Dubai Accountants

If you become non-UK resident under the Statutory Residence Test (SRT), you will generally not pay UK Income Tax on foreign income. However, you may still owe UK tax on UK-source income (such as rental income or UK employment income). You must also be careful about the number of days spent in the UK each year, as exceeding certain thresholds can trigger UK tax residency.

The UAE has no personal income tax and introduced a 9% Corporate Tax in June 2023 for profits above AED 375,000. However, UK residents with Dubai income must still declare it on their UK Self Assessment return. The UK-UAE double tax treaty helps prevent double taxation. Careful structuring is essential to ensure compliance in both jurisdictions.

Yes. UK companies can establish a presence in Dubai either as a branch of the UK company or as a separate UAE-incorporated subsidiary (often in a Free Zone). Free Zone companies benefit from 0% corporate tax on qualifying income and 100% foreign ownership. The choice between a branch and subsidiary has significant tax and liability implications and should be made with specialist advice.

The Remittance Basis allowed non-domiciled UK residents to pay UK tax only on foreign income and gains that are brought into (remitted to) the UK, rather than on their worldwide income. From April 2025, the remittance basis is being replaced by a new 4-year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime, which offers a temporary exemption for new UK residents. Specialist advice is essential in this area.