You can live outside the UK for 5 years without losing your settled status. With indefinite leave to remain, you can only live outside the UK for 2 years. Find out what you need to apply for settled status. Find out more about applying to the Windrush Scheme on GOV.UK.
Do I meet the continuous residence requirement? You must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period in the last five years. This requirement works on a rolling basis, which means that the 12-month period doesn’t necessarily have to be a calendar year – it can be any consecutive 12 months.
What do I need to do before leaving the UK?
Before you leave the UK, you’ll also need to complete a P85 form from Revenue and Customs. This form enables you to claim any tax refund you’re owed, as well as claim any tax relief you might be entitled to.
What happens when I leave the UK 2019 / 20?
This is because the personal allowance (£12,500 in 2019/20) is usually divided throughout the year so you receive a proportion in each pay packet. If you only work for part of the tax year or leave the UK part way through a tax year, you will not have received your entire tax-free allowance and will have paid too much tax.
What happens to your tax return when you leave the UK?
Strictly, UK law deems an individual to be tax resident or not for an entire UK tax year. However, it is possible to split the tax year into a UK part and an overseas part if you are resident in the UK for that year. This allows you to be treated in effect as if you were non-resident for the period after you leave.
How long can you stay in the UK if you work abroad?
If you work full-time abroad, you can usually visit the UK for up to 90 days – as long as you work no more than 30 of these days. You might become a UK resident again if you start new activities in the UK after you’ve left, for example you get involved in a business or buy a new property.
