Maybe a stupid question… but anyway… If I work abroad for a couple of years what tax will I have to pay? Do I simply pay the tax required by the country in question to the country in question, or do I pay any U.K tax?

Thanks all!

Depends upon the country you work in really

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/Taxes/LeavingOrComingIntoTheUK/DG_10026136

local income taxes where you work and tax on income over the minimum level in the UK (£3k?)

If you rent out your house for more than 2 years you’ll pay capital gains on the increase in value (if there is any)

I think this will very much depend on where you go & how it’s organised?

For example, I’m based in Belgium & paying full local taxes 🙁 but I have colleagues who are on expat contracts that only pay minimal local taxes (calculated on days within the country) & no UK tax.

My sis has lived all over the place (outside the EU) and never pays tax….

Aha, so no simple answer. Thinking about a job in Sweden, where taxes are huge…

I think if you work abroad for 18 months from the start of a new tax year then you don’t have to pay any UK tax. I’m emigrating and this is the advice my accountant has given me.

oh yes – taxes similar to Belgy +/- 50%.
Lovely place though Sweden. One of the few places I’d be up for relocating to.

Make sure that you tell the Inland Revenue that you’ve moved countries. I moved to another EU conutry in December 2006 and got all my tax back from that financial year.

I live in Sweden. You pay no UK tax. You pay tax in Sweden. Local and income tax. The local tax varies depending on the council where you live. Tax is not so bad as if you rent an apartment then just get one that includes heating then you just have to pay electric and rent. No council tax or water rates to pay.

If you still have your house in the uk and don’t rent it out you can claim dubblebosättning double living allowance. 2 years if single or 5 if a couple. Then offset the cost of your rent and some other stuff against tax. Also move in the middle of the tax year so your yearly income in both countries will be smallerwhete in Sweden? Send me a mail if you want anymore info

Thinking about a job in Sweden, where taxes are huge…

Erm, no.
I’m in Sweden and currently pay 32% tax, and as GEDA mentions, no stealth tax such as council tax or water rates. I’m much better off here financially than if I was earning the same amount in the UK.

local income taxes where you work and tax on income over the minimum level in the UK (£3k?)

Eh? How did you come to that conclusion?

My mate worked (& lived) in Sweden but i seem to remember he chose to pay UK tax.

He defo said that you only pay tax in one Euro country.

You’re not getting confused with voluntary Nat Ins contributions, are you?

+1 konabunny

I pay tax in Spain, though I have lived here for 14 years. I got sent a letter at some point telling me that I’d need to continue paying national insurance payments if I ever wanted a pension in the UK, can’t realistically see myself leaving Spain so I don’t bother.

I’m in Denmark and there is no choice of paying in one country or the other. If you live and work in a country then you pay taxes in that country UNLESS you have a fancy expat contract then all bets are off 🙂

It’d be worth paying higher tax in Sweden just for the women… (not literally of course..)