Taxation Changes from 6 April 2025 for Non-UK Domiciled Individuals

04/05/2024 - 12 minutes read

Taxation changes from 6 April 2025 for non-UK domiciled individuals will apply to the taxation of non-domiciled individuals already resident in the UK and other individuals who have been non-UK resident and move to the UK.

Summary of Taxation changes for non-UK domiciled individuals

Taxation changes from 6 April 2025 for non-UK domiciled individuals will see the current remittance basis of taxation  abolished for UK resident non-domiciled individuals.

Taxation Changes from 6 April 2025 for Non-UK Domiciled Individuals

Taxation Changes from 6 April 2025 for Non-UK Domiciled Individuals

This will be replaced from 6 April 2025 with a new 4-year foreign income and gains (FIG) regime for individuals who become UK tax resident after a period of 10 tax years of non-UK residence. Qualifying individuals will not pay tax on FIG arising in the first 4 tax years after becoming UK tax resident and will be able to bring these funds to the UK free from any additional charges. They will not pay tax on non-resident trust distributions either. They will pay tax on UK income and gains, as is the case for non-domiciled individuals now.

Individuals who on 6 April 2025 have been tax resident in the UK for less than 4 years (after 10 years of non-UK tax residence) will be able to use this new regime for any tax year of UK residence in the remainder of those 4 years.

Overseas Workday Relief (OWR) for the first 3 tax years of UK residence will be retained and simplified. From 6 April 2025 eligibility for OWR will be based on an employee’s residence and whether they opt to use the new 4-year FIG regime.

From 6 April 2025, the protection from taxation on future income and gains as it arises within trust structures (whenever established) will be removed for all current non-domiciled and deemed domiciled individuals who do not qualify for the new 4-year FIG regime. FIG arising in non-resident trust structures from 6 April 2025 will be taxed on the settlor or transferor (if they have been UK resident for more than 4 tax years) on the arising basis. This is the same basis on which trust income and gains are taxed on UK domiciled settlors or transferors under the current regime.  FIG which arose in the trust or trust structure before 6 April 2025 will be taxed on settlors or beneficiaries if they are matched to worldwide trust distributions.

Individuals who move from the remittance basis to the arising basis on 6 April 2025 and are not eligible for the new 4-year FIG regime will, for 2025-2026 only, pay tax on 50% of their foreign income. This reduction applies to foreign income only; it does not apply to foreign chargeable gains. For 2026-27 onwards, tax will be due on all worldwide income in the normal way.

From 6 April 2025, an individual who is not, or who later ceases to be, eligible for the new 4-year FIG regime will be taxed on foreign gains in the normal way. Transitionally, individuals who have claimed the remittance basis will, on a disposal of an asset held personally at 5 April 2019, be able to elect to rebase that asset to its value as at that date.

From 6 April 2025, individuals who have been taxed on the remittance basis will be able to elect to pay tax at a reduced rate of 12% on remittances of pre-6 April 2025 FIG under a new Temporary Repatriation Facility (TRF) that will be available for tax years 2025-26 and 2026-27. TRF will not apply to pre-6 April 2025 FIG generated within trusts and trust structures.

From 6 April 2025 the government intends to move inheritance tax from a domicile based regime to a residence based regime. This will be subject to consultation by Hmrc.

4-year FIG regime overview

From 6 April 2025, a new regime for personal FIG will be available to individuals for the first 4 tax years once becoming UK tax resident after a period of 10 years non-UK tax residence. Eligible individuals will not pay tax on FIG arising in the first 4 years, where a claim is made, and will be able to remit these funds to the UK free from any additional charges. Under the new regime individuals will not be required to track the movement of their FIG through investments in the way they are required to do now under the current regime. This will make the new 4- year FIG regime much simpler than the remittance basis regime.

The Statutory Residence Test will be used to determine tax residence for any one tax year. Treaty residence or non-residence and split years will be ignored.

If an individual chooses to be taxed under the new 4-year FIG regime, they will lose entitlement to personal allowances and the capital gains tax annual exempt amount.

Claims to use the new 4-year FIG regime are to be made for each year to which it is to apply. Individuals need not make a claim for every year of the 4-year period. For example, an individual who makes a claim for the new 4-year FIG regime in year 1 but chooses not to make a claim for year 2 will still be able to claim for years 3 and 4.

If an individual leaves the UK temporarily during the 4-year period they will be able to make a claim under the 4-year FIG regime for any of the qualifying tax years remaining on their return to the UK. For example, if someone becomes non-UK resident in year 2 and 3 but is UK resident again for year 4, they will be able to use the new 4-year FIG regime for year 4.

Individuals who on 6 April 2025 have been tax resident in the UK for less than 4 years (after a period of 10 years non-UK tax residence) will be able to use this new regime for any tax year of UK residence in the remainder of those 4 years. For example, an individual who became resident in the UK in 2022-23, after a 10-year period of non-residence, will have been resident in the UK for up to three tax years on 6 April 2025. They will be able to claim under the new 4-year FIG regime for 2025-26 because this is their fourth year following a period of 10 years non-UK tax residence.

Reduced amount of foreign income subject to tax

There will be a one-year reduction in the amount of foreign income that will be subject to tax for individuals who move from the remittance basis to the arising basis from 6 April 2025 and who are not eligible for the new 4-year FIG regime. For these individuals only 50 percent of the foreign income arising in 2025-26 will be subject to tax. The reduction in the amount of foreign income subject to tax will apply for one tax year only and the reduction will not apply to foreign chargeable gains.

Capital Gains Tax rebasing

From 6 April 2025, an individual who is not, or who later ceases to be, eligible for the new 4-year FIG regime will be taxed on foreign gains in the normal way.

Transitional rules will apply for individuals who have claimed the remittance basis and are neither UK domiciled nor UK deemed domiciled by 5 April 2025. If, on or after 6 April 2025, they dispose of a personally held foreign asset that they held at 5 April 2019, they will be able to elect to rebase that asset to its value as at 5 April 2019. This rebasing will be subject to conditions that will be set out later by Hmrc.

Temporary Repatriation Facility (TRF)

A new 12% rate of tax will be introduced for remittances of FIG made in tax years 2025-26 and 2026-27 where the FIG arose to the individual personally in a year when the individual was taxed on the remittance basis and the individual is UK resident in the relevant tax year.

There will be some relaxation of the mixed fund ordering rules to make it easier for individuals to take advantage of the TRF if, for example, they have FIG in a mixed fund or they are unable to precisely identify the quantum of their FIG.

From 2027-28 remittances of pre-6 April 2025 FIG will be taxed at normal tax rates.

Ending the existing income tax and capital tax regime

The remittance basis of taxation will be abolished for UK resident non-domiciled individuals from 6 April 2025. The last year for which a remittance basis claim can be made will be the 2024-25 tax year.

FIG that has arisen to a remittance basis user prior to 6 April 2025 will continue to be taxed if they are remitted on or after 6 April 2025, subject to the TRF set out above.

Business Investment Relief will be available for qualifying investments of pre 6 April 2025 FIG made on or after 6 April 2025 and will continue to be available for qualifying investments made prior to 6 April 2025.

How can MCL Accountants help with your queries on Taxation changes for non-UK domiciled individuals?

Contact MCL Accountants on 01702 593 029 if you would like us to answer your queries on Taxation changes from 6 April 2025 for non-UK domiciled individuals or if you need any assistance with the preparation and submission of your business accounts or self-assessment tax returns to HMRC.