Jurisdiction briefing · GB
United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Post-non-dom landscape: the FIG regime offers 4 years of foreign-income relief, then full worldwide taxation kicks in.

4 yrsFIG relief window
40%Inheritance tax
24%CGT (post-Oct 2024)
Last reviewedOrientation only · verify before acting
Tax snapshot

The position in figures.

Headline treatment for an individual tax resident. Source, asset and treaty rules can change the payable result.

Top marginal income tax45%+ 47% Scotland top rate
Capital gains24%Residential property; 24% on other since 30 Oct 2024
Wealth taxNone
Inheritance tax40% above £325kLong-term residents now caught (10-year rule)
Exit taxLimitedTemporary non-residence trap (5 years)
CFC rulesYes
Tax treaties~140
Statutory Residence TestTiered (16–183 days)
Profile fit

Where the jurisdiction fits.

Best for

  • New arrivals using the FIG (Foreign Income & Gains) 4-year window from April 2025
  • Founders accessing London capital markets and English law contracts
  • Investors with structured plans to leave before year 5 to avoid worldwide taxation
  • EU/Commonwealth professionals with strong career networks in the UK

Consider carefully

  • Long-term wealth-protection plans — non-dom abolished from April 2025
  • Inheritance planning past 10 years of UK residence — IHT now bites on worldwide estate
  • Frequent travellers — the Statutory Residence Test ties you in with relatively few UK days if you have ties
Routes and regimes

Programmes that matter.

01

FIG (Foreign Income and Gains) Regime

From 6 April 2025: new UK residents who were non-resident for 10 prior tax years get full UK exemption on foreign income and gains for 4 tax years. After that, full worldwide taxation. Replaces the old non-dom remittance basis.

02

Innovator Founder Visa

For entrepreneurs with an innovative, viable, scalable business endorsed by an approved body. No minimum investment threshold (the £50k requirement was removed). Leads to settlement after 3 years.

03

Global Talent Visa

For leaders or potential leaders in academia, research, arts, or digital technology. Endorsement-based; allows self-employment and leads to settlement after 3 or 5 years depending on category.

Planning risks

Pitfalls to resolve early.

  1. 01

    The non-dom regime is abolished as of 6 April 2025. The replacement FIG regime is short (4 years) and far less generous than the legacy 15-year position.

  2. 02

    Inheritance tax now applies on a residence basis: 10 of the last 20 years UK-resident pulls your worldwide estate into the IHT net, with a 10-year tail after departure.

  3. 03

    The Statutory Residence Test counts ties — accommodation, family, work — so even 16 UK days/year can trigger residence for certain leavers.

  4. 04

    Capital gains tax was raised from 20% to 24% on most assets in the 30 October 2024 budget; further rate adjustments are politically live.

  5. 05

    The temporary non-residence rule pulls back gains realised during a sub-5-year absence — leaving for a tax year is rarely enough.

Frequently asked

Direct answers.

Is the UK non-dom status gone?

Yes. The remittance-basis non-dom regime was abolished from 6 April 2025 and replaced with the much shorter 4-year FIG regime for genuinely new UK residents.

How does the FIG regime work?

New UK residents who were non-resident for the prior 10 tax years receive a full UK tax exemption on foreign income and gains for 4 tax years. From year 5, normal worldwide UK taxation applies.

When do I become UK tax resident?

The Statutory Residence Test combines days present and ties to the UK (accommodation, family, work, 90-day prior history). Possible to be resident with as few as 16 days or as many as 182 — the test is fact-specific.

How does UK inheritance tax work for non-residents?

From 6 April 2025, IHT applies on a long-term residence basis: anyone resident for 10 of the last 20 tax years has worldwide IHT exposure, with a tail of up to 10 years after leaving.

Can I move to the UK without an investment?

Yes — the Innovator Founder Visa requires endorsement of an innovative business but no fixed investment minimum. The Global Talent Visa requires no investment at all but is endorsement-based.

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