Originally Posted by
Odins Raven
Where it becomes interesting is if your wife / family goes home and you have a property you own in the UK then the amount of days you can spend in the country per year before being counted as a ‘resident’ for tax purposes dramatically reduces... I think at the time I last checked a few years ago it can be as critical as spending only 23 days in the UK and getting fully taxed if you have major connections there (family moved home, house etc). And that 23 days includes those being worked on layovers I believe. The rule used to be 183 days I think (basically half the year) before tax eligibility, but obviously the GFC brought home a few truths.
How they can count your days spent in the UK? Yes, they know when you enter the country by passing the immigration. But they don't know when you left the country because no passport check on exit.