

Shortly I’m planning on making an escape from Dubai back to the UK. Been here the last 4 years and yeah it’s good but now things have changed (COVID-19 to blame), now a young family here and instead of the lovely office I was working in they have sent me back offshore which is not good on my family with me being away all the time.

I’ve been given an opportunity to continue working in the Middle East - Saudi to be exact on a rotational bases (28/28 days), full time employment with current employer.

The thing I’m not looking forward to is, the tax in the UK. therefore like many, I’d like to reduce it to zero. I’ll be in the UK let’s say 5 month of the year so I cannot go down the correct route of 90 days as doing that the tax I’m trying to save will be spent on holidays!

My plan initially in my head was to change my bank accounts in the UAE to Non-Resident when I leave and have my Salary put here in the UAE and only take what I need to the UK when needed.

Am I totally going to get sniffed out by the taxman on this?

Any input most welcomed! Haha.

[AGoodman]

Yes, you'll definitely be UK resident so you are going to have to pay UK income tax on your earnings. You may also have to pay UK NI but I don't know enough about that area. You'll get credit for any Saudi tax but there may not of course be any.

Incidentally, as you'll have a home/family in the UK, your day count limit would probably be less than 90 days anyway.

See also Art 15 of the UK/Saudi double tax treaty (cf google) which may allow you to avoid any Saudi tax; unhelpful if there isn't any and (naturally) it just means you'll pay the full amount to the UK.