Informing the Correct Authorities
A very common question many people have when moving abroad is whether they should inform the correct Government authorities. Many simply leave the country, never letting their local tax office know they've gone. The reasons behind this vary for each individual, but generally in order to tie up any loose ends and keep things official, it's better to inform the relevant people you've become a non-resident of the UK. The benefits of declaring your move abroad range from simply eradicating future personal mail being sent to your previous address, to perhaps obtaining a sizeable tax rebate.
Form P85 for Those Leaving the UK
For the majority of people, the main form that you must fill in is form P85. This form will allow you to obtain any tax refund you're owed and to work out if you'll become non-resident, thus becoming free from further tax returns. You can obtain this form from your local tax office, or it's available to download online from the HRMC website. It isn't difficult to fill the form in, so you shouldn't require the services of an accountant to do so. You will also need to provide your P45 along with the form and a date of departure from the UK.
Sending Your Information
Once you have completed the P85 form that explains you're leaving the UK, send the form back to your original tax office that usually deals with your enquiries. If you aren't sure who previously dealt with this, have a look at your P45 or P60 under the PAYE reference field. This will provide you with 3 digits that correlate with your tax office number. You can then simply enter the number online at the HRMC website and it will provide you with the full address. It's best to start this process around 3 months before you emigrate. This allows for any possible complications to be sorted out whilst you're still in the UK.

Moving Abroad Checklist Builder
Build a personalised checklist for emigrating. Covers visas, finances, healthcare and more.
Try our Moving Abroad Checklist Builder free, here on this site →Becoming a Non-Resident for UK Tax Purposes
When you leave the UK to move abroad, you'll be considered a non-resident from the day after you leave. In order to prove this, you must be able to show that you left the UK to stay abroad permanently, or that your working year and absence lasts at least an entire tax year abroad. You also can be considered non-resident if your UK visits are less than 183 days in a tax year and average less than 91 days a tax year over four consecutive years. If you're in doubt about this, a tax advisor will be able to help further.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Self-Employment and Emigration
If you're self-employed in the UK, tax matters can be slightly more complicated when you're leaving for good. You will still need to fill in form P85, but you may be required to continue to fill in self-assessment tax returns for a period of time whilst in your new home abroad. This will depend on when you ceased business in the UK, or whether you're still trading. You must also let your local tax office know that you've left the country so they can remove you from their system. If you don't, you may find yourself incurring the £100 fine for not returning your self-assessment form in due time.
Obtaining Your Tax Rebate
Many people who emigrate and fill in form P85 are pleasantly surprised to find that they receive a tax rebate. As monthly PAYE tax is based on an estimate of the tax due on your salary for a full 12 months, if you leave before then, you may have overpaid. You will then receive a tax rebate that can be paid directly into your account or sent to you via cheque. The amount due will differ dependent on your salary, the number of months left in the tax year and other aspects.
UK Tax and Other Countries
Each individual country will inform you of the new tax rules you will follow whilst there. Many have a Double Taxation (DT) treaty with the UK that means you won't have to pay tax in both countries if you have income from one and reside in another. If in any doubt, check with your local tax office as getting it organised can alleviate unnecessary stress. As mentioned previously, form P85 is the most important piece of paper you'll need to obtain before leaving the UK for good and enjoying your new life abroad.
I left the uk in August, meaning around the middle of the tax year of 2018. My doubts are if I will receive a refund only for the months from April to August of 2018 considering that the tax year starts in April or I can ask for a tax refund for 2017 since in this year I have worked in the uk for the whole year? Thank you for your help.
If some person have unpaid council tax and fines, what problems he might have?
And what problems he might have if he don't live in UK?
Its been like 4 week that i made the application and sent by post. Help please
How long to get the tax return after I left UK
I move back to Brazil
I have left the UK in December 2016 (EU citizen) and claimed taxes (P85) and due unforeseen circumstances I would like to go back to UK in May. Do you think that it is possible to go back? Do i have to request a new NI number? What i have to do? Thanks.
What will happen to my taxes if I can't answer the questions regarding the job I'll have in France?
And if it takes 3 months? I'll be long gone!
It has come to the stage whereas my wife and I will soon make a decision on a future relocation to Portugal. However before we make such a decision we desperately need advice on a Portuguese tax issue, regarding taxation (or possibly not) on our source of income. Then depending on the answer, we would be in a better position to make our minds up.
We have tried to get an answer to our tax questions from several different online sources, unfortunately without a satisfactory, or straightforward answer.
Questions:
Would a United Nations disability benefit be liable to Portuguese taxation under Portuguese tax laws, which had not been first/originally taxed at source?
Are there any provisions for tax exemptions applicable to disability benefits, or international civil service pensions, within Portuguese tax laws?
I left the uk in 2012 when my husband was posted to dubai. We have lived there ever since. I spend time back in uk visiting my parents and have been doing less than 90 days a year but this year will be more like 105 days. I stopped work many years ago to start our family so have not real tax affairs to deal with HMRC myself. I never submitted a P85 when we left. I want to be recognised as non resident so my question is;
can I retrospectively submit at P85 form showing I left in 2012? I have good records of my travel to and from uk to demonstrate my whereabouts.
Thanks
Thanks
Jimmy Mac
He doesn't charge VAT as he doesn't earn enough.
Is it possible to continue as a UK Ltd company and live in another country and still submit the usual HMRC tax returns and pay UK tax etc?
Sa
I paid tax locally and continued to fill in UK tax return.
Very confused.
I am not sure if P85 was submitted.
Now, I am not able to locate tax year 2014-2015 for tax returns in HMRC self assessment website.
Please suggest
Iam Mai and I have left uk 4 years ago and I had my company LTD company but due to some circumstances I was not able to pay my VAT or tax for the six months so it typically started in October and only ran until January the following year so nothing much has been done in terms of money so I had only ran it for four months but then after I didn't have anything going in the company.My question is now I want to pay the full tax back so what are the consequences which I need to face how much will be the fine and how can I go furthermore your suggestions are highly appreciable and please do let me know as you can understand my situation and when I tried to close the company they said somebody has put an obligation on it so how can I deal with this please please your suggestions ar e welcome
Thanks
To date I had no answer in regards to any tax rebate!!! Should I be contacting HMRC?!!!
Thanks in advanced for any info.
Do i get tax back after non stop working full time ?
Thanks alot
Thnx a lot
So i wonder do i need to fill P85 becouse my last P45 is just with date of 02-06-2014 and there is 0.
Or i just can call to tax office and just inform that leaving UK without filling P85?
Or will be enough that i inform Child Benefit office that i leave country with my kid?
Am entitled to tax
Can I claim my tax and NI back for all these years.
Thanks
Thank you
During the course of 1995 I was notified that the Revenue were looking for a figure of £4500.00 to be paid which was the amount received when made redundant. This was used as explained above to allow me to get a job as self employed. To date this figure has not been met. I can forsee myself having to return to the UK because of my job. Question: how much would be due if the Revenue request all back taxes(+interest) must be paid or is there any lea way for negotiation
how do i calculate roughly how much i will get back?
Also, the form says fill in a Self Assessment form instead (by post only) instead of a P85. Is that right??
I am moving now and I have until Oct 31st to send it. So if I do all that in good time I won't be fined right? I wish these forms were easier to comprehend...
Thanks for your help!
I worked in the uk during all the tax year 5th April 2014-6th April 2015, and I left UK on the 10th of April 2015. Even though I didn t leave UK part way through that tax year, can I still claim my PAYE tax back ???
Cheers
Na
I was living in London last year, I left in October 2014, I sent my tax form with P45 in January of this year and I think I am definitely owed tax. Although, I haven't heard anything yet, when and how do you hear from them? If you say,I should follow it up, what does that mean?
I have no idea how taxes work, please help!
Thank you!
I submitted my P85 in mid December 2014 before I returned home to Australia. I know I'll definitely receive a tax return of some sort, but as it's now 3 months, I'm getting anxious. Do you know how long it may take to hear from the tax office?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Thank you
I'm leaving the UK next week and I need to send my P85. Unfortunately I do not have yet a definite address in China, so my question is what to write in the next country address. Would be fine with the Hotel address?.
Also, how long take to my old job to provide me the P45?.
Kind regards,
Sebastian
My question is, I'm foreign and am leaving in UK about 1 year and half but now I need to leave back home and I don't have no intentions to come back so i want to know if is the form P85 that I need to field, because I want to get all the taxes I know after that if I want to work here again is just after 5 years! please help me.
regards
tax and national insurance contribution.
I am leaving the UK in about 2 months and my last payment in my current job in one month.
what form should I fill or what should be the procedure in order to obtain my tax return?
many thanks
I understand that if I fill out the P85 I should get some money back.
But instead of receiving some money back now I wonder if can I can transfer the money I paid in taxes in UK to my US pension (social security). In that case will the US credits increase? So far I have 20 Us credits and I need 40 to get pension. Any credits I can add would help.
Thank you
We are both UK residents.
We have applied for permanent residence in Australia and should receive this in the next year or so.
We only receive Pensions now..I receive a Company Pension plus State Pension. My wife receives a small Personal Pension plus State Pension.
I fear that we may be worse off when we become Australian Residents regarding tax. Do we have to become Non-Resident for tax purposes.?..and when Australia Tax Payers would they tax all our Pension income?
I will appreciate any advise in this matter...
than ks...
We both receive state pensions
Ages..me 73
Wife: 67
I receive company pension approx 15K gross
Will I have to beome an Austraian taxpayer..and will my UK pensions, my only income..be taxed in Oz???
I have worked in the UK for the past 15 years as a British Citizen. I moved to Italy in Dec 2008.
I want to find out if I am eligible for some tax and national insurance contributions payments back for all the years I have worked. How can I start claiming this money?
Despite contacting my previous employees, they have not sent my P60 or P45.
Please can you advise me what I have to do?
Thank you
Ineed information about the corporation in canada and the chance to get a job
thank you
Thanks
I have lived in UK for 2 and half years and left UK by 2011 Feb 1. The day before I left (30-12-2011), I have submitted my P85, and all other documents required in hmrc. But I have worked on 31/01/2011 as well. I have received my last pay on Feb 2011 and my company have submitted my P45 to them later. But the money that they owe me was about 450 Pounds by max June 2011 and its 2012 June now and I still didn't received the money other than a letter. Why is it so? Will I get a copy of my P45 again? will I get my money back?
Thank you,
Java
Ask Emigration Expert a question
Ask our editorial team a question and we will reply with our advice. Tell us as much about your situation as you can: the more detail you give, the more useful our answer can be.
You do not need to use your real name. Please do not include your full address, phone number, email address, or the names of other people. We may edit or remove identifying details for privacy and legal reasons.
Comments are moderated before publication.