Question 1

Will my UK pension be taxed in France or the UK once I live there?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the type of pension. Under Article 18 of the UK-France treaty, ordinary UK private, occupational and state pensions are generally taxable only in France once you are French resident, and we apply to HMRC for the NT code so the pension is paid gross. Government-service pensions follow Article 19(2) and normally stay UK-taxable, but nationality and residence can move the answer. We confirm which article covers each pension before you assume anything.

Question 2

I live in France and let out my UK house. What do I have to file?

Accepted Answer

A UK Self Assessment return every year, with the SA109 residence pages, filed online by 31 January after the tax year. The rental profit stays within UK income tax under the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme even though you live in France. Your agent or tenant deducts basic-rate tax from the rent unless HMRC approves your NRL1 application to receive it gross, which usually suits cash flow better. France will also expect to see the income on your French return, with treaty relief, and that side needs a local adviser.

Question 3

I am moving to the UK from France. When do I become UK resident?

Accepted Answer

The Statutory Residence Test decides it, not your arrival date. HMRC checks the automatic overseas tests first, then the automatic UK tests (183 or more UK days in the tax year makes you resident on its own), and the sufficient ties test applies only if neither set settles it. Split-year treatment under Cases 4 to 8 may limit UK-resident taxation to the part of the year after the split date, claimed on the SA109. We run the test on your actual dates and ties before you commit.

Question 4

How much does a UK tax return cost if I live in France?

Accepted Answer

£550 fixed for a non-resident or expat return, agreed in writing before any work starts. A non-resident return includes the SA109 residence pages where needed, which HMRC's free online service cannot file. Personal returns start from £350 and complex returns from £750. Advisory work, such as a departure plan or a pension treaty claim, is quoted as a fixed fee upfront. Never an hourly rate. Everything is handled remotely, so living in France changes nothing about how we work together.

Question 5

Can I sell my UK home after moving to France without paying UK tax?

Accepted Answer

Not by moving first. Gains on UK residential property stay within UK tax for non-residents, and the UK-France treaty does not relieve them. You report the disposal and pay any tax within 60 days of completion, separately from your annual return. Non-residents are generally taxed only on growth since 5 April 2015, which can cut the gain on a long-held home. France will also assess it under its own rules once you are resident, with treaty relief against double taxation, so the timing needs coordinating across both systems.

A Chartered Tax Adviser for the UK to France move, in either direction

Handled for you, end to end

Guides for France, if you want the detail first

Moving to France from the UK: the 2026/27 tax guide

UK Statutory Residence Test (SRT) Explained

Split-Year Treatment Explained: UK Tax in the Year You Move

NRL1 Form, NRL2 and Non-Resident Landlord Tax on UK Rent

Double Tax Relief UK: How to Avoid Being Taxed Twice

Leaving the UK: a tax guide for people moving abroad

Expat Self Assessment: UK Tax Returns from Abroad

Run your own numbers, before we speak

UK Statutory Residence Test Calculator

Relocation Comparison

Global Tax Atlas

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What this work costs

Honest answers, before you book

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