UKC

Hello.

I was wondering if anyone has experience of contract working in Europe. I'm currently unemployed but am in discussions with an employment agency for 2 contracts based in Amsterdam. The first is for 2 weeks, hopefully followed by one for 4 months. At the mo we don't have a start date but once that's confirmed things should progress fairly rapidly (told I should expect to fly out between 10-17 Sept).

Does anyone know what happens to things like National Insurance and Income Tax? I would still be paid in GBP, and to a UK account, but I haven't got a clue whether I'd be able to pay reduced rates or claim anything back. I've done a search on the web, but most of what I can find relates more to actually leaving the UK permanently.

Is there anything else which I should be thinking about or will need to sort if/before I go?

Any advice would be brilliant - as I say, I don't have the faintest idea about any of this!

Thanks,
Kevin

PS - anyone know of a decent indoor wall in Amsterdam???

In reply to MrFlibble: I work in France but as a secondment from a UK govertment agency, for tax, NI etc its as if I'm still in the UK, with salary paid into a UK bank account, PAYE & NI deducted, etc

But that may only be true for secondments /public sector

In reply to MrFlibble:

The agent is employing you and is in UK? In that case, you should be tax'd and NI'd as usual. If you are a self-employed contractor, you'll have to tell the Inland Revenue that you are self-employed and complete the necessary forms to pay tax and NI. The agency will be able to tell you your employment status and whether tax and NI will be deducted.

To fully escape the UK tax authorities you need to do a lot more to sever your links to the UK, particualarly with regard to where your residence is, where you are paid and where you hold assests.

In reply to Chris Shorter:

Yeah, I suspected that may be the case. Everything would still be done in the UK, apart from the actual work. Thanks...

In reply to MrFlibble:

I should have added that it's a great opportunity. I've worked in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Holland, Ireland and Egypt in the last 5 years. Great fun. Only the last would I hesitate to return to for work.