Category: Expats

In Singapore, any income received from services provided or employment exercised within the country is taxable. This includes compensation received in the form of cash or non-cash benefits. Since the income is sourced in Singapore, it is subject to Singapore’s tax. Income tax is calculated on a preceding year basis.

The amount of tax and the applicable tax rates depends on the taxpayer’s tax residency status. Singapore has several tests in regard to whether a foreigner is a resident in Singapore. The key tests of relevance relating to a foreigner coming to Singapore are set out below.

You are a tax resident for a particular Year of Assessment if you are a:

  • Foreigner who has stayed/worked in Singapore:

– for at least 183 days in the previous calendar year, or
– continuously for 3 consecutive years, or

  • Foreigner who has worked in Singapore for a continuous period straddling 2 calendar years and the total period of stay is at least 183 days. This applies to foreign employees who entered Singapore.

To elaborate on the second point above, you will be regarded as a tax resident under the 2-year rule if you:

  • work in Singapore for a period straddling 2 calendar years; and
  • your employment period plus your physical presence immediately before/after your employment cover a continuous period of at least 183 days.

Note that the number of days of employment in Singapore includes weekends and public holidays. Any absences from Singapore that are temporary (e.g. overseas holiday leave) or incidental to your employment (e.g. business trips) are still counted in the total days of employment for the purpose of determining your tax residency status.

The income of tax residents after deducting allowable expenses, donations and personal reliefs is subject to income tax at progressive rates ranging from 0% to 22%.

Contact Us

At Sheltons Accountants Singapore we have extensive experience in providing Singaporean and international tax advice. This includes advice on tax treaty issues and cross-border tax efficient structuring.

If you need advice or assistance with your Singaporean tax obligations, or if you would like us to prepare your Singaporean tax returns, we’re here to help.

Simply send us an email at SG@SheltonsGroup.com.

Sheltons Singapore

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Are you moving to Singapore and renting out your UK property? If so, you will be classified as a ‘non-resident landlord’ by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

Below we have covered some of the popular UK and Singaporean tax issues and questions that arise when becoming a non-resident landlord in Singapore:

How do I stop my estate agent or tenant from deducting UK tax at source?

If you have been determined as a non-resident landlord of the UK, your letting agent or tenant will deduct basic rate tax (20%) from your rent. Once the tax year is complete, your estate agent or tenant will provide you with a certificate certifying how much tax they have deducted in the relevant tax year.

As a landlord, cash flow is important, therefore it’s likely you would prefer to receive your rent in full and pay any tax due through your UK self-assessment tax return.

The way in which you can receive your rent in full, prior to any taxation, is to file a non-resident landlord form (NRL1). Once the form has been approved, HMRC will inform your letting agent or tenant to stop deducting tax from your rent. From there on, you will receive your rent in full without UK taxation. Any tax deducted earlier in the year will be refunded on your next rental statement.

However, it is worth noting that HMRC will only approve your NRL1 application if your taxes are up to date. For example, you have no outstanding tax or tax returns due.

What expenses can I claim on my UK property income?

If this is your first experience of being a landlord, you may be unsure about what expenses are tax deductible. HMRC iterate that for an expense to be allowable for tax purposes, it should be incurred wholly and exclusively as a result of renting out your property. Typical expenses include buildings insurance, estate agent fees and utility bills (only if not reimbursed by tenants).

In some instances, what you assume are revenue expenses may in fact be ‘capital expenses’ for example, improving or upgrading something that was existing. Capital expenses are not allowable and cannot be claimed against rental income, however you might be able to set them against capital gains tax if you sell the property in the future. You should seek professional advice if you’re unsure on the tax treatment of your property expense.

Since April 2020, you have no longer been able to deduct any mortgage expenses from taxable rental income. Instead, mortgage interest is used as a tax reducer, where you receive a tax credit based on 20% of mortgage interest payments. For example, if you make mortgage interest payments of £5,000 per year, you will receive a tax credit of £1,000 to deduct from the liability incurred on your property income.

Will I be taxed on my UK rental income in Singapore?

Singapore has a territorial tax system, therefore only income sourced in Singapore is subject to tax. Consequently, if you are a Singaporean resident with UK rental income, it will not be subject to tax in Singapore. However, this exemption does not apply if the foreign-sourced income was received through a partnership in Singapore.

Do I need to declare my UK property income on my Singapore Tax Return?

As overseas income is not taxable in Singapore, you are not required to declare UK rental income on your Singapore Income Tax Return.

Will I receive my UK personal allowance as resident of  Singapore?

When non-resident of the UK and resident of Singapore, it’s only in certain circumstances that you will get a personal allowance of tax free UK income each year. These include the following:

• you hold a British passport
• you’re a citizen of a European Economic Area (EEA) country, or
• you’ve worked for the UK government at any time during that tax year.

If you are British citizen, holding a British passport, you will be entitled to your UK personal allowance. Thus, only the rental income over the UK personal allowance will be taxable in the UK.

How do I file my UK self-assessment tax return from Singapore?

Regardless of whether you’re a resident of Singapore, renting out a UK property automatically enters you into the UK self-assessment regime. The return will be used to calculate any tax liability arising from your UK property income and any additional UK taxable income.

The same Tax Return deadlines apply to non-residents as they do to UK residents – 31st January following the tax year end (31st October for paper returns). Automatic late filing penalties will apply after the deadlines have passed.

As a non-resident you are unable to use HMRC’s online services to file your return. Instead, you need to:

• Send your tax return by post
• Use commercial software
• Get help from a professional

Contact Us

If you need advice or assistance with your UK or Singapore tax obligations, including dual tax return filings,  we are here to help. Simply send us an email at the address below to arrange a free initial consultation.

For enquiries please contact:
Ned Shelton
Director
Sheltons Accountants
N.Shelton@SheltonsGroup.com

Click here to read our blog where we compare the UK and Singapore Tax systems

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When moving between the UK and Australia, it is important to be aware of the differences that each jurisdiction imposes on areas of personal taxation. Failing to comply with the relevant procedures and local tax legislation could leave individuals with a series of penalties.

The table below highlights a list of arguably the most important areas of personal taxation that individuals should be aware of when moving between the UK and Australia. Whilst both countries operate a progressive income tax system, with the top tax rate peaking at 45%, this is where similarities cease as from here on, the UK and Australian tax systems function differently in almost every way.

UK Tax System vs Australian Tax System:


UK Tax System Australian Tax System
Tax Year for individuals 6 April to 5 April 1 July to 30 June
Who is required to file/lodge a Tax Return

In the UK, most individuals who are employed will pay tax on their income through payroll and are not required to file a Tax Return.

Tax Returns are required where:

  • Earnings are over £100,000 in a tax year
  • In receipt of non-UK sourced income
  • In receipt of property income
  • In receipt of taxable savings, investments and dividends
  • Claiming income tax reliefs
  • Need to pay capital gains tax
  • Self-employed or partnership income
  • Liable to high income child benefit charge
  • In receipt of taxable income which has not yet been taxed

 All Australian residents and non-residents with any Australian sourced income (some exclusions apply)
Payroll System In the UK, HMRC operates a Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system where tax is collected by the employer through every payslip. The employer then remits the tax withheld to the tax office (HMRC). Australia operates a Pay As You Go Withholding system which deducts tax and is then paid to the tax office. As with the UK, the employer withholds tax when processing payroll and then forwards this to the tax office.
Tax Free Allowance UK residents (and in some instances non-residents) receive a tax-free personal allowance each year. In 2023-23, the tax-free personal allowance is £12,750. In certain circumstances this can be reduced or increased. There is a tax-free threshold of $18,200 for all Australian resident taxpayers, regardless of the source of income. Foreign and temporary residents are excluded from this threshold.
Income Tax The UK operates progressive rates of income tax which include:

  • £0 to £12,570 (personal allowance) – 0%
  • £12,571 to £50,270 (Basic rate) – 20%
  • £50,271 to £150,000 (Higher rate) – 40%
  • Over £150,000 (Additional rate) – 45%

Australia operates progressive rates of income tax which include:

  • $0 to $18,200 – Nil
  • $18,201 to $45,000 – 19%
  • $45,001 to $120,000 – 32.5%
  • $120,001 to $180,000 – 37%
  • $180,001 and over – 45%

The income tax rates above are for ‘Australian’ Residents only. Different rates apply for ‘temporary’ and ‘foreign’ residents.
Capital Gains Tax

In the UK there is a Capital Gains Tax allowance of £12,300 per year (2022-23). After this your tax rate will depend on whether you’re a ‘Basic rate’ tax payer or ‘Higher rate’ tax payer:

Basic Rate: 18% on residential property and 10% other chargeable assets

Higher Rate: 28% on residential property and 20% other chargeable assets

There is a 50% Capital Gains Tax discount for Australian individuals who own an asset for 12 months or more. This means you pay tax on only half the net capital gain on that asset.

Taxable Capital Gains are added to the individuals assessable income and are taxed at the marginal rate at which the income falls.
Inheritance Tax In the UK, the standard Inheritance Tax threshold is £325,000 (which can increase to £500,000 where the home is passed to children of the deceased). Where an estate is valued over £325,000 there is a 40% Inheritance Tax rate. Australia does not have any Inheritance Tax.
Tax Return Deadline 31 January following the end of the tax year (31 October if filing a paper return). In Australia, the due date is 31 October following the end of the tax year. However, if an individual is registered with a tax agent this will usually extend to 15 May of the following year i.e. tax-year end 30 June 2022 would be due 15 May 2023.
Tax Payment Deadline 31 January following the end of the tax year. This is the same as the tax return deadline.

In Australia, the tax payment deadline depends on when the tax return is due and the date it is lodged. Where a tax return is due 15 May, the following payment dates will apply when the tax return is lodged:

  • Up to and including 12 February, the payment date is 21 March
  • From 13 February to 12 March, the payment date is 21 April
  • From 13 March, the payment date is 5 June

If the tax return is not due by 15 May, the payment will be due on the later of 21 days after the:

  • Relevant lodgement due date, or
  • Notice of assessment is deemed received
Assessable on Worldwide Income UK residents, for tax purposes are taxed on their worldwide income*.

Australian residents for tax purposes, are also taxed on their worldwide income.

‘Foreign’ and ‘temporary’* residents for tax purposes only need to declare income and gains derived in Australia.
National Insurance/ Medicare In the UK, both the employee and employer are required to pay national insurance contributions each month. The rates vary from 0% to 13.8%. National Insurance is also due on self-employed income. In Australia, individuals must pay a flat rate of Medicare (unless exempt). The Medicare levy is 2% of an individual’s taxable income. An additional Medicare levy of up to 1.5%, unless they pay for private health insurance.

*Assessable on worldwide income (UK) – Individuals resident of the UK with non-domicile status can opt to claim remittance basis and not be taxed on their overseas income as long as it is not remitted to the UK.
*Assessable on worldwide income (AUS) – Individuals who are ‘temporary’ resident will also be taxable on income earned from employment or services performed overseas whilst temporary resident.

The UK and Australian Tax Systems: An Overall Comparison

Determining which country has the more competitive tax system is no easy task.

Although income tax is generally lower in the UK (due to the progressive tax bandings), the Australian system includes a considerably lesser Medicare tax in comparison to the UK’s National Insurance rates. What’s more, where Australia allows a 50% discount on net taxable Capital Gains, the rate at which Capital Gains tax is payable in the UK may be under half of what individuals could be liable to pay in Australia (if their annual income exceeds the top tax bracket in Australia).

In addition, establishing whether an individual is an ‘Australian’, ‘foreign’ or ‘temporary’ tax resident of Australia, or their ‘domicile’ status when tax resident of the UK, heavily dictates their tax liability due at the end of the tax year.

Since 1978, Australia’s tax system has operated with no inheritance tax –which saw Australia as the first developed country to abolish death duties. In stark contrast, the UK still maintains an aggressive tax rate of 40% above the inheritance tax threshold. It is evident that, where an individual’s assets equate to more than £325,000 on death, the Australian tax system is significantly more attractive.

As the tax systems in the UK and Australia are extremely different, it requires in-depth analysis to understand how each system operates and the implications which might then present for an individual on a case-by-case basis.

If you require any advice or assistance with UK or Australian personal tax, we are here to help. Simply send us an email at the address below or fill in our contact form to arrange a free initial consultation.

For enquiries please contact:
Ned Shelton
Director
Sheltons Accountants
N.Shelton@SheltonsGroup.com

Click here to read our blog in regard to renting out your UK property whilst living in Australia.

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