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Common Reporting Standard (CRS)

What is CRS?

To help fight against tax evasion and protect the integrity of tax systems, governments around the world are introducing a new information-gathering and reporting requirement for financial institutions. This is known as the Common Reporting Standard ("the CRS").

To help us do our bit under the CRS, we are required to determine where all our customers are "tax resident" - this will usually be where you are liable to pay income or corporate taxes. If you are a tax resident outside the country where you hold your account(s) then we may need to provide details, including information relating to the accounts, to the national tax authority in the country where the account is held. They may then share that information with the tax authority of the country (or countries) where you are tax resident.

What do you need to do?

Nothing until we get in touch - and if we do, you'll need to complete this form:

CRS self-certification for individuals[PDF]

Check out our glossary section on this page if you need a hand with any of the terminology in this form.

Please send your completed form to:

first direct

40 Wakefield Road

Leeds

LS98 1FD

If you've got any general questions about your tax residency, please take a look at the rules governing tax residence published by each national tax authority. You'll need to talk to a professional tax adviser if you have any specific questions.