Working remotely in the UK but living in France

[aroncox]

Is there anyone else out there that lives in France but work remotely in the UK? Does anyone think this will be okay, or will there be issues? Anyone have any ideas on tax etc in this case, I will be the only worker, my wife will not be working (or at least not being paid by an employer :) )

Thanks a lot, it's very interesting to read all the forums here, I am grateful for everyone's sharing of knowledge.

   Aron.

[Will]

If you are actually in France when you carry out the work you will almost certainly be liable for French taxation and social security charges. As these can easily account for 60% or possibly even more of income you need to find a good accountant who can keep your taxable income as low as legally possible.

I speak from personal experience of doing this myself, by the way.

[Lizfjr]

I am doing this. My conditions of service are that I am home based but my working life is spent visiting local authorities or in nationally based meetings or running briefings for advisers. There has always been a lot of travel for me and hotel stays anyway.  Having been home based in the UK for 5 years, I decided I could as well do this job from France. I spend 3 -4 days a week in the UK and 1 -2  holed up here in France with my PC doing any admin/office stuff I have to do. I have applied for my E106, which asks what the breakdown is. I expect to continue being taxed in the UK under the EU agreement.

The main issue for me has been making sure that I have broadband so that I can get into all the work systems I need to. I have got myself a VOIP phone which has a UK number so that people calling me aren't faced with international charges. That's all working smoothly now.

The only issue for me is the slog up to Roissy each week, but it won't be for long because I am not intending carying on with this job after April. YIPPEE.

 

[AnOther]

Don't know if there is anything implied by your use of the word "remotely". Do you mean simply living in France but travelling back and from to UK for work ?

For my own part I work offshore in UK on a 2 weeks on/3 weeks off rota (or 60% retired as I like to think of it [;-)]). I pay UK tax and NI and have got a so called "workers" E106 which is renewable annualy.

HMRC will determine your eligibility for an E form based, as Lizfjr says, on the amount of time you are spending out of UK. If it's insufficient they will likely give you an E109 instead.

[Will]

I took 'remotely' in this case as meaning carrying out the work for a British employer or client by internet, telephone etc, while being physically based in France.

If you actually commute to another country to carry out the work, like Lizfjr, then you pay tax in that country and, depending on how long you spend there, under European guidelines you would normally pay for health and social security in whichever country you spend more time. If you pay in Britain but your family or dependants live in France then - as the other posters suggest - you should be able to get an E109 form to cover them. You would personally be covered under the NHS when in Britain and on the EHIC when in France. If you actually do some of your work in France on a regular basis then you are entering a rather grey area and you need to take professional advice from an accountant or other qualified expert.

As Ernie indicates, for certain jobs, like government employees, offshore oil and gas workers, seafarers etc, special arrangements apply.

If this is a temporary (i.e. less than two years) arrangement and your work is not in one of the above special categories, then you will probably not qualify for the worker's E106 that Ernie has, but you might be eligible for an E101 form which enables you to pay tax and NI in Britain but use the French health service as a migrant worker.

It's a pity that the original questioner does not seem to want to return to the forum to confirm exactly what he/she intends to do.

 

[AnOther]

See now I didn't read it that way at all ! 

"lives in France but work remotely in the UK" to me "in the UK" means travelling to and working there.

It's that (unneccesary) word "remotely" causing confusion.

Which is it aroncox ?