seanyboy

I am a UK Citizen who has been working abroad for 15 years and now have citizenship in the county where I have been working. I am soon to be retiring and would like to be a resident in both the UK and this country. To remain a resident for this country I have to be present for 183 days a year.

Can anyone please give advice on whether it would be possible for me to also be a resident in the UK and how many days would I have to remain in the UK. I still have a house (rented out at present) in the UK and a home where I am currently living. I also complete a yearly tax return to declare my UK rental income.

Ideally I would like to have my main residency in the UK for tax reasons, but be able to stay in the country where I am now working for 183 days.

Any assistance on this matter would be most welcome.

Thanks

scot47

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_residence

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domicile_(law)

Do these two entries make it clearer to you ? Not to me ! I would consult a lawyer and/or tax consultant.

SanDiegogirl

As a UK citizen, you don't HAVE to be in the UK for any specific period of time - so it is up to you to choose where you want to be a tax resident.

If you are a citizen of this other county I don't understand how you need to be in that country for 183 days to 'remain a resident" - I presume you mean a tax resident.

Pulaski

That was my thought too - Seany seems to have conflated "citizenship" with "residency".

seanyboy

Yes SanDiegogirl,

I need to be present for 183 days to get certain benefits relating to being a resident and have to provide evidence of being in the country for that time period.

I would also like to be in the UK for around 5 months a year and am not sure whether I can then get access the NHS and be exempt from Capital Gains Tax on my property. I understand that being a tax resident in the UK will mean declaring world wide income (which is not much) , but the country that I live in has a tax agreement with the UK so no double taxation on my UK work and state pension.

Thanks

Pulaski

Unless you're a citizen of North Korea, I am not sure why you aren't telling us which country you're talking about, as it is hard to give you advice when we really don't have enough information to properly advise you.

Generally speaking, you need to decide which country you want to live in and pay taxes in, unless you are will and able to pay for a home in both countries .... certainly trying to game the system, retaining benefits in Timbuktoo while getting access to the NHS is precisely what the rules are designed to prevent, so you need to decide whether whatever benefits you are getting where you currently live are more or less important to you than access to the NHS?

scot47

To paraphrase "I want the benefits of the NHS without the obligation of paying my tax on Capital Gains"

seanyboy

Thanks Pulaski,

I am in Barbados and have a home here and in the UK. If I stay in the UK for around 5 months then I will be a tax resident in both countries, which I don't mind as I have not much income. However, I want to know how long I have to be a resident in the UK to get access to the NHS. Barbados used to have a medical agreement with the UK that gave access to both, but it is now discontinued. Last time I visited the UK for a short summer holiday I had to pay for a doctors note to use the gym, even though I still have a house in the UK, pay UK tax on UK earnings and have paid my maximum NI contributions.

If I have to be resident in the UK for 6 months to access the NHS they I will probably pass on this due to cold weather effect on my health, but it would be useful to know whether as a UK tax resident (over 90 days in UK ) I would have access to the NHS.

It also seems that the time qualification are not really clear and it maybe possible to access the NHS as a temporary visitor.

I just want to understand my options so I can make a more informed decision on where I reside.

Thanks again

SanDiegogirl

You can access the NHS as soon as you return as a permanent resident.

Can only assume that you had to pay for a doctor's note because you are known to spend part of the year in Barbados

Thought you paid taxes if you were in the UK for 180 days or more,?

I too paid into the UK health system and NIC for decades but when I visit the UK I have to take out travel insurance to cover anything except emergency cover.

seanyboy

Thanks
SanDiegogirl.
Any suggestions on travel insurance?

SanDiegogirl

go to Insure My Trip for multiple insurance options.

https://www.insuremytrip.com/

durham_lad

NI contributions have nothing to do with funding the the NHS, they fund the Old Age Pension and you can make them whether or not you are a UK resident.

To use the NHS you need to be resident for tax purposes I believe and as a UK citizen you can do that on the first day you arrive with intent to become a resident. As a resident of the UK you will be subject to Cap Gains taxes unless there is a provision in the Barbados/UK double taxation agreement that gives Barbados the sole right to tax them.

Capital gains taxes in the UK are actually quite generous in my opinion. I pay UK taxes on cap gains on my investments in the USA. The first £12,000 capital gain is tax free and the gains above that is taxed at 10%. (This is for a basic rate tax payer).