IMHO a waste of time if there isnt something in the pocket at the end of it.

if having to maintain a base in the uk and then another in spain (or anywhere else in the world) that is in itself a dual taxation. to have to pay dual Income and Medical as well leaves nothing at the end of it.

as I say, IMHO, others will (and do) have other views on it all and I leave it up to the individual, but if someone has skills and experience that can be used across the eu then things should be made easier for them to meet the much vaunted "freedom of movement and labour" or whatever it is without having to cope with dual taxes etc etc.

But that would be sensible and far to easy for the bureaucrats and cut out jobs for the boys.

jeez r u saying I am sensible ?
thank you

eu here I come

I have rung the HMRC guys in the UK and they have advised that I only need to fill in a self assessment tax form at the end of the year showing all my earnings made in Spain

This is fantastic news for people who are only going to be working in Spain for a very short period of time!

So there is a very simple way round things

thats good news, but not sure how you can mitigate the dual cost of living in spain during the contract.
funnily enough the spanish system can allow for that

well done, your happy and will be out here soon
rgds

From what I understand, as I am only doing a short contract, I only need to pay all tax related fees (tax and NI for the UK or NIE, social security etc for Spain) to only one country.

So as I am doing a short contract, I can choose to pay in Spain or the UK. As I am not set up in the Spanish system, it's going to be a lot easier to stick to the UK one.

yup, think that is what I was trying to say earlier, and as you are based in the Uk, pay your taxes in the Uk, it is much simpler to pay tax on your world wide earnings in the Uk rather than have to register in Spain and then in France and then in wherever. It leaves little bits all over the place.

just make sure you get the right form to cover you for any medical you may need whilst here

rgds

Thanks Domino

Lets hope the Spanish taxman sees it the same as you, as after you have been in Spain for 3 months you legally need to sign on the foreigners register at the National Police Station and you will be given an NIE number whether you like it or not.

Bl**dy hell! For such a short contract, this is turning into a red tape inferno...

I am leaving for Spain tomorrow too so it looks like I am going to have to suck it up and go along with the Spanish system.

I'm never doing a short contract in Spain again; that's for sure!

It's either I join their system or I ask to end the contract at 3 months instead

Whats wrong with just ignoring the system, doing the 6 months (making sure you have private medical cover) and moving on?

From what I read on here thats what the majority do.

Well not really, you'll find that the people here, although well intentioned, are not entirely sure what the situation is.

You need 30 mins advice from an accountant/tax lawyer who has the right expertise. Your company should be able to help you with that.

My feeling is that you are going to be in the country less than the 185 days (something like that) cut off, so you wont need to pay tax in Spain as long as you declare in the UK, but then I am not an expert either

don't get upset - you have certain buffers on yourside

1. you are employed by an agency in Belgium
2. agency in Belgium are issueing you with your work instructions
3. the client should be paying the agency in Belgium
4. the agency in Belgium should then be paying your - so long as you get the timesheets signed and faxed through to them each week

you should not be accepting any money from the Spanish client

IMHO I still believe that if you are going to do this sort of thing regularly your own Ltd in the UK would be a better wall around your taxation problems, but you will need the time to sit down with a UK accountant and discuss further. That way your living costs in Spain can go down as expenses against the company and not out of your pocket.

Please - enjoy yourself in Spain, both at work and play, its a great place, great people and their taxation is not alot different to many others in Europa, only a bit different to the UK.

regards
Dom

But he will be living, working and earning his money in Spain.

that is between his employer in Belgium and the client in Spain
it is not stated he will be employed on a Spanish employment contract so the charge from Belgium will include TVA which opens another can of worms

if anything it could be Belgium that may have the greater interest
but then I am not an international lawyer or accountant
but
whilst still domiciled in the UK must pay tax on worldwide earnings
as spain has a DTA with the Uk covering earnings but not inheritance there should be a positive side to this in favour of the country where domiciled.

irrespective, the op deserves every recognition for wanting to do things properly irrespective of the tax regime he will come under, rather than sliding in on a midnite flite and not declaring to anyone