Hi, I just ran the new Statutory Residence Test (SRT) for

Hello, I'm Keith and happy to help you with your question.
The SRT merely placed the residence test on a more sound footing for the benefit of taxpayers. What you should do is take the P85 procedure if you have not already done so. This can be done on line as indeed from where the form can be downloaded also. On receipt of a P85 your tax office will class you as non resident in the tax year after your date of departure and split your departure year into two parts, one resident and non resident. Once you have done this you may well be in a reclaim situation. However, if you wish to keep your card stamped, to use an old expression, you will have to arrange for separate NI contributions to be arranged.
However, your other problem is inter reaction with French tax. French taxation is fiendishly complicated* and France has five times as many inspectors per head of population that the UK. You have virtually no alternative but to employ a local professional in this matter. There exists a Double Taxation Treaty between France and the UK to preclude the same moneys being taxed in both jurisdictions by means of tax credits.
Having regard to this it might be adviseable to emulate Brer Fox, 'For he lay low and say nuffin' and let things go on as they are. However, if the French tax authorities catch uo with you well you will have to rely on the treaty. By the by, the general consensus amongst experts is that to retain non resident status you should not spend more that 91 days in the UK in each tax year.
I do hope I have helped.
* For example I have a friend retired to France. None of his Government occupational pensions are taxable in France, but his State Pension is!

I would still submit that a P85 procedure might well assist you even if you only spend one tax year non resident for tax purposes. It will put your position on a sound footing.

You can and the form makes provision for any tax due to be returned to be paid either to an account or by means of a payable order. You could enclose details of your return date in a letter to your tax office. This might smooth the way fairly painlessly. Many taxpayers forget or do not even know about the P85 so late submissions are fairly common.