United Kingdom: OTS - Review into hybrid and cross-border working

In brief

The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) has published a scoping document for an upcoming review by it into hybrid and distance working, including working across international borders and in multiple countries.

The review is being set up against a backdrop of more employees working from home (or other residential accommodation) in different jurisdictions to their employer. This includes both employees working overseas for employers based in the UK and, conversely, employees working in the UK for overseas employers.


Contents

Comments

Recognising that more and more employees are choosing to work across borders (sometimes, without their employer's knowledge), the OTS is reviewing the implications of this changing nature of work from an income tax and social security perspective and examining whether the current tax framework is fit for purpose.

The review will focus primarily on income tax, national insurance and corporation tax and will:

  • Gather evidence and conduct research into hybrid and distance working, including key trends, opportunities, the extent to which hybrid and distance working is likely to increase and how employers and their policies and procedures are changing to adapt to this
  • Consider implications of hybrid and distance working, the allocation of primary tax rights and double tax relief
  • Consider whether the current regime, including temporary workforce rules, overseas workday relief and short term business visitors rules require any amendment
  • Consider impact on pension contributions and share plane
  • Consider PAYE withholding considerations

For more information about scoping document and the upcoming review, please reach out to a member of the Employee Benefits team.

Link to scoping document below:

Review of hybrid and distance working scoping document.


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