Question 1

Do I stop paying UK tax when I move to Spain?

Accepted Answer

No, not on the day you leave. You stay taxable in the UK on your worldwide income until you are non-resident under the Statutory Residence Test, and a mid-year move usually needs split-year treatment to draw the line. Even then, UK-source income such as rent from a UK property stays within UK tax. The UK-Spain double tax treaty stops the same income being taxed twice. We fix the leaving date and the split-year case before you go, not after.

Question 2

Which country taxes my UK pension once I live in Spain?

Accepted Answer

Usually Spain, with one main exception. Under the UK-Spain treaty, Article 17 gives the residence state the right to tax private, occupational and state pensions, so a UK pension generally becomes taxable in Spain once you are Spanish resident. Article 18 keeps government-service pensions, such as certain civil service pensions, taxable in the UK. A treaty relief claim, often the DT-Spain Individual form, gets the pension taxed in the right country from the outset rather than reclaimed afterwards. We prepare that claim; the Spanish treatment is confirmed locally.

Question 3

I am keeping my UK flat and letting it out. What do I need to do?

Accepted Answer

Register under the Non-resident Landlord Scheme with form NRL1 so the rent can be paid to you gross, once HMRC approves, rather than with tax deducted. That does not exempt the income. You still report the rental profit to HMRC, usually through Self Assessment, and from April 2026 some landlords are brought within Making Tax Digital depending on gross rents. As a normal Spanish resident you will also likely need to declare the property on the Modelo 720, which sits with your Spanish adviser. We handle the NRL1 and the UK return.

Question 4

Should I use the Beckham Law?

Accepted Answer

It suits a high earner on a Spanish salary: a flat 24% on employment income up to EUR 600,000 (47% above), with most foreign income outside Spanish tax for the arrival year plus five. Retirees cannot use it: a pension is not a qualifying reason to move. You lose treaty residence while in it, which can matter for UK-source income. The Form 149 window is generally six months from registering with Spanish Social Security. We weigh it against your UK position; a Spanish adviser handles the application.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

£550 fixed for a non-resident or expat tax return. That covers the Self Assessment return with the SA109 residence pages, which HMRC's free online service cannot file. Personal tax returns start from £350 and complex returns from £750. Advisory work, such as planning a departure or a pension treaty claim, is quoted as a fixed fee agreed in writing before any work starts. There is never an hourly rate. Living in Spain changes nothing about how we work together: everything is remote, with direct access to the adviser.

A Chartered Tax Adviser for the UK side of life in Spain

Handled for you, end to end

Guides for Spain, if you want the detail first

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

Spain's Beckham Law vs Portugal's IFICI for UK Leavers

Leaving the UK: a tax guide for people moving abroad

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

Expat Self Assessment: UK Tax Returns from Abroad

Run your own numbers, before we speak

Relocation Comparison

UK Statutory Residence Test Calculator

Global Tax Atlas

Fixed fees, agreed in advance

What this work costs

Honest answers, before you book

UK tax advice, wherever you are moving

Start with a free clarity call