Background Note
13.Generally, individuals who are not resident in the UK have no entitlement to claim UK personal allowances or reliefs from income tax. However there are a number of conditions, either set out in the Taxes Acts or under Double Taxation Agreements (DTA) supported by Statutory Instrument, which allow people who are not resident and who are subject to income tax in the UK to claim personal allowances and reliefs.
14.Previously, there was an entitlement for some individuals to claim purely by virtue of being a Commonwealth citizen but by meeting no other condition. Commonwealth citizens will no longer qualify for personal allowances, married couple’s allowance, blind person’s allowance and relief for life assurance premiums by reference to their Commonwealth citizenship status alone. They may, of course, continue to qualify under the other conditions or through DTA provisions if appropriate.
15.This change will mainly affect citizens of the following countries: Bahamas; Cameroon; Cook Islands; Dominica; Maldives; Mozambique; Nauru; Niue; St Lucia; St Vincent & the Grenadines; Samoa; Tanzania; Tonga; and Vanuatu.
