United Kingdom vs United Arab Emirates
Corporate Tax Comparison
Time of Update: United Kingdom: 4/02/2026 / United Arab Emirates: 4/01/2026
Compare United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates corporate tax rates, filing due dates, withholding tax, VAT, capital gains tax, and effective tax metrics for cross-border company planning.
United Kingdom vs United Arab Emirates Corporate Tax Comparison
Basic Corporate Tax Comparison
Corporate Income Tax (CIT)
United Kingdom
United Arab Emirates
General CIT Rate:
1. Companies with profits exceeding £250,000 are subject to a main rate of 25% (effective from 1 April 2023).
2. Companies with profits not exceeding £50,000 are subject to a small profits rate of 19% (effective from 1 April 2023).
3. A tapered tax rate applies to profits falling between £50,000 and £250,000.
2. Companies with profits not exceeding £50,000 are subject to a small profits rate of 19% (effective from 1 April 2023).
3. A tapered tax rate applies to profits falling between £50,000 and £250,000.
General CIT Rate:
The standard corporate income tax rate in the UAE is set at 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000.
The corporate income tax rate is set at 0% for taxable income not exceeding 375,000 UAE dirham (AED) or qualifying income of a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP).*
The corporate income tax rate is set at 0% for taxable income not exceeding 375,000 UAE dirham (AED) or qualifying income of a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP).*
CIT Return Due Date:
Tax returns need to be submitted within one year after the end of the accounting period.
CIT Return Due Date:
According to the UAE CT law, all taxable persons must submit the company tax return within nine months after the end of the relevant tax period.
CIT Payment Due Date:
According to the scale of the payment company, there may be differences. For more information, please refer to the UK company summary.
CIT Payment Due Date:
According to the UAE CT law, all taxable persons must pay corporate tax within nine months after the end of the relevant tax period.
CIT Estimated Payment Due Date:
According to the scale of the payment company, there may be differences. For more information, please refer to the UK company summary.
CIT Estimated Payment Due Date:
According to the UAE CT law, there is no need to estimate/prepay taxes.
Withholding Tax (WHT)
United Kingdom
United Arab Emirates
Resident Withholding Tax (Dividend/Interest/Royalty):
0/20/20
Resident Withholding Tax (Dividend/Interest/Royalty):
0%
None-Resident Withholding Tax (Dividend/Interest/Royalty):
0/20/20
None-Resident Withholding Tax (Dividend/Interest/Royalty):
0%
Value-Added Tax (VAT)
Capital Gain Tax (CGT)
United Kingdom
United Arab Emirates
General Capital Gain Tax Rate:
Capital gains are subject to the regular corporate tax rate.
General Capital Gain Tax Rate:
Individuals: Generally, there is no personal capital gains tax, as the UAE does not levy personal income tax.
Companies: Capital gains are generally treated under corporate tax rules and typically fall within the scope of corporate tax, unless special rules such as the participation exemption or QFZP (Qualifying Free Zone Person) apply.
Companies: Capital gains are generally treated under corporate tax rules and typically fall within the scope of corporate tax, unless special rules such as the participation exemption or QFZP (Qualifying Free Zone Person) apply.
Effective Tax Rate (ETR)
United Kingdom
United Arab Emirates
Composite Effective Average Tax Rate:
22.55
Composite Effective Average Tax Rate:
Composite Effective Marginal Tax Rate:
11.51
Composite Effective Marginal Tax Rate:
