Affecting Uk Nationals....

[johnsurin]

I seen some bad news on the t.v. last night. Apparently the government have had the great idea to tax people on overseas savings accounts (ISA). They are going to tax you approximately 22% on any savings you have overseas, as an examply the report said--- If you have £2400 they are going to take (approx) £538 out of your pocket and the more you have the higher the rate and penalty go up, (or take it out on your arse basically). I don't no the full extent of their grasp and how much it means to anybody here but I thought, hmmm maybe this might affect a few people . I tried looking on the internet for more info but couldn't find any, but I suggest some more computer litterate person than me look it up. Hope this doesn't affect anybody here but I for one hope they dont start looking into my transfers.

[Totster]

How would they know about your account overseas, and the balance for that matter ?

totster

[Maestro]

Johnsurin, if it is not a joke then I suspect that you did not listen well. Most likely, it refers to the income tax payable by persons resident in the UK and subject to UK income tax. It is normal that these persons have to pay tax also on income earned abroad and the TV report may have been about the tax on interest earned on bank accounts outside the UK. Where bilateral double-taxation agreements exist, the tax withheld at the source, e.g. in Thailand, can be offset against the tax liability in the UK.

--

Maestro

[johnsurin]

How would they know about your account overseas, and the balance for that matter ?

totster

I dont no, perhaps if your stupid enough to mention it, or perhaps have mortgages for foriegn property or on tax documents already?

It was on the ITV News at 10.30 last night and is no belated april fools joke.

[Ollie]

Try this:

The government will this week announce an unprecedented amnesty for hundreds of thousands of people with offshore assets, including holiday homes, as it seeks to recover billions of pounds in unpaid tax.

Taxpayers will be given two months to declare unpaid tax on rent from foreign properties, or on cash stashed in accounts in the Channel Islands and other tax havens. Those coming forward will be charged a reduced penalty of 10 per cent compared with 100% in normal circumstances.

Once the amnesty expires in June, Revenue & Customs officials are planning a crack-down on offshore assets using aggressive new powers including sharing information with tax authorities abroad.

The reprieve applies not only to dishonest taxpayers who have wilfully withheld tax, but also to ordinary people who may have innocently underpaid tax because of a simple mistake, or who may not realise they had to declare overseas income. The Revenue estimates that as many as one in five people are not declaring overseas interest.

The amnesty was expected to apply only to savers with bank accounts in offshore centres such as Jersey, but The Sunday Times has learnt that at the last minute it has been quietly extended to people who own second homes abroad. An estimated 300,000 British people have bought properties overseas, most of them in France and Spain, and about half are thought to earn an income by letting them out for at least part of the year, according to Grant Thornton, an accountant.

Thousands of holiday-home owners now face an anxious few weeks trawling through their records and deciding whether to own up now, or face much higher penalties once the two-month amnesty ends on June 22.

Revenue & Customs has vowed to “track people down” who fail to cooperate, launching a full-scale investigation into their tax affairs that could stretch back up to 20 years. Anyone caught could face prosecution as well as a 100% penalty.

Chas Roy-Chowdhury of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants said: “The Revenue is sending out a clear message to taxpayers that this is their last chance to own up to undeclared offshore assets. Once the amnesty has ended, there can be no more excuses and the punishment will be severe.”

Revenue officials have widespread powers to trace those with offshore assets. Since July 2005, most states in the European Union have shared information about people who earn savings income in their country but live elsewhere. So if a UK resident has an account in France, the French authorities will share information with the Revenue.

If rental income from your Provence property is going into a French account, the Revenue could catch up with you. Even if it is paid into your UK account, accountants say the Revenue is still likely to trace its origins.

Tax officials have also gained greater powers to probe accounts in offshore havens such as the Channel Islands. Last year the Revenue won a landmark case which gave it the power to force Barclays to hand over the details of thousands of its offshore customers’ accounts. Earlier this year four more banks — Lloyds TSB, Royal Bank of Scotland (which owns NatWest), HSBC and HBOS (which owns Halifax) — were forced to follow suit.

About 3m people have offshore accounts, mainly in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, and many do not realise they need to declare tax on interest earned overseas.

Richard Mannion at Smith & Williamson, an accountant, said: “It’s a widely believed myth that any income earned offshore is not subject to UK tax. But if you are resident in Britain, in almost all cases you have to pay UK tax on your worldwide income and gains.”

People with offshore accounts will receive letters from their banks in the next few weeks telling them about the amnesty.

Holiday-home owners will not receive letters, though a source close to the industry discussions about the amnesty confirmed that they would be able to take advantage.

David Austin, 41, is one of the thousands of people who earns an income from overseas property. Austin, pictured with wife, Myra, 41, and daughters Camilla, 14, Annabel, 7, and Lucinda, 3, owns a buy-to-let in Sydney, Australia, where he is originally from, as well as a home in Farnham, Surrey.

As the managing director of a property investment company he has a good knowledge of the ins and outs of the UK tax system but he understands why other people struggle. He said: “For a nonprofessional it can be confusing, especially as you are dealing with tax authorities in more than one country.”

People with complicated tax affairs are being urged to seek professional advice urgently because there are concerns that the limited time period will make it difficult for them to comply.

Michael Dawson at BDO Stoy Hayward, an accountant, said: “In cases where people have been saving offshore for a long time and have large sums overseas it could be a nightmare trying to gather together all the necessary information in time.”

Even people who have moved or retired abroad but spend some of the year in Britain are being warned to check that they are not liable for unpaid tax, following a subtle change in the residence rules.

The Revenue states that you are resident if you spend 183 days or more in the UK, or your visits to the country average 91 days or more a year over four years.

Until last year the taxman excluded the days you arrive and leave but following a ruling against Robert Gaines-Cooper, a businessman, these days are now taken into account. A series of tougher questions have been added to the latest tax return to reflect this. David Austin, with wife Myra and daughters Annabel, Camilla and Lucinda, owns a buy-to-let in Australia as well as his home in Surrey, but is confident his tax affairs are in order.

Source - The Sunday Times.

Edited April 17, 2007 by Ollie

[Totster]

I'm inclined to agree with Maestro really... as far as I am aware you are already liable for tax on interest earned overseas, but even then only if you spend the majority of time living in UK (correct me if i'm wrong on this)

totster

/edit - just seen the post above which seems to shed some light on it

[johnsurin]

Johnsurin, if it is not a joke then I suspect that you did not listen well. Most likely, it refers to the income tax payable by persons resident in the UK and subject to UK income tax. It is normal that these persons have to pay tax also on income earned abroad and the TV report may have been about the tax on interest earned on bank accounts outside the UK. Where bilateral double-taxation agreements exist, the tax withheld at the source, e.g. in Thailand, can be offset against the tax liability in the UK.

--

Maestro

I was tired at the time, it didn't go into to much detail i just recall it talking about a NEW tax on overseas savings would be taxed. It was talking about your average Joe Bloggs to people with substantial savings. I would imagine if you are a non-uk resident you wouldn't be taxed, and so it might not worry to many people but it could effect some people. Perhaps somebody else who saw it can back me up on this.

[johnsurin]

Try this:

The government will this week announce an unprecedented amnesty for hundreds of thousands of people with offshore assets, including holiday homes, as it seeks to recover billions of pounds in unpaid tax.

Taxpayers will be given two months to declare unpaid tax on rent from foreign properties, or on cash stashed in accounts in the Channel Islands and other tax havens. Those coming forward will be charged a reduced penalty of 10 per cent compared with 100% in normal circumstances.

Once the amnesty expires in June, Revenue & Customs officials are planning a crack-down on offshore assets using aggressive new powers including sharing information with tax authorities abroad.

The reprieve applies not only to dishonest taxpayers who have wilfully withheld tax, but also to ordinary people who may have innocently underpaid tax because of a simple mistake, or who may not realise they had to declare overseas income. The Revenue estimates that as many as one in five people are not declaring overseas interest.

The amnesty was expected to apply only to savers with bank accounts in offshore centres such as Jersey, but The Sunday Times has learnt that at the last minute it has been quietly extended to people who own second homes abroad. An estimated 300,000 British people have bought properties overseas, most of them in France and Spain, and about half are thought to earn an income by letting them out for at least part of the year, according to Grant Thornton, an accountant.

Thousands of holiday-home owners now face an anxious few weeks trawling through their records and deciding whether to own up now, or face much higher penalties once the two-month amnesty ends on June 22.

Revenue & Customs has vowed to “track people down” who fail to cooperate, launching a full-scale investigation into their tax affairs that could stretch back up to 20 years. Anyone caught could face prosecution as well as a 100% penalty.

Chas Roy-Chowdhury of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants said: “The Revenue is sending out a clear message to taxpayers that this is their last chance to own up to undeclared offshore assets. Once the amnesty has ended, there can be no more excuses and the punishment will be severe.”

Revenue officials have widespread powers to trace those with offshore assets. Since July 2005, most states in the European Union have shared information about people who earn savings income in their country but live elsewhere. So if a UK resident has an account in France, the French authorities will share information with the Revenue.

If rental income from your Provence property is going into a French account, the Revenue could catch up with you. Even if it is paid into your UK account, accountants say the Revenue is still likely to trace its origins.

Tax officials have also gained greater powers to probe accounts in offshore havens such as the Channel Islands. Last year the Revenue won a landmark case which gave it the power to force Barclays to hand over the details of thousands of its offshore customers’ accounts. Earlier this year four more banks — Lloyds TSB, Royal Bank of Scotland (which owns NatWest), HSBC and HBOS (which owns Halifax) — were forced to follow suit.

About 3m people have offshore accounts, mainly in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, and many do not realise they need to declare tax on interest earned overseas.

Richard Mannion at Smith & Williamson, an accountant, said: “It’s a widely believed myth that any income earned offshore is not subject to UK tax. But if you are resident in Britain, in almost all cases you have to pay UK tax on your worldwide income and gains.”

People with offshore accounts will receive letters from their banks in the next few weeks telling them about the amnesty.

Holiday-home owners will not receive letters, though a source close to the industry discussions about the amnesty confirmed that they would be able to take advantage.

David Austin, 41, is one of the thousands of people who earns an income from overseas property. Austin, pictured with wife, Myra, 41, and daughters Camilla, 14, Annabel, 7, and Lucinda, 3, owns a buy-to-let in Sydney, Australia, where he is originally from, as well as a home in Farnham, Surrey.

As the managing director of a property investment company he has a good knowledge of the ins and outs of the UK tax system but he understands why other people struggle. He said: “For a nonprofessional it can be confusing, especially as you are dealing with tax authorities in more than one country.”

People with complicated tax affairs are being urged to seek professional advice urgently because there are concerns that the limited time period will make it difficult for them to comply.

Michael Dawson at BDO Stoy Hayward, an accountant, said: “In cases where people have been saving offshore for a long time and have large sums overseas it could be a nightmare trying to gather together all the necessary information in time.”

Even people who have moved or retired abroad but spend some of the year in Britain are being warned to check that they are not liable for unpaid tax, following a subtle change in the residence rules.

The Revenue states that you are resident if you spend 183 days or more in the UK, or your visits to the country average 91 days or more a year over four years.

Until last year the taxman excluded the days you arrive and leave but following a ruling against Robert Gaines-Cooper, a businessman, these days are now taken into account. A series of tougher questions have been added to the latest tax return to reflect this. David Austin, with wife Myra and daughters Annabel, Camilla and Lucinda, owns a buy-to-let in Australia as well as his home in Surrey, but is confident his tax affairs are in order.

Source - The Sunday Times.

Like I said maybe somebody more computer litterate than me could find more details. Thanks for that Ollie that seems to have cleared it up. It might not effect anyone here, but it might. I just remember the news stating a lot of people were going to get hit for tax on overseas accounts. Wish I never bothered now. You can delete it if you like.

Edited April 17, 2007 by johnsurin

[macb]

Prior to moving from the UK I consulted my Accountant: There is no double tax code with Thailand (this relates to UK residents) And applies of you spend no more than 90 days per year in the UK as Totster stated.

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

With respect I think assumptions may have been made before seeing the whole picture

Edited April 18, 2007 by macb

[Penkoprod]

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

Could you confirm if you pay tax on it in Thailand?

As i have very little wish to pay tax to a morally bankrupt Scottish Mafia (otherwise known as the "Noo Labour" government) when i finally make it over to LOS towards the end of the year, this is the kind of info i like to hear

I am NOT against paying taxes, but, given the choice of paying it to UK or Thailand, then i would prefer to pay it to Thailand.

Penkoprod

[Thaicoon]

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

Could you confirm if you pay tax on it in Thailand?

As i have very little wish to pay tax to a morally bankrupt Scottish Mafia (otherwise known as the "Noo Labour" government) when i finally make it over to LOS towards the end of the year, this is the kind of info i like to hear

I am NOT against paying taxes, but, given the choice of paying it to UK or Thailand, then i would prefer to pay it to Thailand.

Penkoprod

I am also moving over this year, i think i will have to pay a little tax, as renting a property out in UK, so unearned income, anybody know about this, i am 43, also i am still going to pay my stamp, volentary contribution, so i can get a full pension when i am 65, thats if there is any money in the labour pot.

[scottishjohn]

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

Could you confirm if you pay tax on it in Thailand?

As i have very little wish to pay tax to a morally bankrupt Scottish Mafia (otherwise known as the "Noo Labour" government) when i finally make it over to LOS towards the end of the year, this is the kind of info i like to hear

I am NOT against paying taxes, but, given the choice of paying it to UK or Thailand, then i would prefer to pay it to Thailand.

Penkoprod

I am also moving over this year, i think i will have to pay a little tax, as renting a property out in UK, so unearned income, anybody know about this, i am 43, also i am still going to pay my stamp, volentary contribution, so i can get a full pension when i am 65, thats if there is any money in the labour pot.

The point here is "residence abroad" as a UK citizen. YOU must tell the UK authorities (including your local UK mainland bank) that you are "resident abroad for tax puposes" (there are forms for this at your bank and tax office) and must fulfill the qualifying period before you qare excempt. These rules have been in force for decades for those living/working abroad who have declared there residency status. The comments above are the same as some Thai "new immigration rules" which are just old rules being enforced. UK residents are NOT entiled to tax free earnings.

Edited April 18, 2007 by scottishjohn

[mpdkorat]

Prior to moving from the UK I consulted my Accountant: There is no double tax code with Thailand (this relates to UK residents) And applies of you spend no more than 90 days per year in the UK as Totster stated.

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

With respect I think assumptions may have been made before seeing the whole picture

If its a government pension you are still opbliged to pay UK tax regardless of your UK residence staus. This is clearly stated on the UK/Thai tax agreement.

[macb]

WEll You will have to form your own ipinions on this: I did the correct thing and consulted a reputable Accountant who looked into this and as a result took this up with inland Revenue, now they did there homework as well because they dont like to part with your money once you have paid it:

My employers worked on this with inland Revenus and the Accountant, they cant all be wrong if thats what your intimating.

My Advice consult an Accountant in your home country on the matter, I cant say anymore guys as three agencies dealt with this

Good luck

[macb]

Prior to moving from the UK I consulted my Accountant: There is no double tax code with Thailand (this relates to UK residents) And applies of you spend no more than 90 days per year in the UK as Totster stated.

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

With respect I think assumptions may have been made before seeing the whole picture

I wish to correct in this thread wherer I said UK Resident I meant Citizen

[99BigLad99]

If its a government pension you are still opbliged to pay UK tax regardless of your UK residence staus. This is clearly stated on the UK/Thai tax agreement.

What UK/Thai tax agreement do you refer to here as there is NO agreement between the two countries according to Uk tax Offices

Edited April 19, 2007 by mgc

[mpdkorat]

Prior to moving from the UK I consulted my Accountant: There is no double tax code with Thailand (this relates to UK residents) And applies of you spend no more than 90 days per year in the UK as Totster stated.

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

With respect I think assumptions may have been made before seeing the whole picture

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/international/thailand-index.htm

Edit: http://www.bia.co.th/020.html

Edit: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/bulletins/tb47.htm

Edited April 21, 2007 by mpdkorat

[99BigLad99]

Prior to moving from the UK I consulted my Accountant: There is no double tax code with Thailand (this relates to UK residents) And applies of you spend no more than 90 days per year in the UK as Totster stated.

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

With respect I think assumptions may have been made before seeing the whole picture

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/international/thailand-index.htm

By the look of it, it is very much like their declaration of war on UK signed and never enacted

Similar to MacB I also pay no tax on income earnt in the UK as I don't maintain an office there and don't maintain a dwelling there plus I remain in the UK for less than 90 days a year averaged over a four year period.

Edited April 21, 2007 by mgc

[mpdkorat]

Prior to moving from the UK I consulted my Accountant: There is no double tax code with Thailand (this relates to UK residents) And applies of you spend no more than 90 days per year in the UK as Totster stated.

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

With respect I think assumptions may have been made before seeing the whole picture

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/international/thailand-index.htm

By the look of it, it is very much like their declaration of war on UK signed and never enacted

Similar to MacB I also pay no tax on income earnt in the UK as I don't maintain an office there and don't maintain a dwelling there plus I remain in the UK for less than 90 days a year averaged over a four year period.

I have been trying to find a copy of this agreement on the Web, so far no luck, but I have a copy of it here in front of me. It's Titled.

1981 No. 1546

Income Tax

The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income)

(Thailand) Order 1981

This is what I have been trying to search on but I can not find any site with a copy of the agreement.

BTW I have lived in Thailand for 10 years and in total I have spent about 2 weeks in the UK. I'm a registered Non Resident and receive a government pension, which I do pay UK tax on. If you are right I'm owed a hel_l of a lot of money, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Edited April 21, 2007 by mpdkorat

[Nomad97]

I always understood that income derived from the UK is liable to UK tax. I am non-resident for tax purposes and have been for over 20 years. I am in receipt of two pensions; one a company pension earned wholly overseas, which enjoys a zero tax rate as decreed by the Inland Revenue Tax Office (no tax is deducted). The second is a Government Pension (ex Royal Air Force) and tax is deducted at source. The good news is that the whole of my personal tax allowance is offset against the second pension so my tax liability is relatively low. As and when I turn 65 years old, my third and final pension (Old Age State Pension) will also be taxed.

This agreement was 'ironed-out' by myself with the Inland Revenue over a period of one and a half years. I was initially taxed on both pensions but received a nice little rebate once we reached agreement. If anyone knows how to get the other pensions zero-rated I would be very pleased to hear.

[99BigLad99]

Prior to moving from the UK I consulted my Accountant: There is no double tax code with Thailand (this relates to UK residents) And applies of you spend no more than 90 days per year in the UK as Totster stated.

My accountant took this up with Inland Revenue based on the date I left the UK it took 8 months but eventually I got a rebate from the Inland Revenue, and now I do not have to pay tax on my income/pension

With respect I think assumptions may have been made before seeing the whole picture

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/international/thailand-index.htm

By the look of it, it is very much like their declaration of war on UK signed and never enacted

Similar to MacB I also pay no tax on income earnt in the UK as I don't maintain an office there and don't maintain a dwelling there plus I remain in the UK for less than 90 days a year averaged over a four year period.

I have been trying to find a copy of this agreement on the Web, so far no luck, but I have a copy of it here in front of me. It's Titled.

1981 No. 1546

Income Tax

The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income)

(Thailand) Order 1981

This is what I have been trying to search on but I can not find any site with a copy of the agreement.

BTW I have lived in Thailand for 10 years and in total I have spent about 2 weeks in the UK. I'm a registered Non Resident and receive a government pension, which I do pay UK tax on. If you are right I'm owed a hel_l of a lot of money, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

I will send you a PM

But I seem to remember that goverment pensions are taxable maybe as non earned income i dont know.

[Thaddeus]

But I seem to remember that goverment pensions are taxable maybe as non earned income i dont know.

C'mon Merv, everything is taxed, you get taxed when you earn it, taxed when you save it, taxed when you spend it and then you get taxed on the income you may accrue from paying taxes in the first place.

Horrible country.

[99BigLad99]

But I seem to remember that goverment pensions are taxable maybe as non earned income i dont know.

C'mon Merv, everything is taxed, you get taxed when you earn it, taxed when you save it, taxed when you spend it and then you get taxed on the income you may accrue from paying taxes in the first place.

Horrible country.

Hello Thad

Now you have reminded me just why I am in Thailand hows you doing

[Khonwan]

For Brits living in Thailand, your UK State Pension and Personal Pension are taxable in UK , but it is also partially offset by your personal allowance.

[Thaddeus]

Hello Thad

Now you have reminded me just why I am in Thailand hows you doing

PM on it's way.

[jayenram]

C'mon Merv, everything is taxed, you get taxed when you earn it, taxed when you save it, taxed when you spend it and then you get taxed on the income you may accrue from paying taxes in the first place.

My own experience:

My company pension contributions were deducted from my salary before the salary was subjected to income tax. The pension I now receive from the UK is subject to income tax, above the personal allowance. I contacted the Inland Revenue a few years ago to advise them that approximately 25% of my pension contributions were made during the time I was working overseas (UK tax exempt) therefor 25% of my pension now being received should be non-taxable. They disagreed pointing out that, in accordance with UK tax laws, a minimum of 10 years working overseas was the yardstick for tax exemption.

[Nomad97]

Jayenram thank you for your information above. Some 50% of my contributions to my Old Age Pension (since suspended due to pending changes in the number of qualifying years) were made while I was Ordinarily Non-Resident. I have been a tax exile and living abroad since 1986. If you are right, maybe I will be lucky and get tax exemption from my old age pension in a few years time. At least it maybe worth a try!

[99BigLad99]

Jayenram thank you for your information above. Some 50% of my contributions to my Old Age Pension (since suspended due to pending changes in the number of qualifying years) were made while I was Ordinarily Non-Resident. I have been a tax exile and living abroad since 1986. If you are right, maybe I will be lucky and get tax exemption from my old age pension in a few years time. At least it maybe worth a try!

Exactly youdont get anything out of the tax office and collecters without asking :D they dont like giving money back once they have got hold of it

[scottishjohn]

Getting back to the original topic, the following web site and one FAQ may help

https://disclosures.hmrc.gov.uk/oaics/InteractionMgr?interactionmgr.interaction=MN_01&action=goto&destination=FQ_01

I am considering whether to make a disclosure. Is my domicile status relevant?

It may be. Your domicile can affect your liability to pay UK tax on overseas income or and gains. If you are UK resident but not domiciled here, the only offshore income and gains you usually pay UK tax on is the amount that you bring or transfer to the UK. So, if you have not brought or transferred any income or gains into the UK, you may not have any additional UK tax liabilities to disclose.

However, even if you are not domiciled in the UK, you will need to consider making a disclosure if:

• you have any undeclared income arising in the Republic of Ireland, whether or not you have brought or transferred it into the UK (because different arrangements apply for the Republic of Ireland)
  
• you have brought or transferred income or gains from overseas into the UK without declaring it and paying the appropriate tax
  
• the offshore account includes deposits of income or gains that arose in the UK that you have not previously declared to us.
  

From scottishjohn

[gregchambers]

Generally, the state pension is almost the same as the personal allowance (which still applies if non-resident) so tax on that in the UK will be minimal. If you have a personal pension the government thinking is that you have made payments from the UK and had tax relief on them and now have to pay tax on them even when non-resident.

However, if you have yet to take your personal pension there is provision to allow you to move that pension to the country in which you are now resident. However, it is not possible to move it to every country without incurring a charge and they may in certain circumstances take forty percent off the total, so you have to be very careful what you do.

If large sums are involved it might be an idea to move to a third country for a year to gain residency there and then move the pension there before moving back to Thailand. If you have a private company pension but have not yet taken it, you can move it to a Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) for more flexibility in the future and the ability to move it to the country where you are resident.

That is the basis of what you can do, as I am some way from using my own SIPP I do not yet know the details about moving it to Thailand, and/or which third countries would be ideal from a tax point of view (the revenue ban countries where the pension can simply be converted to cash, BTW).

Sounds complex but if large sums are involved, worth looking at as you can avoid 40 percent tax in the UK and local Thai taxes as well by having it paid out in a third country but pretending to the Thais you are living off savings.

Also, as far I know Thailand does have a tax treaty with the UK and I am sure I have read about some expats getting a tax rebate out of the Thai system as you don't have to pay tax in both countries.

And on the original topic, if you are UK non-resident you do not pay taxes in the UK on offshore accounts (my accountant just writes non-resident in the relevant section rather than giving details).

But be aware that the 90 day rule alone is no longer set in stone and even if you obey that and the revenue thinks you are visiting the UK habitually (as in having a wife/house there and coming every month for a couple of days, say) they may decide that you are still resident. Eventually, if Brown and Co have their way they will declare you resident in the UK if you have any property there even if rented out - that is my guess anyway! Worth bearing in mind as property prices peak and rental yields fall off in the UK - ie good time to sell now! Capital gains tax on property is not payable if you have been non-resident for more than six years.