PAR → LHR · FOUNDER GUIDE · OCTOBER 2026
Leaving France for London 🇬🇧 as a founder
19–25% corporation tax · dividends taxed 10.75% / 35.75% / 39.35%. There's no joint filing in the UK, so couples often split shares to use two sets of allowances (that's what “couple” does here).
What you'd keep vs France
Solo founder, 100% owner, whole profit paid out as dividends each year. How the math works.
| PROFIT | TAX IN 🇫🇷 | TAX IN 🇬🇧 | KEEP IN 🇬🇧 | VS FRANCE / YR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €100K | 41.2% | 33.5% | €66,489 | +€7,732 |
| €250K | 47.4% | 47.8% | €130,564 | −€976 |
| €500K | 53.4% | 51.2% | €243,883 | +€11,023 |
| €1M | 53.7% | 52.9% | €471,320 | +€8,211 |
ENTRY TICKET
Innovator Founder visa
- Cost
- £1,357 application + £1,000 endorsement + £1,035/yr health surcharge (≈ £6.5k over 3 years)
- Timeline
- ~3 weeks after endorsement
REQUIREMENTS
- —Endorsed by an approved body
- —New, innovative, viable and scalable business
- —English at B2 level
THE CATCH
Above ~£125k of dividends you pay 39.35% on top of 25% corporation tax. Dividend rates went up 2 points in April 2026.
SOURCES
Simplified simulation, not tax advice. You own 100%, so France's exit tax on your shares applies. Outside the EU you usually have to request the deferral and give guarantees. It's wiped if you keep your shares 2 years after leaving (5 if they're worth over €2.57M). Moving tax residency means actually living there, not just a mailbox.