GUERNSEY will keep a close eye on the outcome of a tax dispute between a multi-millionaire and HM Revenue and Customs that is set for a Supreme Court hearing in London next year.

The long-running legal battle between Seychelles-based entrepreneur Robert Gaines-Cooper and HMRC relates to his status as a UK citizen and whether he has done enough to qualify as a non-resident.

Whatever the Supreme Court decides could have far-reaching implications for those seeking to leave the UK because of high taxes and for places such as Guernsey that are keen to attract wealthy entrepreneurs.

‘The high profile status of this case means that Mr Gaines-Cooper’s appeal to the Supreme Court will certainly be watched with interest by tax professionals to see if the Supreme Court agrees that HMRC did not change its published practice,’ said Jo Huxtable (pictured), tax director at Deloitte in Guernsey.

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