While the Australian family in question have been living in Canada after leaving their Australian homeland they are now looking to move to London and in particular the East End. There are a number of interesting questions which have been asked on the thread prompting some informative replies which should assist with their move in due course.

Continue reading ‘Australian family moving to London from Canada’ »

For US citizens moving to the UK there are a number of different aspects to consider and while many of these are straightforward and roll off the tongue there are some situations which can be ignored and dangerous assumptions made. One area which some people seem to forget is that of driving licences and the right to drive in a foreign land, something which can and has in the past had both legal and more dangerous implications. So where do you stand as a US citizen looking to drive in the UK?

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There is an interesting post in the British section of the forum about moving to Aberdeen from the US where a poster may have a chance to relocate to Aberdeen for a one-year expat assignment. It is no surprise to find that the person involved is employed in the oil industry in the US as Aberdeen is commonly known as the oil capital of the UK and in some places Europe. Also known as the “Granite city” Aberdeen has an economy and cost of living which is in many ways out of sync with the rest of Scotland.

Continue reading ‘From Texas to Aberdeen and what you can expect!’ »

The last few weeks have seen a major collapse in the value of the sterling against the US dollar and many other currencies of the world in what is turning into a serious problem for the UK government. The ongoing reduction in UK base rates is reducing the attractions of sterling and the ever weakening economy, ever growing budget deficit and general downbeat aura surrounding the UK are not helping. So how exactly is sterling performing against the major currencies of the world?

Continue reading ‘So how has the collapse of sterling affected the international property market?’ »

While there are many cities around the world which seem to attract more than their fair share of overseas visitors looking to move permanently, London is a city which has fared very well and attracted visitors from all areas of the world. In the good times and bad times it seems a London is a major magnet for many would-be travellers and there are significant numbers who decide to stay in the UK for the longer term.

So what is it about London which attracts so many people?

Continue reading ‘Why does London continue to attract substantial overseas visitors?’ »

As more and more people look at the possibility of relocating overseas either for work or retirement there is a risk of becoming overpowered by the idea of a new life in a new area of the world without seriously considering all of the implications on your life now and life in the future. It is easy to get wrapped up in the romance and adventure of looking overseas no matter which area of the world you are from and which are you are looking to move to.

There are many issues to consider, some which may give you a reality check, and others which may confirm that you are making the right choice in looking overseas for the future. Some of the more vital elements to consider include:-

Continue reading ‘Is the grass always greener on the other side of the road?’ »

Over the last 12 months there has been a massive turnaround in the strength of the UK currency which has fallen by over 30% and is seen by many as susceptible to further weakness in the short term. The rate at which the currency has fallen against the dollar (which in itself has been a weak currency of late) has alarmed many financial observers and has had a massive impact upon those looking to acquire properties or move overseas full-time.

Reasons for the fall

There are many reasons why the UK currency has been weak of late but the majority are connected to the ever slowing UK economy which has really collapsed over the last six months. Consumer confidence has collapsed, sales on the high street are only a fraction of what they were and profit margins for UK businesses have taken a serious battering. However, the main reason for the continued weakness in sterling is the rather sharp reduction in UK interest rates of late and the assumption that more rate cuts will follow.

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This scenario is one which has cropped up on a number of occasions and one which can be difficult to clarify without the correct information. The thread was started by someone who works for themselves in the UK under the ltd company laws but is looking to move to Spain on a permanent basis. Where does the company pay its corporation tax? Where does the individual pay their income tax?

There is a fair amount of comment on the exact situation of the person asking the questions, which again highlights the fact that it is impossible to give informed advice unless all of the facts are known. After some discussion its seems as though it is quite feasible for a company to be registered in the UK and employ someone in Spain, but it looks as though the individual will pay Spanish tax on their income and UK corporation tax on the company’s profits.

Other issues which arise include the double taxation agreement between Spain and the UK which means that nobody will be taxed twice on their income (the matter of company profits and employee income is different because in the eyes of the law a company is a separate legal entity), the 183/90 day rule and health cover regulations.

There does not seem to be any way of avoiding Spanish tax on your personal income if you are resident in the country and while you could take your income as a salary or dividends from your own limited company, professional advice should be sought to clarify the situation.

Continue reading ‘Self Employed In The UK But Living in Spain – Who Gets The Tax?’ »