Reply to: Moving Abroad to be in Same Time Zone as Client

[lecyclist]

I might set up a new company once I'm there. Just curious if I could have claimed for relocation. The purpose of my relocation is to be on the same timezone as my client. This is the sole reason i am relocating to the country i am moving to. Can anyone else say whether they would claim for this?

No, you cannot claim for relocation. As an alternative, perhaps investigate the new company angle more fully. As a minimum, to see if there were transfer pricing advantages from UK to your new destination (maintaining both companies). You might also need to read up on CFCs https://www.gov.uk/guidance/controll...ny-an-overview

[northernladuk]

I might set up a new company once I'm there. Just curious if I could have claimed for relocation. The purpose of my relocation is to be on the same timezone as my client. This is the sole reason i am relocating to the country i am moving to. Can anyone else say whether they would claim for this?

So you have had the same answer a number of times. It's a flat no. Keep asking until you get the right answer isn't going to work.

[trebor123]

This is a version of the more interesting question of what happens when all the Australasian contractors return home? Do they do final scrupulous accounts or do they take all the cash and give a tulip?

So would uou be less concerned about claiming for alightly.more borderline expenses if you were leaving the UK permanently.

[trebor123]

Sounds like your plan to move is a permanent one, at least in the medium term. Why do you need a UK ltd company to work through? Can you not close your UK Ltd and set something up offshore / in the country you want to go to and work through that?

I might set up a new company once I'm there. Just curious if I could have claimed for relocation. The purpose of my relocation is to be on the same timezone as my client. This is the sole reason i am relocating to the country i am moving to. Can anyone else say whether they would claim for this?

[doconline]

I already have a visa for the country I'm moving to so that's not an issue. If this client relationship ends, I would likely continue as a contractor out there.

Consensus seems to be no? I can certainly do the work remotely from the UK but it has not been ideal working basically 4pm -2am.

Sounds like your plan to move is a permanent one, at least in the medium term. Why do you need a UK ltd company to work through? Can you not close your UK Ltd and set something up offshore / in the country you want to go to and work through that?

[MrMarkyMark]

And yes the move is permanent. Or at least I have no plans to return to the UK for the forseeable. Just curious what others would do.

Why not just claim it anyway, seeing you're shooting through, just don't get caught

[northernladuk]

And yes the move is permanent. Or at least I have no plans to return to the UK for the forseeable. Just curious what others would do.

That would be a lifestyle change and not wholly and exclusively for the purpose of the business so not claimable. The other comment in your previous mail kinda kills it dead..

If this client relationship ends, I would likely continue as a contractor out there.

All the details in the first post would have saved a lot of time and asking 'I'm moving abroad, can the company pay for it' might have been a better question.

[trebor123]

And yes the move is permanent. Or at least I have no plans to return to the UK for the forseeable. Just curious what others would do.

[trebor123]

I already have a visa for the country I'm moving to so that's not an issue. If this client relationship ends, I would likely continue as a contractor out there.

Consensus seems to be no? I can certainly do the work remotely from the UK but it has not been ideal working basically 4pm -2am.

[LondonManc]

If you can rent something in that timezone and balance that off by renting out your place here, would that be worth looking at?

As I've said, you won't get a visa because of the sponsorship issue; consider internet connection speeds and reliability of your intended destination too.

[Fred Bloggs]

What's to stop you hiring a villa and sitting by the pool working on the laptop? As far as I can see, nothing? Couldn't really claim for it but it would beat sitting at home in the UK.

[Willapp]

Yes don't forget you will probably need some kind of Visa depending on which country we are talking about. A tourist Visa will not allow you to do work and to get a working Visa you most likely need sponsorship which you aren't going to get as the owner of your own Ltd company since you aren't employed by the foreign client.

Regardless I think the short answer is no - these sort of expenses are only claimable if you could legitimately say that the travel or relocation is wholly necessary for the business, i.e. you can't work remotely.

[Cirrus]

This is a version of the more interesting question of what happens when all the Australasian contractors return home? Do they do final scrupulous accounts or do they take all the cash and give a tulip?

[northernladuk]

Hi,

I am a contractor(sole member and Directory of Ltd co.) with a single client based in the Pacific time zone. I have been partly working their hours the past year but have recently decided to relocate to their time zone so as to be able to work with the client more effectively.

My question is, whether I can claim relocation expenses? As you may imagine, I will be moving country which further complicates things.

Anyone have any tips?

Thanks!

Riiiiiiight.. Of course you are. We get this question quite a lot but most are a bit more honest about it.

[psychocandy]

Seems a bit drastic as a contractor. What happens when the next client is back home?

I won't even move from Wales to England to be closer to my clients. (That is a bit much to expect mind).