• Give notice at work: you will need to give your notice at your current working position in advance (make sure you are aware of your resignation timings)
• Cancel your contracts for rent and utilities: finish the lease contract if you are renting or sell your house if applicable.

Note that ending your lease early may also result in a penalty so try to time your departure so that it coincides with the end of your contract

• If necessary, hire a real estate agent to help settle matters: employ an estate agent and start early as selling a house can be a very slow process. Make sure to cancel your utilities upon leaving your residence
• Close your bank account or move it to the following destination. Some international banks may help you transfer it to a foreign branch
• If you have children, look into school registration and transferring of records
• Contact your consulate to find out details about your countries recommended procedures on issues such as pensions and unemployment
• Hire a moving company: Prepare your goods to go through customs by making a detailed inventory and secure a proof of change of residence. A moving form attestation can be secured through your Consulate.
  If using a shipping company, they should be able to handle most of this paperwork for you. To have the lowest taxes you will need to have had a residence abroad for more than 12 months and have had use of the possessions in a private capacity for at least 6 months.

If you have indefinite leave to enter or remain

Due to the UK's decision to leave the European Union, many laws and regulations had changed, including the right to leave legally and remain in the UK.
If you have lived legally in the UK for 5 five years and you have applied successfully for the "indefinite leave to remain", you will be able to continue living in the UK without applying to the EU Settlement Scheme.
If you choose to apply (and meet all the other conditions), you will get the ‘indefinite leave to remain under the EU Settlement Scheme' - also known as settled status. Therefore, the "indefinite leave to remain" will not exist anymore as such. This means you will be able to spend up to 2 years in a row outside the UK without losing your settled status.

To apply for the new "EU Settlement Scheme" visit: Apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status).

For updated information visit: Staying in the UK if you're from the EU

UK tax requirements

Firstly, you need to notify the tax authorities (i.e. HMRC) in the UK that you are planning to leave. If you do not notify the relevant authorities, you may have to pay additional taxes which, as an expat, you are exempt from.

Get your P85 form from Revenue and Customs, fill it in and return it. It notifies the tax authorities that you are leaving the country and helps ensure that you'll be taxed appropriately in each jurisdiction.

• HM Revenue & Customs' National Insurance Contributions Office
• Tax Office
• International Pension Centre (tel: +44 191 218 7777) handles all issues regarding the payment of State Pension, bereavement benefits, incapacity benefits and other benefits for those living abroad.

Note that if your taxes are being withheld, you should have the withholding statements to show the officer. Be aware that the Tax Bureau has the right to presume that you are earning income. It is your duty to refute that presumption, if you choose. If taxes are not being withheld from your income, the Tax Bureau might impose a liability on you. If you claim you were not working, you will need to account for how you spent your days.

Getting your State Pension abroad

If you are planning to retire abroad, your pension is going to be one of your most important factors.

Depending on how long you stay abroad, you can have your contributions credited to your UK State Pension or you could receive two pensions - one from the UK and one from the country where you lived and worked. This will be decided when you reach State Pension age, taking into account where you live.

Due the United Kingdom decision to leave the UE, new rules on applying/claiming your state pension in the EU, EEA and Switzerland now apply.

However, you can still carry on receiving your UK State Pension if you move to live in the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you can still claim your UK State Pension from these countries. You can also count relevant social security contributions made in EU countries to meet the qualifying conditions for a UK State Pension.

To apply for your State Pension after you reach you retirement age, you will need to tell the government office that deals with your benefits or your UK State Pension if you are moving or retiring abroad.

Fore more information on how to get your State Pension abroad, visit our section: "pensions".

Prepare for your arrival

Along with shutting down your foreign house, you will need to prepare your next location.

This possibly includes finding work, searching for a new apartment or house or preparing your house to be re-occupied. A visa may be necessary depending on your status, research and start the process well in advance.

If moving with a pet, check with the country you are bringing the animal into and follow similar steps to when you entered the UK.

If any members of your family are not from the country you are moving to, you may need to secure visas for their entry.

If your next destination is not your home country, you will need to follow many of the same steps from when you established yourself in London.

Check out our other EasyExpat.com guides for details on your new location.

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