Anyone here a “digital nomad” (or thinking of being one)?

[Aridane]

Strange term but it seems to be a thing.

With my office shut, I’m toying with the idea of working remotely overseas and instead of my sofa at home (LOATHE working from home). It’s just a thought at the moment, no concrete plans.

But if I did it, it would probably be the EU as 1) same time zone, and 2) until end of year still enjoy EHIC reciprocal care.

Has anyone done this or thinking of doing this?

Is it clear yet whether you can move to and work easily in an EU court try after the Brexit transition period ends?

You need to check with your employer whether this is possible as I believe there may be tax implications? Although EU might be ok. I just know that my HR department asked me to let them know if any of my team had left the country for lockdown (eg to go home to their parents) - but none of them had so I don't know why they needed to know!

Oh, I was just thinking of a few months at most

Would still be doing my UK job but to be honest, now the office is shut, my location is pretty much irrelevant

But hadn’t thought about tax

(would be doing it this side of the transition period)

What would make you like working from home if you were overseas? DS does it but it's not for everyone.

I have colleagues who have rented homes on the coast to WFH rather than be in their city apartments.

So why not just pick a different UK location?

I did that for a few years, pre-COVID. My job is one that can mostly be done from anywhere with internet access. It was good fun but depends on your job and life in general.

A change of scene from my living room!!

The opportunity to shop other than at Tesco and eat different food, people watch different people

Milder climate

@TooMinty

I can't see what tax implications there would be? OP would be doing the same job, being paid the same wage into the same bank account - just physically in a different place. How would that have tax implications?

So why not just pick a different UK location?

1). Bloody expensive

2. Because I have minimal confidence in the current government and would prefer to avoid, say, a November lockdown in the U.K. (which I appreciate may never happen)

I would love to do this, hate WFH at the moment and dreading the autumn weather. However I have to factor in DH DC and d dog so its not an option for me. Do it OP!!!!

The issue is that you will be trying to find somewhere to live abroad while negotiating quarantine rules/travel restrictions which vary from country to country and will vary more in the months to come, the potential to find yourself in a strict lockdown in another country, unable to return home because there are few or no flights/the borders are closed, should there be a serious second wave in the autumn, which is not unlikely.

I think it would be a very difficult time to try to do this.

Check with your employer - we have a blanket rule against working from outside the UK without specific management approval.

@TooMinty

HR department asked me to let them know if any of my team had left the country for lockdown (eg to go home to their parents) - but none of them had so I don't know why they needed to know!

Maybe they were concerned about employees getting caught out by quarantine situations?

That’s how I’m feeling, @GetUpAgain!

Depending on where she ends up and how long she spends there, OP may end up resident for tax purposes in the other country too and, depending on the taxation agreements that exist between the two countries, may end up paying tax on her salary in both.

Most countries have agreements to prevent this sort of thing, but it is worth looking in to as there may be some administrative hoops to jump through.

In the EU I doubt it would be something insurmountable but it is something that OP needs to investigate.

A quick google on tax (always an unwise thing) suggests you lose UK tax residence when you spend less than 183 days in the U.K.

(Posted before seeing your post, @ClashCityRocker)

Check with your employer - we have a blanket rule against working from outside the UK without specific management approval.

@Palavah - do you know why?

A member of my work team is doing this and there are tax implications - they have to return to the Uk for a certain amount of time every year. Think about it - the UK treasury would not be happy if my company decided to relocate to a brass plate office in Bulgaria and declare that all their employees would henceforth pay lower Bulgarian PAYE while continuing to use UK services.

@boltzmannbrains - can I ask where you choose to locate yourself?

I was sort of thinking it no different to colleagues who relocated to 2nd homes during lockdown and worked from there (which, yes, was against the rules)

Indeed. So you need to consider your tax residency both in the UK and in the country you end up in - you could be tax resident in both, which would make things slightly more complicated.

Just something to be aware of.

Thanks - especially as I hadn’t thought of that

I work from home and moved to another European country a couple of years ago. I had to move to a new work contract for that European country as otherwise I would be working illegally. If you live and work in a European country (unless you are seconded to a subsidiary of your company in that country), you are required to have a work contract for that country, respect the labour legislation for that country and pay tax and social security payments for that country. You can't pay lower ( in my case) UK taxes and social security and work in another European country - well you can but it's illegal and you and your employer could get into trouble if you were caught.