France in Focus

I have lived in France and paid my taxes here for 22 years. I have just received a demand from HMRC saying I them owe tax on my state pension. Has anyone else had such a demand ?

No. Looks like a Civil Service c**k up.

Have you just started receiving your pension? If so is this the first time that you have received any income from the UK? You may need to inform them that you will declare tax on this income in france.

Check this out.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... individual

Seems extraordinary to me - we've lived here for 34 years and never had ssuch a demand.

I have just spent 70 minutes on the phone with HMRC that’s 65 minutes on hold and 5 min talking. When I came to France my only income was my private pension and this was covered under the double taxation agreement. When later my state pension kicked in it was below the tax threshold. Then last year state pensions had an increase that put them over the threshold ie we give you a £200 rise and the take £155 in tax. So my state pension was not covered by the DT agreement. Thus I have to go that’ll the rigmarole of claiming