Latest news with #BritishExpats
Daily Mail
26-07-2025
- Daily Mail
I moved to Spain to build a new life for myself - here's the biggest challenge I faced
A Brit who moved to Spain and built a new life for himself revealed the biggest challenge he experienced. Lee Thornley, 43, left his job as a barrister and relocated overseas in 2008 with the intention to learn Spanish. There are reportedly some 350,000 British people officially registered as living in Spain, with many attracted by the alluring weather and good food. 'I just thought, I want to change things, and I didn't have any kids and didn't have any mortgages, so I was like I'm just going to go to Spain and learn Spanish,' he told MailOnline Travel. Lee fell in love with the area that his language school was based in, Costa de la Luz, and the benefits he was experiencing from moving countries. 'I felt healthier, I felt happier,' he explained, revealing how he thought at the time that he 'never wanted to go back to London '. The Brit met his now ex-wife, who he shares two children with, and bought land in the area. They built a hotel that became luxury rural hideaway, Casa la Siesta. However, Lee's Spanish journey hasn't always been easy. He admitted one of the biggest challenges he faced was learning the language. 'Language – I think that's probably the biggest challenge you have,' Lee explained. 'You know, your ability to communicate, so getting a good grasp of the Spanish language was probably the first challenge to overcome.' It took Lee 12 months to become completely fluent. 'When you're very much immersed in it, and you have to, then you just do. There's no option. You just have to figure it out,' he said. Another challenge Lee faced was tackling the hotel project, which was a much larger task than he had worked on before. He added: '... I'd done housing projects, but on a much smaller scale, like a regular two bedroom house in York, or we did a house project in Spain as well. 'We had, we had some experience, but nothing like what the scale of the project ended up being. 'So, it was more kind of naivety that, in a positive way, meant that I was confident to go ahead and have a go at it. 'But for sure, once I started on building a much bigger project like that, you realise you've got a lot to learn pretty quickly.' From building the hotel, Lee developed a passion for interior design and went on to found his own tile business. Lee now splits his time between Yorkshire and Spain. He moved back to the UK with his family a few years after his first child was born. 'So when we had our first daughter, we lived out there full time until she was three,' he said. Being away from family and the children not having 'access to their grandparents and them being part of their growing up' was important to both Lee and his wife. 'So it was more family reasons I think, wanting the kids to kind of grow up around a wider family network,' he explained. However, the businessman intends to return to Spain full time in the future. 'Once the kids go off to uni, we'll definitely move back to Spain,' Lee said. As for his tips for those wanting to make the move and start a new life in Spain, Lee emphasises the importance of getting stuck into the local culture. 'It's just really important to kind of integrate yourself as much as possible before you necessarily go in with two feet,' he explained. Getting to know the local people and being seen 'as part of the community' is vital for settling down there. 'I think we did a good job at living out there, learning Spanish, contributing to local economy, making friends, and then after that, actually making that decision as to whether or not to stay,' Lee added. 'I think sometimes I hear people saying "well, we're going to leave our home in the UK because it's worth X and buy something cheaper in Spain, and our life's going to be better". 'And it doesn't always work out, and I don't really think it's a surprise you need to kind of do your do your kind of time on the ground and really understand it before you make that big decision as to whether or not you actually want to live there.'
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: How Brits are being kicked out of their holiday homes in Spain by underground network of squatter gangs… and are POWERLESS to stop it
Britons are being kicked out of their holiday homes in Spain after falling prey to 'shameless' squatters who act with impunity thanks to the country's lacklustre laws, MailOnline can reveal. Homeowners this week said they have sold up or are planning to do so after spending years trying to remove illegal occupiers with 'no help' from police. The problem has become so pervasive that the profile of the squatters, once mostly limited to Spaniards and Moroccans, now includes British expats themselves - who have cottoned on to how easy it is to take over homes for months or even years at a time. The process to kick squatters out is mired by red tape and courtroom backlogs, placing a 'traumatic' strain on victims, many of them elderly. One 75-year-old Brit has developed severe anxiety and high blood pressure over her ordeal, while another 84-year-old is battling cancer as he tries to get his home back. 'It's getting worse and worse,' claims Liverpudlian estate agent Paul Stuart, 44, of Marbella-based Palm Estates. 'It's a ticking time bomb, there is so much anger that I fear we are going to see a lot more cases ending in violence. 'Since Covid there's been a perfect storm of surging rents, stagnant wages and lack of new housing; it's caused a noticeable increase in squatting. 'I've had to confront squatters myself and I have been threatened with stabbing twice.' Paul added: 'They are really clever and know how to manipulate the law, it's disgusting and horrible what they do. You feel terrible for these homeowners, most of them have saved all their lives to buy a place here and it's just been ruined. 'I know there are genuine people who fall on hard times and can't pay the rent for a while, but the majority of cases I see are just straight up criminals.' Paul explained how gangs of squatters operate on the Costa del Sol. 'They stake out properties to make sure they are empty, before breaking in and calling a locksmith to change the locks,' he explained, adding that he knows of at least one professional locksmith who is actively working for a squatter gang. He said the network then sells the keys on to a squatter family or thugs who want to use the home as a base of criminal activity - with some often becoming drug dens or brothels. This has been the experience of Emma and Ian Williams, who own a studio in Cala d'Or, Mallorca, which was broken into and occupied last December. Photos shared with MailOnline show how the Williams' clothes and other belongings were thrown into rubbish bags and dumped on the street. The Williams' were informed by concerned neighbours that the squatter moved on within a few weeks, only for a second man to occupy the flat. In the interim, neighbours filmed the disasterous state the flat had been left in, with a washing machine stolen and furniture trashed. Emma said: 'Someone else came and barely stayed, potentially storing drugs, then finally the locks were changed again by a third man who was fresh out of prison and who moved a prostitute in. She was heard having sex by our neighbours. 'The police have attended to every squatter and haven't done anything… we have flown to Spain and gone to their offices and still nothing happens. 'The squatters have illegally tampered with the electricity and water supply, and again, the police don't do anything about it.' She added: 'The same person has recently broken into a villa and made a fake tenancy agreement and it looks like they have moved prostitutes over there as it's bigger. 'Our solicitor says we can take the squatter to court but after the day of the court order another squatter could break in and we would have to start the whole process again. 'It's a vicious circle and no one wants to help.' Scottish homeowner Kathy Philip, 75, has been through the wringer after her tenant has refused to leave her two-bedroom apartment in Estepona, on the Costa del Sol, since he stopped paying rent in April 2024, owing them thousands. Her daughter Laura Wilson told MailOnline this week that her mother has developed anxiety and high-blood pressure, placing her at an increased risk of having a stroke. Kathy had been renting the property to an English estate agent at a bargain price of just €650 per month (similar properties could easily fetch three times as much). But following the death of her husband from Parkinson's in January 2023, Kathy decided she wanted to have the home they had shared so many memories in back to herself. They gave the tenant a generous six months' notice, but when Laura and her sister flew out for the handover last April, they found he had changed the locks and installed security cameras. 'He is running his business from the flat, my mum's address is on his real estate website,' said an incredulous Laura, who works as a teacher. 'Meanwhile we are still paying the electricity bills and community fees, amounting to thousands each year.' She said she is 'trying to do everything by the book' but that the lack of movements or updates from the courts is 'painful'. Her mother tried to go to the police but they essentially told her there was 'nothing they could do.' Laura added: 'We just get told to keep waiting, we feel totally powerless. My mum won't go back now, it's had real health implications for her. 'We want to sell the flat, that's it now. My mum is 75, we're keen to look after her like we promised our dad we would, and this has just been horrific for her, it's given her anxiety and she couldn't sleep for weeks. 'Her doctor said she had high blood pressure and an increased risk of having a stroke. 'We just have to hope something is eventually going to happen but we still haven't been given a court date.' In Spain, there are two types of squatters; an 'okupa', who has broken into a property with the sole purpose of occupying it, and an 'inquiokupa', who is a tenant that has stopped paying the rent and refuses to leave. When a tenant stops paying, landlords must seek an eviction order through the courts, which can take months, a year or even longer. However, there are many 'tricks' used to delay the process further, including the squatters having themselves declared 'vulnerable' by the local authorities - granting them extra time. In April this year, a new law came into effect which says 'okupas' who have broken into homes can be removed via an express eviction order within 15 days. However, squatters are creating fake rental contracts bearing the real names of the property owners - which they obtain by rummaging through trash or letterboxes. They tell the police they are tenants and have a right to stay, kicking the can down the road. The tenant had been paying rent to Susan's father, but stopped when he died in January and the apartment was left to Susan. Pictured: The exterior of Susan's home It's a legal landmine that would prove overwhelming even for the typical Spaniard, let alone an elderly Brit who can only spend a few months in the country at a time. Maureen Findell, 76, has just sold her two-bedroom apartment in Punta Prima, on the Costa Blanca, after squatters 'completely ruined' the home for her and her family. The grandmother, from London, told MailOnline she was first informed by her neighbour last December that people were in her flat, using a set of keys to come and go. 'They told them they had rented it, they had a fake rental contract with the name of another owner in the building,' she said. 'They broke in via the back doors and had been living there for months or even longer before people realised they were squatters.' Maureen hadn't been able to fly out to the home for some time as she was caring for her sick sister back in the UK. 'They must have realised mine was empty,' she said. 'I know three other properties had squatters, there are two still living there and different families come and go and they don't seem to be able to get rid of them. 'The police don't give a monkeys, and the squatters are intimidating people and often have aggressive dogs.' Given the lack of faith in the system, Maureen said her 'incredible' neighbours, mostly Brits, decided to stand outside the property day and night, waiting for the so-called 'sitter' to leave. The sitter is the person used by the squatter gangs to 'reserve' a home until one of their families move in. Often, gangs sell the keys of occupied homes to other squatters, in what has become a lucrative business in areas where properties are left empty for months at a time. As previously revealed by MailOnline, the squatters have allegedly failed to pay more than €50,000 in rent for the three-bedroom house in Mijas, since 2020 Unfortunately, it means British-owned flats or villas in holiday hotspots are among the top targets, alongside bank repos. Maureen added: 'I was one of the lucky ones, eventually they realised they could not move in another family so they left. 'But they left the place in such a mess and the whole ordeal threw me so much that I couldn't bring myself to go back there, I sold it because I couldn't cope with it.' Maureen had bought the home off plan more than 20 years ago. She said: 'The whole family used to go there, it was lovely, but this just spoiled it. 'These are not vulnerable, homeless people, these are mafia type people, they go around stealing. 'If it was genuine homeless people I could kind of understand it, but they're not.' Hundreds of kilometres away on the Costa del Sol, Susan Travers, 57, from Glasgow, is owed thousands of euros in rent. Her two-bedroom, €220,000 flat in Manilva was squatted at the start of this year. The tenant had been paying rent to Susan's father, but stopped when he died in January and the apartment was left to Susan. Susan told MailOnline how the woman, who was working for a well-known estate agency, has only recently abandoned the home after refusing to pay for over six months. 'I was emailing and texting and calling her and she just ignored me,' Susan added. 'When I did get her on the phone she was quite aggressive and told me there was nothing I could do, saying I can't get her out and "I know my rights" and all this. 'I even tried to arrange for her to pay what she owed in instalments but she was not interested. 'Then one day she just vanished without warning and we were able to get in and change the locks back.' Susan is now going through the courts to get what she is owed in rent, while the squatter is believed to have taken over another home nearby. 'I was just shocked that she was an estate agent and doing this,' added Susan. Suffering a far worse fate is fellow British victim Kenneth Jobe, 84, who has been left exhausted after trying to remove squatters from his Costa del Sol home for over five years. As previously revealed by MailOnline, the squatters have allegedly failed to pay more than €50,000 in rent for the three-bedroom house in Mijas, since 2020. In an update this week, Kenneth's son said his father has been diagnosed with cancer after the disease was detected in his liver. The shocking news has dealt a crushing blow to the family, who are now more desperate than ever to win their home back. 'We're not giving up,' his son told MailOnline, 'We're in court in September where the judge will rule on whether or not the squatters can be declared vulnerable, and we are optimistic of winning and getting an eviction date. 'But it's disgusting, my dad got diagnosed with cancer last week. He's having a biopsy right now in hospital, and he can't even go to his own house in Spain, it's breathtaking, he wants to live out there.' He added: 'The system is broken, especially for expats, if you're spanish it moves along a lot quicker.' Brits who plan to leave their home in Spain empty for any period of time are advised to install good quality security cameras and an alarm. If squatters are filmed on CCTV breaking into your home, and an alarm notifies police immediately, there will be a much stronger case for an immediate eviction.
Telegraph
07-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
‘I moved to the US for a better salary, and pay just 10pc tax'
The American dream is still luring thousands of British workers across the Atlantic every year, in the hope of finding the success they lack in the UK. Between 2022 and 2024, America was the most popular destination for British expats, surpassing countries like Australia and the UAE, according to the US census. There are approximately 700,000 British citizens living in the US, spread across the country – with some 120,000 British born residents living in New York, 35,000 in Los Angeles and 15,000 in Washington DC. One of the main draws, as Patricia Casaburi, chief executive of migration consultancy Global Citizen Solutions, points out, is that the US offers significant professional and academic opportunities for British workers – particularly in finance, technology, medicine and the arts. 'Salaries average 40pc to 50pc higher than in the UK, and while healthcare concerns previously deterred some, NHS challenges have made this less of an issue – as well as the fact that US healthcare is often paid by the employer,' says Casaburi. The firm she runs helps people find the best residency or citizenship to diversify their investments. But there are downsides, as the British expats working state-side tell us. Some states, particularly New York and California, have 'hideous' taxes that eat into your higher salary, and of course there's healthcare insurance to factor in. Plus, there have recently been hints from President Donald Trump that inflated taxes for the rich could be on their way. 'Despite hideous taxes, I'm never moving back' Peter, a surgical device start-up co-founder who has been living in the US since 1999, considers himself more American than British. Bearing citizenship and a slight transatlantic twang, the 70-year-old doesn't miss his mother country at all. He first began visiting in the 1980s for business, but it was meeting his wife-to-be on a flight to Denver in 1997 that redirected his path across the pond for good. 'I was coming out of my second marriage, and not looking for any form of relationship, but after several hours of talking, we knew it was right,' he says. After getting married and spending some time in Britain together, the couple moved to Washington DC, then San Diego and eventually settled in New York City in 2009. As an entrepreneur, Peter earns three to four times what he would in the UK, while his wife, a broadcast journalist, earns eight to 10 times more. This tracks with current data – according to the American compensation data firm Payscale, the average annual salary in New York is $93,000 (£70,000), compared to London, where it is £46,000 ($61,121). In a Northern city like Manchester or Leeds, it's more like £34,000 ($45,173). Peter and his wife rent an apartment in a quiet part of Manhattan by the river, and own a beach house in Jersey Shore, but 'hideous' triple taxes are by far the most expensive aspect of life in New York. They pay a combination of federal, state and city tax, which equates to around 49pc of the couple's combined gross income – although, he notes, it's not as bad as in California. 'I'm fine with the high tax in principle here, but it's definitely the reason so many people leave New York – there are tons of US states where we could be paying considerably less,' he says, adding that his business is based in San Antonio, Texas, which provides some tax relief. Although Peter now gets health insurance through his wife's employer, they were stung when the Affordable Care Act (otherwise known as Obamacare) was introduced in 2010. As co-owners of a business, the policy pushed the pair's health insurance costs up by 90pc, to around $2,000 each a month. When they employed an assistant, the overall insurance dropped to $1,100 for all three, per month. 'I feel privileged to get good spousal coverage now,' says Peter. His wife's job is likely to keep them in New York City for the foreseeable, but even if she were to leave, he'd never move back to the UK. 'In my view, Britons are always glass half empty – people have their lot in life and settle for it,' he says. 'They want to retire as soon as they can because they hate their job and have a state cushion.' He finds people in America to be more ambitious and happy to continue working beyond retirement age. Launching a start-up as a septuagenarian, for example, has been viewed as completely normal behaviour by his peers, while in the UK, he believes he'd be an anomaly. 'Americans wear their salary like a badge of honour' Katy McQuade, now 59, moved to the US from London in 1990, and agrees that one of the biggest differences is the drive to be successful and 'make your mark' – although it took her a while to get used to the characteristic braggadocio. 'You wouldn't wear your salary like a badge of honour in the UK, whereas here there's no shame in telling someone outright, whether they want to know or not,' she says. Working as a realtor for the last 20 years, Katy lives in a small town called Carefree, near Scottsdale, Arizona. And carefree it often can be, as Katy pays a fraction of the tax charged in East Coast states like New York or Washington. Arizona's income tax is just 2.5pc, property tax is 0.45pc of a home's assessed value, and the average tax and local sales tax comes to 8.38pc. 'I'm in quite a high tax bracket, but I try to find workarounds nonetheless – such as creating a PLC,' she explains. 'I pay 10pc tax on what I earn, although when I was making closer to $100,000 a year, I would have nudged into the 20pc tax bracket.' Katy says she would happily pay higher taxes for better services and community upkeep, though. 'While we say we have a great tax rate, we're 42nd in education out of 50 states, and we don't get certain public services because they're not funded,' she explains. 'I'd prefer to live in a more educated state, and I think that's an important base for the general public.' 'There's a focus on entrepreneurship, which Labour is sucking away' Although Paul, 64, has worked in a number of US cities for business, he's never lived in the US permanently. However, his position at a boutique marketing tech agency saw him make the switch from Exmoor, Somerset to New York City at the end of April. 'We're seeing more business opportunities in the US than in the UK or continental Europe, so I'll be here for around three years to concentrate on that,' he says. 'I also see more optimism and positivity towards earning money here, and certainly a focus on entrepreneurship, which Labour is sucking away in the UK.' Soon to be joined by his wife, Paul is flat hunting in central Manhattan, and expects to pay $6,600 (£5,000) a month for a two-bedroom apartment. 'Back at home, we've been paying off our properties, and have rented them out while we're here, so although we're paying 10 times the costs for somewhere to live than in the UK, it feels doable,' explains Paul. 'All our children have grown up and left home, so we can enjoy the flexibility by coming here and taking advantage of everything.' While there's often the impression that American employees get very little holiday, Paul will get roughly the same allowance as he does in Britain, with his company offering 20 days, plus the eight US public holidays. He's planning to spend big on trips to North and South America – first up is Yellowstone National Park, inspired by the couple's Netflix drama favourite Yellowstone. His taxes will be slightly lower than in the UK, although that didn't sway his decision to accept the relocation. He hopes Trump will reduce them further, but recent hints from the president suggest otherwise. He may let tax breaks for the richest Americans expire, returning their top income tax rate to 39.6pc – the same as before Trump's 2017 tax overhaul – from the current 37pc. It's a concern for Peter. 'It would be an extra 2pc on everything over $2.5m, or $20,000 for every million,' he says. 'It would really affect us.' Casaburi says the proposed 'millionaire's tax' has surprised many clients and prompted wealthy British expats residing in the US to consider relocating to more tax-friendly jurisdictions. 'Rather than returning to the UK, which has significant taxes itself, British clients are exploring alternatives like Malta and Cyprus,' she says. Those wishing to stay closer to the US for family or business reasons are considering Caribbean nations that offer favourable tax terms like St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua, Barbuda and Grenada. 'While the US remains attractive for Britons seeking professional and financial advancement, its appeal for high-net-worth individuals fluctuates with changing fiscal policies,' she adds. Is the US losing its shine? While there may be more money to be had in America, it doesn't win across all metrics that make a happy life. The US dropped form 23rd to 38th in terms of quality of life, according to data from Global Citizen Solutions. 'In contrast, the UK has remained firmly in the global top 10 across the quality of life, investment potential, and mobility dimensions, maintaining strong institutional trust and healthcare access, despite Brexit,' says Casaburi. 'For British nationals already living in the US or considering transatlantic relocation, these shifts are prompting more nuanced evaluations, not just of economic opportunity, but of long-term wellbeing, security, and stability.' For Matthew, the American lifestyle was untenable. He relocated from London to New York in 2000, enticed by the fact that when he demanded double his already high programming salary to be doubled, 'they didn't blink', he says. 'I should've asked for 200pc.' However, the relentless New York lifestyle – 6am workouts, 11-hour workdays, nights out with brokers, and just four hours of sleep – took their toll, and Matthew was eventually diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia, a serious heart condition which can be triggered by stress. In 2020, he and his family left New York for Bath, escaping a lifestyle that cost $20,000 a month – including $70,000 in school fees and $30,000 for health insurance. Now, life is calmer and far cheaper. 'Even if someone offered me 10x what I'm on now, I wouldn't move back permanently,' he says. The kids love school, play in open fields, and have Olympians as coaches. 'Bath's been the death of aspiration,' he jokes. 'There's nowhere else I'd rather be.' Peter, Katy and Paul are not planning a return to Britain any time soon. However, Katy says she makes regular trips back to the UK to visit family, and keeps a close eye on life across the pond. 'Right now, there is a lot of trepidation and nervousness about how to play your cards in the US, for expats and locals alike,' she says. 'We just have to wait and see how the cookie crumbles.'
Associated Press
04-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Planning for Succession and Inheritance Taxes in Spain for Expatriate Residents
07/03/2025, Paphos 8035 // PRODIGY: Feature Story // Spain remains one of the most popular destinations for UK expatriates, with an estimated 275,000 British nationals currently living there and a consistent number of families, professionals, and retirees relocating each year. As with any overseas move, expatriates must consider the long-term financial implications of a change in tax residency. This includes those who have been resident in Spain for some time but have yet to review their estate plans and the significant tax burdens that beneficiaries may be exposed to. Chase Buchanan Private Wealth Management, the global financial advisers and wealth managers with a long-established presence in Spain and across Europe, have put together a concise guide to explain why succession planning is so important and why it matters for expats of any age. An Overview of Succession Planning for Expats Living in Spain Succession planning is a key aspect of financial management for every family, but it is also something we often find overlooked, particularly for expatriates who aren't yet approaching retirement age. However, putting plans in place sooner rather than later may be key to long-term generational wealth protection. In brief, succession planning isn't solely about calculating inheritance tax liabilities. It is about who you would like to inherit your assets and wealth in all jurisdictions, and implementing strategies to ensure you can pass on wealth to your selected beneficiaries tax-efficiently. This can be a complex area of financial planning, given that when we start putting together succession plans, we need to consider a broad range of assets and circumstances, from property portfolios and investments to life insurance products and assets. Without a plan, some families find out too late that they have sacrificed control over nominating heirs or are subject to significant tax liabilities they had not planned for. This is wholly relevant for expats in Spain since forced heirship rules apply, something many UK nationals are unfamiliar with, but a set of regulations common in most European countries. These rules set out which direct relatives have a protected inheritance entitlement and also set out specific allowances. Understanding Inheritance Tax Rules and Rates for Spanish Tax Residents As in the UK, Spanish tax residents are usually subject to inheritance tax on their worldwide assets and wealth. That said, complications can arise where the estate owner has any ambiguity about their tax residency position or could be considered a tax resident in two places. Assuming an expat lives primarily or only in Spain, the Spanish inheritance tax rates will apply. The tax is payable by the beneficiary, regardless of whether or not they are also Spanish residents. Double tax treaties may apply, and professional advice is essential to ensure these are applied and claimed correctly. For instance, if the adult child of a Spanish tax resident inherits a property located in the UK, there may be scenarios where this is considered subject to both UK and Spanish tax. In this case, the treaties mean the largest liability will usually 'cancel out' the other to avoid a situation where the same inheritance could be taxed twice. Another complication is that inheritance tax rates vary within Spain. Each localised municipality has autonomy over the allowances and rates it applies. Generally, inheritance tax rates in Spain start at 7.65% for assets valued up to €7,993, with a top rate of 34% on inherited assets worth €797,555 or more. However, regions like Andalucia, Madrid, Murcia, the Canary Islands, and the Balearics, to name just a few, have allowances of as high as 99.9%, which all but eliminate inheritance taxes, depending on the category the recipient falls into, determined by their relationship to the deceased. Familial Inheritance Tax Allowances in Spain While noting that these do not apply in all Spanish jurisdictions, the most generous tax allowances apply to heirs in groups one to three. Group I includes children under 21, Group II applies to adult children, spouses, and parents, and Group III includes siblings, aunts or uncles, cousins, stepchildren, nephews and nieces, and in-laws. Group IV applies to all other beneficiaries, including unmarried partners in some municipalities. This excludes those within a region governed by rules that mean partners are treated the same way for tax purposes as spouses, including Valenciana and Andalucía. This means that the inheritance tax liabilities associated with your estate will depend on who you would like to receive your assets, where you live, the location of your assets, and how your wishes align with the forced heirship rules we mentioned previously. Spanish succession law applies forced heirship rules that generally state that children have a protected entitlement to receive two-thirds of the estate. This means that without advance planning, it might be impossible for a tax resident to leave the entirety of their estate to a spouse. Thus, consulting an experienced succession planning adviser who can factor in all of these considerations is essential, working with a professional who can advise if there are contrasts between the forced heirship rules and how you'd like your estate to be distributed. Why Strategic Succession Planning is Key for Spanish Expatriates Understanding the varied allowances, exemptions, tax liabilities, and the treatment of estates owned by a Spanish tax resident and inherited by an heir outside of Spain is potentially very complex. This is why detailed succession planning and accurate, up-to-date wills that are legally valid in Spain are essential aspects of financial planning. It's also worth pointing out that, under the recently revised residency rules introduced by the UK government, expatriates who divide their time between Spain and the UK or who haven't lived in Spain permanently for at least ten years are more likely to be exposed to challenges around their exposure to UK inheritance tax. Tailored succession planning isn't only focused on calculating accurate inheritance tax obligations, factoring these into finances, and deciding how best to manage an estate; it's also about gaining clarity over long-term financial tax burdens and making informed decisions without time pressures, which can pay dividends in the years to come. Read more about Chase Buchanan- Chase Buchanan Wealth Management Achieves Status as the Only Global Expat-Focused CII International Professional Partner About Chase Buchanan Private Wealth Management Chase Buchanan is a highly regulated wealth management company that specialises in providing global finance solutions for those with a global lifestyle. We are global financial advisers, supporting expatriates around the world from our regulated European headquarters, and local offices across Belgium, Canada, Canary Islands, Cyprus, France, Malta, Portugal, Spain, UK and the Buchanan Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission with CIF Licence 287/15. Source published by Submit Press Release >> Planning for Succession and Inheritance Taxes in Spain for Expatriate Residents
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Sleeping rough in Benidorm: How Brits are living in a homeless encampment after losing everything
Every summer the main parades of Benidorm's heaving New Town are packed with Brits. Crowds flock to the town on the Costa Blanca for its cheap and cheerful drinks, glorious sunshine and beautiful beaches. But while sozzled stags, excited hens and elderly holidaymakers enjoy themselves - just a few yards away it is a very different story. Behind Benidorm's rows of Irish pubs, British cafes and sports bars is a rubbish-filled homeless encampment. Among the shacks and piles of rubble is a desperate community of Brits, Spaniards and Albanians sleeping rough. The group live in the makeshift structures - without running water or electricity - after a surge in BnB-style properties priced them out of their homes. Jodie, a British woman who has been unable to find a job or accommodation in Benidorm since Brexit in 2020, said the people living in the encampment have formed a 'community'. She told MailOnline: 'When I first moved here everyone was on the streets alone, no one talked to each other, but I've made a little community,' she explained. 'I said we've got to help each other out little by little.' She added: 'We need help, I went to social services begging for help and they gave me an appointment for three months time and we missed it because we have no internet, we literally have nothing.' Jodie first moved to Benidorm in 1994 with her parents before returning to the UK with her son in 2012, so he could attend a British university. She eventually returned, but then found out she was no longer legally able to reside in Spain - making it impossible to find a job. Jodie said: 'I went back to England and when I asked for benefits they wouldn't give them to me because I had been out the country for too long, and now I've come home [to Spain] and I'm an illegal immigrant.' Jonny Elraiz runs City Streets Community Project, a charity that delivers food to the homeless in Benidorm. Four times a week Jonny and a group of volunteers cook up to 90 meals and deliver them to those sleeping rough in the Costa Blanca South area of Benidorm. He drives around stopping on street corners and at the 'commune', which sits below a cluster of high-rise hotels. The encampment has a direct view of New Town where thousands of Brits descend each summer to soak up the Spanish sunshine and let loose. It sits on a sandy hill above a car park and is littered with piles of rubbish and waste from building sites. There is one makeshift road that snakes uphill and passes several abandoned properties that have been marked with colourful towels by groups of people squatting inside them. Jonny explained that there are plenty of Brits who now consider Benidorm their home but have been forced to sleep rough because they can no longer afford to pay rent. He spoke to MailOnline about a veteran, who has found himself unemployed and living in Benidorm. 'Mark was a squaddie with the Royal Engineers,' he explained. 'He came out here a number of years ago, he's a builder and had a relationship breakdown, he was just living doing his work but because of the pandemic there was no work and he ended up on the streets. 'He's lost all his papers and he's living on the streets trying to get the odd days work here and there.' Not only does Jonny hand-deliver meals to the homeless in Benidorm but he also helps those stuck in the country return home. On a regular basis he receives calls from Brits who have lost their passports, run out of money and are unable to return to the UK. And while most people assume a weekend of partying will end in a hungover flight home, an increasing number of Brits end up trapped in the country. In several scenarios tourists have found themselves waking up in prison without their passport and upon release are forced to stay in Spain with nowhere to live until they get a court date. Spain is currently locked in a debate over anti-tourism with many people in towns popular with foreign holidaymakers protesting in the streets and sometimes attacking tourists. The protesters claim that a never-ending stream of tourists is increasing property prices and squeezing locals out of their towns - as well over-crowding beaches and damaging beauty spots. The tourism battle lines in Benidorm are drawn between the traditional quaint streets of the 'Old Town', where native visitors go to unwind, and the buzzing pub-packed strips of 'the New Town' where Brit drinkers party the night away. One local told MailOnline: 'I want them [the Brits] to stay away from this area, not many people like the British tourists. Jonny explained that as Benidorm continues to cater towards tourists - expanding rental properties and increasing food prices - locals are facing a cost-of-living crisis. 'I've got two or three guys who have a full-time job and they're living on the streets,' he told MailOnline. 'There's just nowhere to rent that is within the price range. 'There's nothing, you can't find anything, you see people on social media doing a flat share, you're looking at €400 to €200 a week for a room in a shared house. 'The average worker is on €1100 a month, so how's anyone supposed to survive? 'And most of the places are empty. That's the heartbreaking thing about it. You know, a lot of the tower blocks, and in the towns around as well. 'I've got a mate that's got an apartment in one of the tower blocks and eight months of the year there's him and one other apartment. 'Homes should be about where people live it shouldn't be about investment. 'Tourism has been exploited in a way which has had a detrimental effect on the locals.'
