To think it's a bit much for tax excuses to expect rescue by the Brotish Government (taxpayer).

[Whitengold]

Hopefully it won't come to that and the airports will reopen soon, but I've already heard some murmurs about evacuation from paradise.

Rather than means testing, it would be easier if we worked on the basis that if you’ve actively chosen to emigrate from your country, economically or otherwise, you can make your own way back.

Nobody made you dash off to play golf, hire a nanny or even retreat to Benidorm.

We’re not trapped here, everyone is free to leave, but if it falls apart afterwards - that’s on you to sort.

Well most people on here seem to think it's ok, right even, that people are bought home for various reasons from decency to the admin otherwise would be a nightmare.

Yes and I agree too. I'd just like the people who left, slagging off the UK and the mugs who stayed to pay their taxes to acknowledge that.

But decidedly NOT what you’ve said at your posts of 9.21am and beyond

Youve been pretty absolutist in your thread that people have gone to DXB ONLY to dodge tax

I find it odd that you aren't more annoyed about the generational British families on benefits as a lifestyle that pay minimal tax but all have a plumber or scaffolder in the family raking it in cash in hand. That's actual tax fraud, not just moving somewhere with less/no income tax.

I can’t imagine them being the women and children on the lifeboats first type can you?

I'm getting really sick of the ignorance and downright spitefulness on a lot of comment/social media sites about Dubai. Essentially saying British people who are there are all thick influencers/tax evaders/ leave 'em to die etc. The ignorance is strong.
There are 250k plus Brits in the UAE, that's about the population of Southampton or Derby. 99% are people doing normal jobs and living normal lives. Yes there are some perks - the beach, help in the house, high quality facilities etc, but the influencers and celebs are about 1% and they tend to be people who come and go. Normal people are either working hard or doing the school run, the shopping etc.
We moved there with my husband's job - at the request of his employer. It did mean we benefitted hugely financially, but it meant I gave up my life/my home, my son gave up his school and his friends. I have zero regrets about the move. It gave my family incredible opportunities that we would never have had if we'd stayed in the UK. We paid UK tax on UK income as required by HMRC.
We went with our eyes open to the different laws and how we should behave.
For part of the time we employed a live in maid, but before people jump on me, my husband was often away 5 days a week and I had a youngish child and a large house. My lovely maid became a friend. Because we paid her well she was able to buy land and build a house in her home country which has given her security. 15 years later, I am still in touch with her.
DXB has its faults and I am definitely not blind to them, but some comments are just ridiculous.

But life isn’t that black and white, is it?

What about a schoolteacher who moved abroad because they couldn’t make enough money in the UK to have a decent standard of living let alone quality of life? Or a doctor who moved because the crushing NHS hours made them suicidal?

Not everyone who moves is fucking about on a golf course

I doubt the criminals, gangsters, drug dealers, prostitutes, scammers and conmen would leave in the first place with exception of extreme danger.

Good, honest Expats who aren’t on the tax avoidance bandwagon or have questionable income streams will no doubt take the chance of leaving if/when the situation significantly deteriorates further.

I think the UK government should facilitate the repatriation of British citizens living abroad, but I think those British citizens should pay towards it, in much the same way as they’d pay for their own flights to come to the UK for a holiday. I think if they want to come home to the UK, they should buy the tickets for a repatriation flight in the same way they would for any flight.

People who are on holiday or passing through and need repatriation, should have their costs covered by their airline or insurance, because they’ve already paid for their flights.

You can't do anything about the repatriation situation but you can change how you feel about being a mug for paying taxes.

I’m not really interested in the “what abouts,” in honesty.

A handful of my teacher training cohort from 15 years ago are now teaching in Dubai.

They also made the choice, for themselves, to move somewhere tax free and sunny etc etc.

But they made that choice, and the accountability for fixing it when that goes wrong is up to them.

This is like what Cindy did to New Zealanders living overseas during the COVID pandemic. That was wrong and so is this.

@mateysmum but if it became unsafe where you are, and you wanted to return to the UK, do you not think you should pay for your own flights? You can afford it presumably. And it would be for your own benefit. So if the UK government laid on a flight for you and your family to return to safety, why should it be free?

Although you don’t care about the What Abouts, the people that choose to over eat or smoke or the usual tropes, should we blacklist them from state help? Two child cap? SEN help in state schools?

Why should someone continue to pay tax if they no longer live and work in that country? Would you continue to pay HMRC if you moved to any country other than the UK?

yeah what if you moved to say, Finland, that has higher income tax than the UK? Should you have to pay double Uk and Ginnish tax? That would wipe out your salary for most people.

Im not convinced that all the Dubai lot are coining it in anymore, rent and food is so expensive out there, doesn't that eat up much of the differential?

I can't imagine people will be evacuated the way they were from Kabul. Residents should be able to get themselves to a safe airport and pay for their own passage, just as most did when Ukraine was invaded.

Stranded tourists might have the airlines pay rather than refunding. That happened to my cousin once when scheduled flights were cancelled.

MojoMoon

insurance doesn't cover acts of war

No I haven't I've said it's a bit much for those who went to avoid tax to expect rescue. I know they'll get resuce if it's needed, it's the expectation that they'll be able to fall back on a system they've avoided contributing to that seems off to me.

You are incredibly ignorant OP (and bitter and envious). Predominantly people move to Dubai and the Middle East for jobs. That’s it. A better, higher paying opportunity comes up thanks available in the UK. That’s how it works when people are smart and well educated. It opens doors. Sun, no taxes etc are bonuses. Maybe try bettering yourself, give yourself some better opportunities in life and you might be less bitter.

Ok, so why should they still expect to benefit from the tax paid at home?

Strange then that the first thing anyone tells you when planning such a move is that they won't be paying tax

Well, yes, people should get free rescue if we want to call ourselves a civilised nation.

The logic of “no aid without tax contribution” kind of renders the UN and NATO or any other humanitarian force totally ridiculous.

No, if they come back, they’ll contribute to taxes again.

Rather this than people who are topped up by UC longterm and barely ever contribute anything at all