Side by side
The difference shows up on disposal, and it is not marginal.
- Reporting: capital gains treatment on disposal, plus annual tax on reported income including amounts not paid out.
- Non-reporting: an offshore income gain, charged to income tax at your marginal rate.
- Annual exempt amount: available against a capital gain, not against an offshore income gain.
- Allowances: the dividend and savings allowances do not apply to an offshore income gain.
- Losses: asymmetric. No loss arises for offshore income gain purposes, and a capital loss cannot be set against the income charge.
Why the loss point matters most
If one holding gains and another loses, you might expect them to offset. They do not. The gain is charged as income and the loss is a capital loss, so they never meet.
What to do about it
Check the status of your exact share class before you buy, and again before you sell. Our India-exposed extract of HMRC's list is the starting point.