Can I claim tax back on my savings for when I lived abroad?

ruggedtoast

In January 2002 I left the UK to go travelling in Asia. I thought I might only be gone 6 months but in the end I was away 3 years and returned October 2006.

I didnt inform the tax office I was leaving. Can I still claim back the tax I paid on the interest on my UK savings accounts?

I am a little worried to contact them as I worked for 18 months in Japan as a teacher. I paid income tax in Japan and any savings I wired back to the UK. Can they give me a further tax bill because I didnt tell them I was going overseas?

ceeforcat

Were you born in the Commonwealth? – if so, you would be entitled to you personal allowances for each of the years that you were abroad. You need to fill in tax returns for each of the relevant years. (2002/03 only claimable before January 31st January 2009). I assume you are non resident in each tax year up to and including 2005/06- 2006/07 needs to de determined. Make sure you fill in the residency pages on each SA return.

No idea what the tax rates are in Japan but, if U.K. resident in 2006/07, you need to declare earnings for that tax year and claim credit for the UK equivalent for the tax you had deducted. For the earlier years, if non-resident, there are no tax issues. You can claim the tax deducted from your savings. This is one case where a proper tax accountant could save you time and money.