Selling your UK home and living abroad

If you live abroad and sell your UK home, you may have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on any gain made since 5 April 2015. Only the portion of the gain made after 5 April 2015 is liable for tax. One of the most commonly used and valuable exemptions from CGT is Private Residence Relief (PRR), which applies when a property has been used as your main family home. Investment properties that have never been your main residence do not qualify for any CGT relief.

For non-UK residents, PRR can still apply, but there are additional conditions. You may not have to pay CGT for any tax year in which you, your spouse, or civil partner spent at least 90 days in the UK home, provided you meet the necessary conditions and nominate it as your only or main home when reporting the sale to HMRC.

Certain parts of the property, such as areas let out, used exclusively for business, or grounds larger than 5,000 square metres, may reduce the relief. You also automatically receive relief for the last nine months of ownership (or 36 months if you are disabled or in long-term care). 

Regardless of whether any tax is due, you must submit a Non-Resident CGT (NRCGT) return and pay any CGT within 60 days of the sale. Penalties apply if the return is late or tax is unpaid by the deadline. Even if there is no CGT to pay the return must still be submitted by the deadline.