Offshore living on a ship

Jayandclare

Hi, could someone please point me in the right direction with this:

I am part of a new and very different set up where we operate and service a wind farm from a service operated vessel. The team spend 6 months per year offshore working a 2 week on 2 week off pattern, outside U.K. waters. Our work primarily involves transferring from the ship to service and maintain the wind turbines then return to ship a few hours later to reside. There is work carried out onboard within the working day by all staff. The ship remains within the wind farm and only returns to mainland for shift change of crew and workers on the 2 week cycle. We are all employed on a minimum 2 year contract.

Are we classed as sea workers? And do we qualify for any form of tax free allowance or rebate on salary (In addition to the standard £11500). Having researched this I can see the tax laws can be pretty complex for offshore, but I can't find an answer to fit this new and unique method of working.

Many thanks for reading this lengthy thread!

antrobus

It's not a "new and unique method of working". We have North Sea Oil.

But anyway, this is really a question you should first direct at your employer. They are responsible for operating PAYE.

P.S. I'm not sure that it matters whether or not the windfarm is "outside UK waters". For North Sea workers, what matters is whether or not the rig (or whatever) is located on the UK Continental Shelf.

antrobus

Jayandclare wrote: »

..Are we classed as sea workers?

If you mean seafarer, then that would depend. The Seafarers’ Earning Deduction appears to have some very specific rules.

For example; “Deductions can only be claimed when on the vessel and there must be a visit to a foreign port".

Staying on board a ship that simply shuttles from the UK does not appear to qualify.

http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/oil_gas_contractor_guide_tax_offshore.aspx

Jayandclare

Sorry when I meant new and unique I was referring to the wind industry from a vessel.

Yes it was the seafarer I was trying to find out about, which to be fair sounds like we wouldnt qualify for.

Guessing the days of spending a certain amount of days out of the UK rules have long gone?

Thanks for the reply