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Self employed in Europe - self employed in the UK? - Bier Keller - 26th February 2010
I am a British national, living, working and paying my tax in Germany. I am self employed. If I up sticks and come back to the UK for a short-term job do I have to register as self-employed in the UK or is that fact that I am registered in another EU country enough?
Cheers,
BK
Self employed in Europe - self employed in the UK? - BAJR - 26th February 2010
Being Self-Employed in Europe
As you can see, working elsewhere in Europe is now, in general, extremely straightforward. There is one exception to this : self-employment. Rules governing the self-employed vary significantly from one country to another. As an EU citizen, you will be subject to the same rules as native citizens of the country concerned. However, those rules may well be very different from what your experience in the UK has led you to expect.
The details are often baroque so it is difficult to generalise but, though some countries treat self-employment much as it is treated in the UK, others may require you to register as a business, sometimes with multiple authorities, occasionally paying a fee to get a trading licence. In some countries your profession may be regulated, requiring practitioners to pass exams or register with a central professional body. If you are intent on moving to another EU country and earning a living as a self-employed person, you really need to research the practical implications of this in the country concerned.
This would mean you may indeed have to register with the UK inland revenue. A quick call would clear it up.
Newly Self-Employed Helpline
This helpline enables you to register for National Insurance, tax and VAT. They will also arrange for you to attend a free workshop with one of our Business Support Teams to help you get started. Opening hours8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Monday to Friday
8.00 am to 4.00 pm, Saturday and Sunday
Closed bank holidays 0845 915 4515
Self employed in Europe - self employed in the UK? - Unitof1 - 26th February 2010
I think that you should notify both authorities. I cant imagine that it will be pretty, some of your problems will relate to the tax that you have paid in Germany. There is a non resident for tax purpose status 183 days in any one tax year, and 90 days average per year over a 4 year period which I think that you have to go through some qualifying period to establish. It would be interesting to know how it turns out. Are you paying any volunteery NI in the uk. How do you establish as self employed in Germany.
Self employed in Europe - self employed in the UK? - BAJR - 26th February 2010
Agreed... and good point about notifying both... chased by tax in two countris... it would be bad enough in one!
Self employed in Europe - self employed in the UK? - Bier Keller - 26th February 2010
Ah hell, sounds like a regular nightmare. I hate dealing with the Inland Revenue. I'll give that number a ring anyway...they don't need to know that I break out in a cold sweat when I deal with them.
@Unit of 1- no I am not paying NI. As it is I get hammered on having to pay private medical insurance over here, the idea of paying money into a broken NHS and into a pension system that is laughable is pretty low on my list of things to spend my precious beer tokens on. But that is another matter.
As for being self-employed over here it is pretty simple: you go to the local authorities and declare that you wish to be self employed.You get a tax number and a document to that effect. If you are going to be a subbie thats all you need. If you are going to be your own business entity rather than just a subcontractor you need a thing called a "Gewerbeschein" which is a trade licence. Costs about ?40. If you earn big bucks you are liable to pay a bit of extra tax when you have a Gewerbeschein. As I earn peanuts its not something that I have really worried about.
Its not all doom and gloom though - the list of things that you can claim as legit buisiness expenses is impressive.You can even claim for a course of education- regardless of whether it has anything to do with your business or not. My tax bill for 2008 was a whopping E300
Bier Keller
Self employed in Europe - self employed in the UK? - oldgirl - 26th February 2010
Bier Keller Wrote:Ah hell, sounds like a regular nightmare. I hate dealing with the Inland Revenue. I'll give that number a ring anyway...they don't need to know that I break out in a cold sweat when I deal with them.
Bier Keller
I found the Newly self-employed helpline very easy to deal with when I spoke to them last year. :face-approve: