Seatax
Superyacht crew UK tax
Captains, officers, deckhands and interior crew on superyachts are often paid gross and told they ‘live on board’. If you are UK resident you are taxable on worldwide income. You may still claim SED. You should not assume no country has a claim.
Pain
Cash in Malta, winter in the Caribbean, still a UK resident. Two countries can both want tax.
Solution
We bring yacht personnel back into the UK system and claim SED where it applies, without walking into a double-tax mess.
Double tax agreements
The UK has treaties to stop the same income being taxed twice — not to make income vanish. We do not approach HMRC until we have checked your facts and you are satisfied.
Evidence
Discharge book or sea service testimonials, flight records and contracts. Keep them indefinitely. A refund is not a closed enquiry.
This page is general information based on published HMRC guidance, not personal tax advice. Seatax will apply the rules to your sea service after you enrol. Fees from £275 including VAT per return.
Questions people ask
Do interior crew count as seafarers?
If they are employees performing duties on a ship, they can. The SED rules are the same for all ranks.
Enrol with Seatax
Ready to put your seafarer tax in order?
Fees from £275 including VAT per tax return. Download the pack, or call us and we will deal with your enquiry within 24 hours.