The new law requires UK taxpayers to notify HMRC about any offshore tax liabilities relating to UK income tax, capital gains tax, or inheritance tax.

‘Some UK taxpayers may not realise they have a requirement to declare their overseas financial interests. Under the rules, actions like renting out a property abroad, transferring income and assets from one country to another, or even renting out a UK property when living abroad could mean taxpayers face a tax bill in the UK,’ said HMRC in a statement.

The move is part of the government’s long-running initiative to clamp down on offshore tax losses.

 ‘Since 2010 we have secured over £2.8bn for our vital public services by tackling offshore tax evaders, and we will continue to relentlessly crack down on those not playing by the rules,’ said MP Mel Stride, Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

‘This new measure will place higher penalties on those who do not contact HMRC and ensure their offshore tax liabilities are correct. I urge anyone affected to get in touch with HMRC now.’

Ensuring that tax evaders will have less opportunity to conceal income, from 1 October more than 100 countries, including the UK, will be able to exchange data on financial accounts under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS).

‘CRS data will significantly enhance HMRC’s ability to detect offshore non-compliance and it is in taxpayers’ interests to correct any non-compliance before that data is received,’ said HMRC.

It says the most common reasons for declaring offshore tax are in relation to foreign property, investment income and moving money into the UK from abroad. Over 17,000 people have already contacted HMRC to notify the department about tax due from sources of foreign income, such as their holiday homes and overseas properties.

Once an individual has notified HMRC by 30 September of their intention to make a declaration, they will then have 90 days to make the full disclosure and pay any tax owed.

‘If taxpayers are confident that their tax affairs are in order, then they do not need to worry. If anyone is unsure, HMRC recommends they seek advice from a professional tax adviser or agent,’ said HMRC.

HMRC also provided the following examples of what it considers to be offshore assets. which includes:

• art and antiques
• bank and other savings accounts
• boats
• cash
• debts owed to you
• gold and silver articles
• government securities
• jewellery
• land and buildings, including holiday timeshare
• life assurance policies and pensions
• other accounts, such as stockbroker’s or solicitors’
• other bond deposits and loans including personal portfolio bonds
• rights or intellectual property including image rights
• stocks and shares
• trusts including employee benefit trusts and self-employed persons trusts
• vehicles

Report by Rob Munro