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End-to-end Moving Abroad Planner

The complete financial picture of your move — from the first removal van to your retirement income abroad. Shipping, pets, housing, FX, tax exit, ongoing costs, return planning and more. All in one guided tool.

👤 About you & your move

Your current UK city

Destination country

Planned move date

Household size

Annual gross income (£) Combined if couple

Total savings / liquid assets (£)

Do you own property in the UK?

UK property value (£)

Outstanding mortgage (£)

Purpose of move

🐾 Pets & special cargo

Number of pets

Pet type

Destination pet rules

Step 1 of 9

📦 Shipping & removal costs

Removal volume

Shipping method

Temporary storage needed?

Packing: who does it?

✈️ Flights & initial travel

One-way flights (all travellers, £) Include all household members

Temporary accommodation on arrival (nights)

Nightly cost (£) Hotel/Airbnb per night

📋 Visas, legal & admin

Visa application fees (£) Per person, multiply as needed

Legal/notary fees (£)

Translation/apostille docs (£)

Step 2 of 9

🏠 Abroad: buy or rent?

Monthly rent abroad (£)

Security deposit (months)

Agency / finder fee (£)

Furnishing / setup costs (£)

🇬🇧 UK property (if applicable)

UK property action

UK estate agent fee (% of sale)

Expected monthly rent (£)

Letting agent management fee (%) Typically 10–15% for full management

Step 3 of 9

💱 Currency exchange & transfers

Bank FX rates are typically 2–3% worse than mid-market. On ongoing transfers this compounds significantly over time.

Monthly transfers abroad (£) Your salary / pension you'll convert monthly

Transfer method

Large one-off transfer (£) e.g. to buy property, deposit, car etc.

Lump-sum transfer method

💡 Forward contracts: Lock in today's exchange rate for a transfer up to 2 years in the future. Invaluable for property purchases — you know exactly how much you're spending before the deal completes.

🏦 Banking abroad

Estimated bank account setup cost (£) Many countries require a minimum deposit

Monthly international banking fees (£)

Step 4 of 9

🏛️ UK tax exit planning

Expected UK departure date

UK tax year split-year case Open Split-Year Planner if unsure

UK rental income after departure (£/yr) Non-residents pay 20% at source under NRLS

UK dividend / investment income (£/yr)

UK pension income (£/yr) UK pensions taxable in UK even for non-residents (most DTAs)

ISA holdings (£) ISAs lose their tax-free status once you become non-resident — you can hold but not contribute new money

GIA / unwrapped investments (£) Consider crystallising gains before departure to use annual CGT exemption

DB / final salary pension value (£) DTA rules govern where DB pensions are taxed

📋 Statutory Residence Test (SRT): You need to pass the SRT to formally cease UK tax residency. The Full SRT calculator runs you through all the tests. Key facts: you'll typically need to spend <16 UK days/year in year 1 if you have 3 UK ties, or <46 days if you have only 2 ties.

⚠️ CGT & IHT pre-departure checklist

Review CGT position: crystallise losses / use £3k annual exemption before departure. Gains realised as a non-resident can't use UK exemptions. IHT review: UK-domiciled individuals remain subject to UK IHT for up to 10 years after departure. Review your estate before leaving — consider trusts, gifting strategy. Pension review: Maximise UK pension contributions in final UK tax year (up to £60k annual allowance). Non-UK residents can no longer contribute to UK personal pensions (with minor exceptions). ISA freeze strategy: Maximise ISA contributions before departure (£20k/year). You can hold but not contribute once non-resident. File P85: Tell HMRC you're leaving via form P85. Ensures correct PAYE code and any refund due. File within 60 days of departure. Voluntary NI top-ups: Consider Class 2 voluntary NI contributions while abroad (£3.45/week) to protect State Pension entitlement — one of the best returns available to any expat.

Step 5 of 9

📊 Ongoing monthly costs abroad

Target monthly budget abroad (£)

Healthcare / private insurance (£/mo) Private health insurance is essential for most expat destinations

Education / schooling (£/mo) International school fees can be £800–£2,500/month per child

Security / gated community fees (£/mo) Relevant for SA, parts of Latin America

Car / transport (£/mo)

Annual UK trips (flights per year)

Average UK flight cost (£ return)

Annual income growth rate (%)

💰 Savings & tax efficiency abroad

Expected tax rate abroad (%) Use the Destination Tax Planner to model this

UK effective tax rate currently (%)

Annual investment contribution abroad (£)

Expected investment return (%/yr)

Step 6 of 9

✈️ Planning to return to the UK?

Return plan

Estimated return cost (flights + moving, £)

UK rental / property on return (£/mo)

Sell property abroad on return?

⚠️ Temporary non-residence rules: If you return to the UK within 5 tax years of leaving, HMRC's "temporary non-residence" rules can catch gains and income realised while abroad. Plan your return date carefully — ideally after 5 full UK tax years abroad. Use the Full SRT tool to model your position.

🏠 Return housing costs

UK property action on return

Stamp duty / buying costs on return (£) Standard SDLT on £350k = ~£7,500; may be higher if still own abroad

Step 7 of 9

✅ Can I work or retire abroad?

Tell us your goal and income — we'll show the most realistic visa routes for your chosen destination.

My goal abroad

Monthly income (£) Salary, pension, passive income — whatever applies

Age

Liquid savings / net worth (£)

Step 8 of 9

Total estimated first-year cost of your move

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Complete the steps above to calculate your move

💰 Cumulative cost vs cumulative savings over 5 years

💱 Annual FX cost: bank vs specialist broker (5 years)

📅 Your personalised move timeline

📋 Generate action plan → 📈 Retirement income planner → 🏛️ Split-year & departure planner → 💰 Destination tax planner →

Step 9 of 9

Estimates only — verify before you move. All cost figures are illustrative mid-2025 estimates based on publicly available data. Visa income thresholds, tax rates, shipping costs and property transaction costs change frequently and vary significantly by individual circumstances. This tool does not constitute financial, legal or tax advice. Always consult qualified advisers before making major financial decisions. Expat Compass is independent and not affiliated with any government, visa service, removal company or financial institution.