AIBU not to provide a fake UK address for my friend?

[Bobbytwoshoes]

A friend of mine lived in the UK for many years, and has a job in the UK that allows her to work remotely. A couple of years ago she moved abroad (to an EU country), but has not told her employer this (as they would not be able to continue to employ her due to employment laws etc). She gave them a UK address that a friend of hers lived at, but now this friend is leaving and she’s asked if she can put my address instead.
I don’t feel comfortable with this as I don’t know the legal implications of this for me (obviously she is breaking the law, but that’s her decision) - she says it’s just her employer that would have this address, but presumably it’s also her bank and HMRC? It feels like this is a risky thing for me to do from a legal (and moral!) perspective.

Yes you are being unreasonable - you should help your friend out.

No you are not being unreasonable, it’s illegal, she shouldn’t be doing it, and you could get into trouble for helping her.

This is a terrible, terrible idea and I judge her for even asking.

I don’t think it’s worth the risk?

Hi op if you can't tell the truth just make up a white lie.

I was asked to do something a bit similar recently. Technically it was actually legal but it felt dishonest. I gave it some thought and then just said sorry, I’m not comfortable with that.

I work for an American company in the UK which forbids me working overseas . I am surprised her company does not have their IT team to detect her IP address as ours would and do not allow VPN use either.

Why can't she use an address of a family member or rent a PO box? A friend of mine used his mum's when he went abroad for 6 months and was working remotely, he did return to live at that address.

Do you get single person discount on your council tax? Or any similar discounts/benefits? Do you rent? I would if it didn't mean other complications. Surely she needs to be on the electoral register, that's what employers usually check.

This is tax evasion which is a criminal offence. She is also creating a permanent establishment for her employer overseas making them liable for local taxes.
She will be fired for gross misconduct if they find out. I would advise against helping her.

More shocked that you work remotely and aren't required to use a company VPN for security.

I’d definitely say no because it’s dodgy as hell. I’m not sure I could be friends with someone who would do this. Particularly if she works in a regulated industry (eg financial services).

No way!!!
If you live alone, you can say it will effect your council tax discount as a good excuse.

Thanks for the helpful messages that have helped me to feel less guilty for saying no. To answer some questions, I own my house and we are multiple occupants so no implications there with a extra person being registered, and she doesn’t have any family in the UK hence why she is asking me.
But I agree it’s really dodgy both morally and legally, and I just don’t want to get involved. Think I will just be honest and say I don’t feel comfortable with it.

ETA she works for an NGO / charity

I'd absolutely not do that. I work for a UK company and we are strictly ( gross misconduct) forbidden from working abroad. No checking into systems/teams etc even.
I would refuse. Let her find someone else.

Could she go ahead and do it without you knowing?

We have to use ethernet and a remote desktop Azure. The next layer of management have company issued laptops however we have to provide our own equipment.

Gosh I hope not!

You don’t have to give a fake address. Just tell her no! If she uses your address anyway, well, I’d report her. If she doesn’t already know your address, just tell her to bugger off.

I don’t know what the implications for you would be but I would not get involved in this.

Where I work we’ve had people fired for doing this, as a pp has suggested our security were able to identify a log on in a different country straight away. It’s because of tax reasons and they are all under serious investigations right now. As I said I don’t know what it would mean for you, but I would stay well out of it.

That is NO friend if she is asking you to do this, as someone said previously report her if she uses your address.
Chances are she'll get caught anyway.

This is illegal. As pp says you can fired (she can) for doing this.

Make sure you have proof of you saying no incase she does it anyway.

She could be claiming unemployment benefits in her country and be raking it in! All very dodgy.

This. CF. Let her sort her own employment issues out. Surely if she speaks to them she can come to an arrangement. When I worked in government legal dept over Covid several of our lawyers did this. But there are rules over how long you can do it and we had to implement them. Our NZ/Aus employees actually ended up leaving probably partly to do with this.

There is no way I would do this if a friend asked me.

A family member asked me to do something very similar after moving to another country and not informing her employer. I flat out refused, saying that it could have implications for my CT single discount if someone else was registered at my address, and also because I don’t want anyone else being linked financially to my address, for potential identity fraud reasons, debt being linked, and HMRC reasons. The family member tried to downplay all of these concerns but I stood firm, and am really glad I did.

I asked if she had an accountant in the UK, which she does, as she has to file a tax return, so I told her to use the accountants’ address as a correspondence address.

Never ever let anyone use your home address for any reason, it has all sorts of potential implications for you.