Can I really pay 0% tax if I move to Dubai?

Yes, with a compliant structure and SRT exit from the UK, Dubai offers 0% tax on income, gains, dividends, and crypto.

Will HMRC still tax my income if I live in Dubai?

Not if you’ve passed the Statutory Residence Test (SRT) and have shifted legal and operational control outside the UK.

Can I keep my UK Ltd if I move to Dubai?

Yes, but it must be structured correctly to avoid UK tax liabilities. Many founders use UAE HoldCos to control UK entities.

What’s the biggest mistake UK HNWIs make when exiting?

Failing to pass the SRT or moving before restructuring their operations—leading to UK tax exposure and frozen UAE banking.

Test Your Tax Exit: UK vs Dubai Take-Home at Scale

UK vs Dubai: What’s Your Take-Home at £250K, £1M, and £5M?

Same income. Very different outcomes

How You Exit Matters

Clean exits = 0% tax. Sticky exits = HMRC risk.

The Dubai Shift Difference

✅ Statutory Residence Test passed, audit-proof

✅ 0% tax in Dubai — income, gains, dividends, crypto

✅ Bankable, compliant structures — Big 4 overlays if needed

Dubai Shift helps UK founders and HNWIs migrate wealth — clean, compliant, and tax-free.

Book a Private Wealth Structuring Briefing

Explore more: Dubai vs UK: What You Really Pay in Tax at £250K, £1M, and £5M

This article is part of the Dubai Shift content series on: UK tax exit, Statutory Residence Test compliance, Legal 0% strategies for crypto, equity, and business income.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — Dubai has 0% personal income tax, 0% capital gains tax, and 0% dividend tax. But it only applies if you: Pass the Statutory Residence Test (SRT) to cut UK tax ties Move control of income/companies outside the UK Time gains (crypto, shares, property) after your residency break

HMRC will still tax UK-source income, even if you’re non-resident: UK rental income (filed via SA100) Employment/services physically performed in the UK Certain UK property-related capital gains But foreign income, crypto, and dividends can be fully tax-free if structured properly.

Yes — but it depends how it’s structured: If UK Ltd is still controlled from the UK → taxable in the UK If migrated or owned via a Dubai HoldCo/SPV → can be ringfenced under 0% UAE tax This is where clean control + audit structuring matters most.

The 5 most common: Failing the SRT by spending too many days in the UK Drawing salary/dividends from UK Ltd without restructuring Selling assets/crypto too soon after leaving Not filing a UK return for residual income (red flag) Using “cheap” offshore freezones that banks won’t accept