Spotlight on: "We Moved to Dubai to Escape UK Taxes — Here’s What It Really Cost Us as a Family"

We’re the Harpers, a family of four originally from Manchester, who relocated to Dubai in 2024. Like many UK business owners, we were increasingly frustrated by rising taxes, inflation, and limited lifestyle options. After crunching the numbers and doing our research, we packed up our lives for the tax-free promise of the UAE.

But while the move brought big rewards, it also came with unexpected trade-offs, emotional decisions, and paperwork that tested our patience.

Meet the Harpers: Our Big, Bold Move from Manchester to Dubai

The Motivation: Keeping More of What We Earn

Between my husband’s freelance income and my growing online business, we were handing over nearly £60,000 a year to HMRC in taxes and National Insurance.

We weren’t trying to dodge responsibilities — we just wanted to be more strategic with our earnings. We kept seeing Dubai come up as a zero income tax jurisdiction with great infrastructure, international schools, and growing opportunities for entrepreneurs.

What the Relocation Looked Like

✅ Pros: What Went Right

Zero income tax on personal earnings 💰

100% foreign ownership of our business via a Free Zone company

Residency visas for the whole family through the company setup

A higher quality of life, with sunshine, safety, and world-class schools

Greater access to global business networks and expat communities

⚠️ Cons: What Caught Us Off Guard

Start-up costs: Our Free Zone company, visas, legal fees, and relocation expenses totalled £25,000+ upfront

School fees: Private international schools in Dubai can exceed £15,000–£25,000 per child per year

No public healthcare: Private health insurance is mandatory — and costly

We lost access to certain UK benefits, including child benefit and tax-free ISAs

Navigating the UK Statutory Residence Test was tricky; one wrong move could mean we stay tax-resident in the UK without intending to

The Process: How Long It Took and What It Involved

Company formation in a Free Zone – 4–6 weeks

Visa processing – 2–3 weeks (longer with dependents)

Dealing with HMRC – Submitted P85, carefully planned our exit date

School applications – Required early registration, interviews, and fees

Logistics – Sold our UK property, hired movers, and opened UAE bank accounts

All told, it took us around 5–6 months from idea to arrival — longer than we expected.

Lessons We Learned (the Hard Way)

Don’t go it alone. A good tax advisor saved us from serious missteps — particularly around UK tax residency rules.

Lifestyle inflation is real. The lack of tax can make you feel richer than you are, but Dubai can be very expensive.

You’ll miss home. Friends, family, NHS access, and cultural familiarity don’t transfer with you.

Plan for the future. There’s no state pension in Dubai, so we had to set up our own retirement plans fast.

Life Today: Balanced, Brighter, but Not Perfect

We’ve now been in Dubai for 9 months. The sunshine and savings are real — but so is the need for constant planning. We've gained financial freedom, yes, but it came with emotional and logistical costs.

The kids are thriving in school, we spend more time together, and our businesses have grown. But we still check in with our UK accountant regularly, keep up with SRT rules, and plan visits home around those all-important 90-day limits.

So, is the move been worth it? If you're financially prepared, legally advised, and emotionally ready — absolutely.

But don’t be lured by just the tax savings. Dubai offers a high-reward lifestyle, but only when you go in with eyes wide open.