REAL LIFE
Leſt: Paris is a huge transport hub, so travel to and from the UK is easier Below: Margaret and Rob’s home in Normandy
“At the moment I work three days a week. I travel to London for those days, then return,” says Margaret. The couple also found that they were spending a lot of time apart. As a solution, they have
decided to move within France. “We love the life here and want to make it work, but we don’t want to spend so much time and energy travelling back and forth,” says Margaret. “We’ve decided to buy a house closer to Paris. This will make travelling to the UK much easier and mean we finally have the best of both worlds.” ■
they could do much of their work remotely, from their French base. “We soon realised that it wouldn’t be possible in terms of tax and legislation to work like that. Instead, we tried to incorporate our French life into our old world,” explains Margaret. The couple took it in turns
to spend a few months at their house in Preston for work, with the other staying in France. As all their work was completed in the UK, they paid tax and national insurance there too, although
STARTING POINT
Choosing to work in the UK but live in France can be a great option although it can be complicated to organise. Suzanne Ferrell of RIFT (
remaininfrance.fr) – a nonprofit association offering free and impartial guidance on citizens’ rights with some specialist knowledge of cross- border working – sets out some of the initial considerations below.
I live in France but want to commute to work in the UK. Can I? The answer is, probably. As long as: You have the right to work in the UK (British passport holder). You are physically working in the UK, rather than remotely. You don’t work in both the UK and France – if you are working in both countries, the situation will be different.
You or your employer will be paying all taxes and/or social security in the UK.
Your contract doesn’t require you to live in the UK. You should qualify for a UK S1 form, issued by HMRC, to cover healthcare. You may need to check other in-work benefits, such as company pension scheme.
I live in France. Can I run a business in the UK? This can be a difficult option and may not be possible. If you are running the business from France, it is likely that at least a portion of your corporation tax will be due here with the additional admin that entails. Contact HMRC for guidance.
30 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: May/June 2024
It can be complicated to pay yourself – dividends are subject to social charges in France, for example.
If you are carrying out work in France, the company needs to be set up as an employer of a French resident (see remote working section below).
This is a complex area, and many ‘experts’ themselves do not have all the answers. Be prepared to research and verify all information before finalising arrangements.
Can I work remotely in France, for a UK company? Yes, but it’s complicated. You must have the right to work in France – e.g. you are an EU passport or UK WARP (Withdrawal Agreement Resident Permit) card holder.
While tax is fairly straightforward, differences in social security and employment law are more complex and must be understood.
Your employer will need to register in France and comply with French employment law, pay all charges here and collect or hand over the employee costs. In the first instance, there is a government service called TFE that runs a free payroll service for small foreign employers. Some companies may find the costs and extra admin (such as providing you with compulsory top-up health insurance) off-putting. Alternatively, you can use an umbrella company, which can act as your employer.
they submit a French tax return. “This works for us, but it does mean we can’t take on a contract where we’d be working from home in France as it would make things too complicated. We have an S1 form, which covers our healthcare, but that can sometimes be difficult as paperwork can get held up. Occasionally I’ve had to come to the UK to get my medication due to delays.” While the couple enjoy life
in France, they have found super-commuting exhausting.
© SHUTTERSTOCK
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