What happens if a non-UK domiciled person has foreign income of less than £2,000?

In the context of non-UK domiciled individuals, the remittance basis of taxation allows them to only pay UK tax on their UK income and on foreign income and gains to the extent that they are brought into the UK. If a non-UK domiciled person has foreign income of less than £2,000, they automatically qualify to use the remittance basis. This is because individuals with foreign income below this threshold are not required to declare it to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), making it unnecessary to bring that income into the UK for taxation purposes. As a result, they benefit from the remittance basis without needing to incur additional tax obligations associated with declaring that income.

This situation recognizes the practical application of tax laws, where smaller amounts of foreign income do not attract the same level of scrutiny or requirement to tax as larger amounts might. Therefore, the remittance basis becomes a seamless method of avoiding unnecessary taxation for amounts considered trivial by HMRC standards.