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Summer Budget 2015:
what non-doms need
to know
Russell Cohen, Nick Dunnell and Holly Jones | 9 July 2015
For non-UK domiciled clients, there are two key sets of changes.
The first relates to the availability of the remittance basis and the second to the
inheritance tax (IHT) treatment of UK residential property. We deal with each in turn.
1. Domicile
Current position
Currently, a UK resident individual not domiciled in the UK can use the "remittance
basis" of taxation for income and capital gains purposes and (unless deemed
domiciled) is only subject to IHT on assets in the UK.

The remittance basis means they are only taxed on non-UK income and
gains that are brought to the UK. This is accessed without charge for the
first seven years of residence ; after seven years there is a £30,000 annual
charge, after 12 a £60,000 annual charge and after 17 years a £90,000
annual charge.

For IHT purposes, after an individual has been UK resident for 17 out of 20
years they become "deemed domiciled". This means their worldwide estate
is subject to IHT.
The changes
i)
From April 2017, the remittance basis of taxation will cease to be available for
individuals who have been UK resident for more than 15 years out of the past 20
years. A person will also become UK deemed domiciled for IHT at the same
time, replacing the 17 out of 20 rule.
ii)
New rules will also be introduced to target individuals who were born in the UK
to UK domiciled parents but who leave the UK and acquire a foreign domicile.
These individuals will not be able to maintain that foreign domicile if they resume
UK residence in the future (i.e. their UK domicile will automatically return when
they resume UK residence regardless of their links to other countries).
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Initial observations

For the first 15 years of residence, the remittance basis is still available. We
do not expect the annual charges will change, but the £90,000 bracket will
no longer apply.

For clients who are already resident, their previous years of UK residence
will count towards the 15 years, i.e. they may automatically be barred from
using the remittance basis on 6 April 2017 if they have been in the UK for
more than 15 out of 20 years on that date.

The time it takes to "re-set" a domicile clock by leaving the UK will increase
from 4 years to 5 years.

The change does not affect common law domicile and the impact this has on
succession.
2. IHT treatment of UK residential property
Current position
As mentioned above, individuals who are not UK domiciled (and not yet deemed
domiciled) are subject to IHT only on any property situated in the UK. If, however,
they held UK property through an offshore company or certain other structures, it
was possible to "block" IHT from applying.
This use of offshore companies led to the Government introducing the annual tax on
enveloped dwellings (ATED) two years ago. ATED was intended to discourage
individuals from using offshore corporate structures for residential property by
imposing an annual charge on those corporates. Importantly, the structures still
"blocked" IHT.
The change
From April 2017, all UK residential property will be within the IHT net whether held
directly or indirectly in any type of structure (apart from certain structures such as
diversely held companies). It appears that trust/debt arrangements will also be
caught.
Initial observations

Offshore companies will no longer give protection from IHT in relation to
UK residential properties. This is even if the property is let.

The rules will apply to all non-doms, including those who are non-UK
resident.
If you require further
information on anything
covered in this briefing
please contact:
Russell Cohen (russell.
cohen@farrer.co.uk;
020 3375 7144),
Nick Dunnell (nick.dunnell
@farrer.co.uk; 020 3375
7573), Holly Jones
(holly.jones@farrer.co.uk;
020 3375 7304) or your
usual contact at the firm on
020 3375 7000. Further
information can also be
found on the Private Wealth
page on our website.
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
The new rules do not apply to commercial property or other UK assets. They
will continue to have IHT protection if held through certain offshore
structures.

The usual reliefs from IHT may apply so, for instance, a transfer to a spouse
will qualify for relief.

However, there is a trap here. If a trust/company structure has been used
and the settlor is a beneficiary of that trust, the spouse exemption is unlikely
to apply.

There will be additional legislation to ensure reporting and enforcement.

For those individuals who decided to keep their properties in offshore
structures and now pay ATED, the news that the structures no longer
provide IHT protection will be unwelcome. Worse still, they may face a
capital gains charge on unwinding the structures. But the announcement
indicates there will also be a consultation on the costs of extracting
properties from these offshore structures.

It appears that ATED will continue to apply once this change is brought into
force, notwithstanding the extension of IHT to residential properties held in
offshore structures.
This briefing is based on the announcements made today by the Government. We
will provide more detailed briefings on both topics above and other issues raised in
the Budget in the coming weeks.
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