On 1/1/2023 at 3:21 AM, OJAS said:

I strongly suspect that HMRC would respond to any request on the OP's part for a statement by drawing his attention to the convoluted process known as the Statutory Residence Test (SRT) as already referred to in this thread - which, I think, is what his bank was driving at through his reference to an "HMRC directive".

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rdr3-statutory-residence-test-srt/guidance-note-for-statutory-residence-test-srt-rdr3

 

Broadly speaking, it strikes me that, in order to satisfy the requirements of this test as far as establishing UK tax residency is concerned, the OP would, first and foremost, need to spend at least 183 days in the UK during a given tax year - a prospect which would presumably be totally unacceptable to him. The fact that he is only liable to tax in the UK on his public sector occupational pension income as a result of the UK/Thailand Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) is completely irrelevant in this context.

 

The OP might be interested in learning that, when I received a similar request from my UK bank a couple of years ago, I responded by declaring that I was a tax resident in Thailand, even though I only paid tax on my UK public sector occupational pension income to HMRC in practice as a result of the UK/Thailand DTA. This has certainly not resulted in any further correspondence from them on this matter to date - and I would have thought it likely that, if the OP's UK bank were hell-bent on closing his account with them, they would proceed on the basis of the Thai address which he has presumably registered with them in any event.

 

The UK tax residency could perhaps be about 90 days (present at at the end of each day) in the UK ongoing or even less if just a transition year, with the sufficient ties criteria, e.g. accommodation available in the UK etc.. Most of the guidance is designed for folk not wanting to be tax resident where I was wanting to ensure I was always UK tax resident.

 

It seemed to me ideal to have a years money in hand if possible, and two accounts, fund one and send to Thailand after the 1st Jan the following year, whilst the other account is accumulating the next years Thailand budget. not always possible though.

 

On 12/30/2022 at 9:46 AM, BritManToo said:

Best to never let anyone know you are outside the UK.

 

A previous Home Secretary told me that he intended to ensure there would be a linking of various Government IT systems to allow a more joined up Government, including the ability to keep a record of UK Nationals leaving the country.

It's been almost 22 years since Jack Straw was Home Secretary, he never achieved it during his time in harness, and I don't think it's been achieved since.