House of Commons portcullis
House of Commons
Session 2006 - 07
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

Income Tax Bill


Income Tax Bill
Part 4 — Loss relief
Chapter 2 — Trade losses

42

 

Terminal trade loss relief

89      

Carry back of losses on a permanent cessation of a trade

(1)   

A person may make a claim for terminal trade loss relief if the person—

(a)   

permanently ceases to carry on a trade in a tax year (“the final tax

year”), and

5

(b)   

makes a terminal loss in the trade (see section 90).

(2)   

The claim is for the total amount of terminal losses made in the trade by the

person (“the relievable loss”) to be deducted in calculating the person’s net

income for the final tax year and the 3 previous tax years (see Step 2 of the

calculation in section 23).

10

(3)   

But a deduction for that purpose is to be made only from profits of the trade.

(4)   

This section applies to professions and vocations as it applies to trades (and

sections 90 and 91 are to be read accordingly).

(5)   

This section needs to be read with—

(a)   

section 91 (how relief works),

15

(b)   

section 92 (use of trade-related interest and dividends if trade profits

insufficient),

(c)   

section 93 (mineral extraction trade and carry back of balancing

allowances), and

(d)   

section 94 (carry back of certain interest as loss).

20

90      

Losses that are “terminal losses”

(1)   

Each of the following is a terminal loss made in the trade—

(a)   

the loss (if any) made in the trade in the period beginning with the start

of the final tax year and ending with the cessation, and

(b)   

the loss (if any) made in the trade in the period consisting of so much of

25

the previous tax year as falls in the 12 months prior to the cessation.

(2)   

The profit or loss of a period mentioned in subsection (1)(a) or (b) (a “terminal

loss period”) is determined by reference to the profits or losses of periods of

account of the trade (calculated for income tax purposes).

(3)   

If no period of account coincides with a terminal loss period, any of the

30

following steps may be taken if they are necessary in order to arrive at the

profit or loss of the terminal loss period—

(a)   

apportioning the profit or loss of a period of account between the part

of the period that falls in the terminal loss period and the part that does

not, and

35

(b)   

adding the profit or loss of a period of account (or part of a period) to

profits or losses of other periods of account (or parts).

(4)   

Section 203(3) and (4) of ITTOIA 2005 applies for the purposes of subsection (3)

as it applies for the purposes of section 203(2) of that Act.

(5)   

If as a result of section 205 of ITTOIA 2005 a deduction is allowed for overlap

40

profit in calculating the profits of the trade of the final tax year, that deduction

is to be made in calculating the loss (if any) mentioned in subsection (1)(a) (and

is therefore irrelevant for the purposes of subsection (1)(b)).

 
 

Income Tax Bill
Part 4 — Loss relief
Chapter 2 — Trade losses

43

 

(6)   

In the case of a notional trade carried on by a partner in a firm—

(a)   

the periods of account of the notional trade are taken to be the periods

of account of the actual trade, and

(b)   

the references in subsections (2) and (3) to the profits or losses of

periods of account of the trade are to the partner’s share of the profits

5

or losses of the actual trade determined in accordance with sections 849

and 850 of ITTOIA 2005.

91      

How relief works

This section explains how the deductions are to be made.

The amount of the relievable loss to be deducted at any step is limited in

10

accordance with section 25(4) and (5).

Step 1

Deduct the relievable loss from the profits of the trade of the final tax year.

Step 2

Deduct any part of the relievable loss not deducted at Step 1 from the profits of

15

the trade of the previous tax year.

Step 3

Deduct any part of the relievable loss not deducted at Step 1 or 2 from the

profits of the trade of the tax year before the previous one.

Step 4

20

Deduct any part of the relievable loss not deducted at Step 1, 2 or 3 from the

profits of the trade of the tax year before that one.

Other claims

If the relievable loss has not been deducted in full at Steps 1 to 4, the person

may use the part not so deducted in giving effect to any other relief under this

25

Chapter (depending on the terms of the relief).

92      

Use of trade-related interest and dividends if trade profits insufficient

(1)   

This section applies if terminal trade loss relief cannot be fully given in relation

to the profits of a trade of a tax year because (apart from this section) there are

no profits, or insufficient profits, of the trade of the tax year.

30

(2)   

For the purposes of the relief any interest or dividends for the tax year that

relate to the trade are treated as profits of the trade of the tax year.

(3)   

Interest or dividends for the tax year relate to the trade if they—

(a)   

arise in the tax year, and

(b)   

would be brought into account in calculating the profits of the trade but

35

for the fact that they have been subjected to tax under other provisions

of the Income Tax Acts.

93      

Mineral extraction trade and carry back of balancing allowances

(1)   

This section applies if—

(a)   

a person permanently ceases to carry on a mineral extraction trade, and

40

 
 

Income Tax Bill
Part 4 — Loss relief
Chapter 2 — Trade losses

44

 

(b)   

the person makes a claim for terminal trade loss relief and a claim in

respect of a balancing allowance under section 355 of CAA 2001.

(2)   

Terminal trade loss relief must be given before relief under section 355 of CAA

2001.

(3)   

In giving effect to the terminal trade loss relief, the balancing allowance is to be

5

ignored.

(4)   

“Mineral extraction trade” has the same meaning as in Part 5 of CAA 2001 (see

section 394 of that Act).

94      

Carry back of certain interest as loss

(1)   

This section applies if—

10

(a)   

an individual pays interest in a tax year which is eligible for relief under

section 383 (as a result of section 388 or 398),

(b)   

the interest is an expense incurred wholly and exclusively for the

purposes of a trade carried on wholly or partly in the United Kingdom,

and

15

(c)   

relief under section 383 cannot be fully given in respect of the interest

because there is no income or insufficient income in the tax year.

(2)   

For the purposes of terminal trade loss relief, the amount for which relief has

not been given may be treated as a loss made in the trade at the date of

payment.

20

(3)   

This section applies to professions and vocations as it applies to trades.

Wholly foreign trades

95      

Foreign trades etc: reliefs only against foreign income

(1)   

This section applies if a person—

(a)   

carries on a trade, profession or vocation wholly outside the United

25

Kingdom, and

(b)   

makes a loss in the trade, profession or vocation.

(2)   

In that case—

(a)   

sideways relief for the loss is available only against the person’s

qualifying foreign income,

30

(b)   

trade income relief for the loss is available only against the person’s

qualifying foreign trade income, and

(c)   

section 261B of TCGA 1992 (use of trading loss as a CGT loss) does not

apply in relation to the loss.

(3)   

“Trade income relief” means—

35

(a)   

carry-forward trade loss relief, or

(b)   

terminal trade loss relief.

(4)   

“Qualifying foreign income” means—

(a)   

qualifying foreign trade income, or

(b)   

income falling within section 23, 355, 575, 613, 615, 631 or 635 of ITEPA

40

2003 (foreign employment or pension income).

 
 

Income Tax Bill
Part 4 — Loss relief
Chapter 2 — Trade losses

45

 

(5)   

“Qualifying foreign trade income” means the profits of any trade, profession or

vocation carried on wholly outside the United Kingdom.

(6)   

But “qualifying foreign income” and “qualifying foreign trade income” do not

include any income which is charged to income tax in accordance with section

832 of ITTOIA 2005 (relevant foreign income charged on the remittance basis).

5

Post-cessation trade relief

96      

Post-cessation trade relief

(1)   

A person may make a claim for post-cessation trade relief if, after permanently

ceasing to carry on a trade—

(a)   

the person makes a qualifying payment, or

10

(b)   

a qualifying event occurs in relation to a debt owed to the person,

   

and the payment is made, or the event occurs, within 7 years of that cessation.

(2)   

If the claim is made in respect of a payment, the claim is for the payment to be

deducted in calculating the person’s net income for the tax year in which the

payment is made (see Step 2 of the calculation in section 23).

15

(3)   

If the claim is made in respect of an event, the claim is for the appropriate

amount of the debt to be deducted in calculating the person’s net income for

the relevant tax year (see Step 2 of the calculation in section 23).

(4)   

The claim must be made on or before the first anniversary of the normal self-

assessment filing date for the tax year for which the deduction is to be made.

20

(5)   

If—

(a)   

the person is a company within the charge to income tax under Chapter

2 of Part 2 of ITTOIA 2005 in respect of a trade, and

(b)   

the company ceases at any time to be within that tax charge in respect

of the trade,

25

   

the company is treated for the purposes of this section as permanently ceasing

to carry on the trade at that time.

(6)   

This section applies to professions and vocations as it applies to trades (and

sections 97 and 98 are to be read accordingly).

(7)   

This section needs to be read with—

30

(a)   

section 97 (meaning of “qualifying payment”),

(b)   

section 98 (meaning of “qualifying event” etc),

(c)   

section 99 (reduction of relief for unpaid trade expenses), and

(d)   

section 100 (prohibition against double counting).

97      

Meaning of “qualifying payment”

35

(1)   

For the purposes of section 96 a person makes a “qualifying payment” after

permanently ceasing to carry on a trade if the person makes a payment wholly

and exclusively for any of purposes A to D.

(2)   

A payment is made for purpose A if it is made—

(a)   

in remedying defective work done, goods supplied or services

40

provided in the course of the trade, or

 
 

Income Tax Bill
Part 4 — Loss relief
Chapter 2 — Trade losses

46

 

(b)   

by way of damages (whether awarded or agreed) in respect of defective

work done, goods supplied or services provided in the course of the

trade.

(3)   

A payment is made for purpose B if it is made in meeting the expenses of legal

or other professional services in connection with a claim (a “claim about

5

defects”) that—

(a)   

work done in the course of the trade was defective,

(b)   

goods supplied in the course of the trade were defective, or

(c)   

services provided in the course of the trade were defective.

(4)   

A payment is made for purpose C if it is made in insuring—

10

(a)   

against liabilities arising out of any claim about defects, or

(b)   

against the liability to meet the expenses of legal or other professional

services in connection with any claim about defects.

(5)   

A payment is made for purpose D if it is made for the purpose of collecting a

debt which was brought into account in calculating the profits of the trade.

15

98      

Meaning of “qualifying event” etc

(1)   

This section explains for the purposes of section 96 what is meant by—

(a)   

a “qualifying event” occurring in relation to a debt owed to a person

who has permanently ceased to carry on a trade, and

(b)   

“the appropriate amount of the debt” to be deducted in calculating a

20

person’s net income for “the relevant tax year”.

(2)   

A qualifying event occurs in relation to a debt owed to the person if—

(a)   

an unpaid debt was brought into account in calculating the profits of

the trade,

(b)   

the person is entitled to the benefit of the debt, and

25

(c)   

the debt is released (in whole or in part) as part of a statutory

insolvency arrangement (within the meaning of Part 2 of ITTOIA 2005).

   

The event occurs when the debt is released.

(3)   

The appropriate amount of the debt to be deducted is—

(a)   

the amount released, or

30

(b)   

if the person was entitled to only part of the benefit of the debt, the

corresponding part of the amount released.

(4)   

The relevant tax year is the tax year in which the debt is released.

(5)   

A qualifying event also occurs in relation to a debt owed to the person if—

(a)   

an unpaid debt was brought into account in calculating the profits of

35

the trade,

(b)   

the person is entitled to the benefit of the debt, and

(c)   

the debt proves to be bad.

   

The event occurs when the debt proves to be bad.

(6)   

The appropriate amount of the debt to be deducted is—

40

(a)   

the amount of the debt, or

(b)   

if the person was entitled to only part of the benefit of the debt, the

corresponding part of the amount of the debt.

(7)   

The relevant tax year is the tax year specified in the claim.

 
 

Income Tax Bill
Part 4 — Loss relief
Chapter 2 — Trade losses

47

 

(8)   

The person making the claim may specify—

(a)   

the tax year in which the debt proves to be bad, or

(b)   

a subsequent tax year throughout which the debt remains bad (so long

as the tax year begins within 7 years of the cessation),

   

but, if the person has previously made a claim specifying a tax year in respect

5

of the debt, the person may not specify another tax year in respect of it.

99      

Reduction of relief for unpaid trade expenses

(1)   

This section applies for the purposes of post-cessation trade relief in respect of

a person’s trade if a deduction was made in calculating the profits of the trade

for an expense not actually paid (an “unpaid expense”).

10

(2)   

The amount of the person’s relief for a tax year is reduced (but not below nil)

by—

(a)   

the total amount of unpaid expenses at the end of the tax year, or

(b)   

if the person carried on the trade as a partner in a firm, the person’s

share of the total amount of unpaid expenses at the end of the tax year.

15

(3)   

But any unpaid expense which is taken into account in reducing the amount of

the person’s relief for a tax year is left out of account in making reductions for

subsequent tax years.

(4)   

If the person actually pays an amount in respect of an unpaid expense taken

into account in reducing the amount of the person’s relief, the person is treated

20

as making a qualifying payment for the purposes of section 96.

(5)   

The amount of the qualifying payment is—

(a)   

the amount actually paid, or

(b)   

if less, the amount of the reduction.

(6)   

This section applies to professions and vocations as it applies to trades.

25

100     

Prohibition against double counting

(1)   

Post-cessation trade relief is not available for an amount for which relief is

given, or is available, under any other provision of the Income Tax Acts.

(2)   

For this purpose—

(a)   

relief available under section 254 of ITTOIA 2005 (allowable deductions

30

against post-cessation receipts) is treated as given for other amounts

before any amount for which post-cessation trade relief is available,

and

(b)   

relief under that section is treated as available if it would have been

available but for the fact that the post-cessation receipts (against which

35

the deductions would have been allowed) are exempt under section 524

of this Act.

101     

Treating excess post-cessation trade relief as CGT loss

A person who cannot deduct all of an amount under a claim for post-cessation

trade relief may be able to treat the unused part as an allowable loss for capital

40

gains tax purposes: see sections 261D and 261E of TCGA 1992.

 
 

Income Tax Bill
Part 4 — Loss relief
Chapter 3 — Restrictions on trade loss relief for certain partners

48

 

Chapter 3

Restrictions on trade loss relief for certain partners

Introduction

102     

Overview of Chapter

(1)   

This Chapter restricts the amount of relief that may be given for any loss made

5

by an individual in a trade carried on by the individual as—

(a)   

a limited partner in any tax year (see sections 104 to 106 and section

114),

(b)   

a member of a limited liability partnership (an “LLP”) in any tax year

(see sections 107 to 109 and section 114), or

10

(c)   

a non-active partner in an early tax year (see sections 110 to 114).

(2)   

This Chapter also restricts the amount of relief that may be given for any loss

made by an individual in a trade carried on by the individual as a partner in a

firm if the trade consists of or includes the exploitation of films (see sections 115

and 116).

15

(3)   

This Chapter needs to be read with sections 791 to 795 (income tax charge

recovering excess relief for losses made by individuals carrying on a trade in

partnership).

(4)   

See also—

(a)   

sections 796 to 803 (income tax charge in relation to individuals

20

claiming relief for film-related trading losses), and

(b)   

sections 804 to 809 (income tax charge in relation to individuals

carrying on a trade in partnership claiming relief for licence-related

trading losses).

103     

Meaning of “sideways relief”, “capital gains relief” and “firm”

25

(1)   

For the purposes of this Chapter sideways relief is—

(a)   

trade loss relief against general income (see sections 64 to 70), or

(b)   

early trade losses relief (see sections 72 to 74).

(2)   

For the purposes of this Chapter—

(a)   

capital gains relief is, in relation to a loss, the treatment of the loss as an

30

allowable loss by virtue of section 261B of TCGA 1992 (use of trading

loss as a CGT loss), and

(b)   

capital gains relief is given for a loss when it is so treated.

(3)   

References in this Chapter to a firm are to be read in the same way as references

to a firm in Part 9 of ITTOIA 2005 (which contains special provision about

35

partnerships).

Limited partners

104     

Restriction on reliefs for limited partners

(1)   

This section applies if—

 
 

 
previous section contents continue
 
House of Commons home page Houses of Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries

© Parliamentary copyright 2007
Revised 5 February 2007