Gaines-Cooper ruling puts nail in coffin for non-doms

A crackdown on wealthy tax exiles could be on the cards after a landmark victory for HMRC at the Court of Appeal yesterday over its interpretation of residency laws.

The court decided that HMRC had used the correct interpretation of the UK’s non-resident policy, IR20, meaning that British-born entrepreneur Robert Gaines-Cooper is liable to pay UK tax, despite spending less than 91 days a year in the country. He may now have to pay taxes dating back to 1993, the total of which is estimated at some £30m.