Overseas draft help please!

A question about : Overseas draft help please!

Hello! My husband is being drafted to Holland next year, and I'll be accompanying him.

I currently work for a local council, who let me work from home after we recently moved away into sfa. I'd ideally like to keep the job when we move, and can't see any practical issues with this as long as internet speeds are similar to here. My phone line is routed through the internet so I wouldn't need to change numbers and the time difference doesn't make it impractical with regards to working hours (i work flexi so choose when I log on/off).

However, I was wondering what the position would be with hmrc? I know crown employees continue to pay uk tax, but does the same apply to spouses, or other employees of uk organisations? If not, would I need to stay with relatives for three months each year to keep uk residency? Would hmrc even know I'd temporarily moved abroad, if I gave a uk address as a c/o to my employer?

I know that there's very little chance of me getting my job back if I quit to move abroad, and they wouldn't give a 2 year career break, so I don't want to give up a forces-friendly job if I can help it. Hubby says not to tell my bosses I'm living over there, but in the age of Facebook etc, they're bound to find out. Has anyone else had any experience of working from home for uk employers whilst abroad?

Best answers:

• Hi,
  Your message is really hard to read, can you edit it into paragraphs?
  Holland - I naturally assume that like everywhere else, broadband speeds will depend on location and the cost.
  AO
• I think it's more that you'd probably be liable for Netherlands income tax, as you'd be working from within that country (not posted their as your husband would be). So you'd need to understand the Netherlands tax and national insurance type arrangements - is their a local HIVE or organisation that may be able to help? There'll be a double taxation arrangement to set off UK tax against a Netherlands tax bill, I expect, and your healthcare and housing will presumably be provided for/paid through MOD.
  I'd be upfront with your employer because, as you say, you are as capable of doing the job if it's just an internet connection from anywhere (maybe quote the Scottish Isles if they need a UK comparison?) and they're happy with you in the role from your current location. If they get funny, quote the Armed Forces Covenant at them.
  Good luck with the posting, really interested to hear how you get on with your employer and various tax arrangements.
• This is a really tricky topic that the Army Families Federation have been working on. My immediate view is that as you are working for a UK employer, from SFA at a BFPO address, you should only pay UK taxes as per normal as if you were working from SFA in the UK. Please get in touch with me if you want to explore this further. Kind regards, Caroline etam@aff.org.uk
• I don't think living in an SFA at a BFPO address has any bearing. Unless it is an SBA (which is considered to be UK territory) then as a non-government or non-specialist sector worker you fall under the same rules as anybody else doing this sort of thing.
  You need to talk to HMRC especially about the residency side of things