Capital Gains Tax Act 1979 (repealed 6.3.1992)
PART I — General
Capital gains tax and corporation tax
Taxation of capital gains
1
- (1) Tax shall be charged in accordance with this Act in Taxation of respect of capital gains, that is to say chargeable gains computed capital gains in accordance with this Act and accruing to a person on the disposal of assets.
- (2) In the circumstances prescribed by the provisions of Part XI of the Taxes Act (taxation of companies and certain other bodies and associations) the tax shall be chargeable in accordance with those provisions, and all the provisions of this Act have effect subject to those provisions.
- (3) Subject to the said provisions, capital gains tax shall be charged for all years of assessment in accordance with the following provisions of this Act.
Capital gains tax
Persons chargeable
2
- (1) Subject to any exceptions provided by this Act, a person shall be chargeable to capital gains tax in respect of chargeable gains accruing to him in a year of assessment during any part of which he is resident in the United Kingdom, or during which he is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.
- (2) This section is without prejudice to the provisions of section 12 below (non-resident with UK branch or agency), and of section 38 of the Finance Act 1973 (territorial sea of the United Kingdom).
Rate of tax
3
The rate of capital gains tax shall be 30 per cent.
Gains chargeable to tax
4
- (1) Capital gains tax shall be charged on the total amount of chargeable gains accruing to the person chargeable in the year of assessment, after deducting—
- (a) any allowable losses accruing to that person in that year of assessment, and
- (b) so far as they have not been allowed as a deduction from chargeable gains accruing in any previous year of assessment, any allowable losses accruing to that person in any previous year of assessment (not earlier than the year 1965-66).
- (2) In the case of a woman who in a year of assessment is a married woman living with her husband any allowable loss which, under subsection (1) above, would be deductible from the chargeable gains accruing in that year of assessment to the one but for an insufficiency of chargeable gains shall, for the purposes of that subsection, be deductible from chargeable gains accruing in that year of assessment to the other:
Provided that this subsection shall not apply in relation to losses accruing in a year of assessment to either if, before 6th July in the year next following that year of assessment, an application is made by the man or the wife to the inspector in such form and manner as the Board may prescribe.
Relief for gains less than £9,500
5
- (1) An individual shall not be chargeable to capital gains tax for a year of assessment if his taxable amount for that year does not exceed £1,000.
- (2) If an individual's taxable amount for a year of assessment exceeds £1,000 but does not exceed £5,000, the amount of capital gains tax to which he is chargeable for that year shall be 15 per cent. of the excess over £1,000.
- (3) If an individual's taxable amount for a year of assessment exceeds £5,000, the amount of capital gains tax to which he is chargeable for that year shall not exceed £600 plus one-half of the excess over £5,000.
- (4) For the purposes of this section an individual's taxable amount for a year of assessment is the amount on which he is chargeable under section 4(1) above for that year but—
- (a) where the amount of chargeable gains less allowable losses accruing to an individual in any year of assessment does not exceed £1,000, no deduction from that amount shall be made for that year in respect of allowable losses carried forward from a previous year or carried back from a subsequent year in which the individual dies, and
- (b) where the amount of chargeable gains less allowable losses accruing to an individual in any year of assessment exceeds £1,000, the deduction from that amount for that year in respect of allowable losses carried forward from a previous year or carried back from a subsequent year in which the individual dies shall not be greater than the excess.
- (5) Where in a year of assessment—
- (a) the amount of chargeable gains accruing to an individual does not exceed £1,000, and
- (b) the aggregate amount or value of the consideration for all the disposals of assets made by him (other than disposals gains accruing on which are not chargeable gains) does not exceed £5,000,
a statement to the effect of paragraphs (a) and (b) above shall, unless the inspector otherwise requires, be sufficient compliance with any notice under section 8 of the Taxes Management Act 1970 requiring the individual to make a return of the chargeable gains accruing to him in that year.
- (6) Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect as respects the application of this section to husbands and wives, personal representatives and trustees.
Small gifts
6
A gain accruing to an individual on a disposal by way of gift of an asset the market value of which does not exceed £100 shall not be a chargeable gain, but this section shall not apply to gifts made by the same individual in the same year of assessment the total value of which exceeds £100.
Time for payment of tax
7
Capital gains tax assessed on any person in respect of gains accruing in any year shall be payable by that person at or before the expiration of the three months following that year, or at the expiration of a period of thirty days beginning with the date of the issue of the notice of assessment, whichever is the later.
Postponement of payment of tax
8
- (1) Where the whole or part of any assets falling within subsection (3) below—
- (a) is disposed of by way of gift, or
- (b) is under section 54(1) or 55(1) below (settled property) deemed to be disposed of,
the capital gains tax chargeable on a gain accruing on the disposal may, at the option of the person liable to pay it, be paid by eight equal yearly instalments or sixteen half-yearly instalments.
- (2) Payment of capital gains tax in accordance with subsection (1) above shall be subject to the payment of interest under Part IX (except sections 87 and 88) of the Taxes Management Act 1970 except as provided by section 9 below.
- (3) The assets referred to in subsection (1) above are—
- (a) land or an estate or interest in land,
- (b) any shares or securities of a company which, immediately before the disposal, gave control of the company to the person by whom the disposal was made or deemed to be made,
- (c) any shares or securities of a company not falling under paragraph (b) above and not quoted on a recognised stock exchange in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, and
- (d) any assets used exclusively for the purposes of a trade, profession or vocation which, immediately before the disposal, was carried on (whether alone or in partnership) by the person by whom the disposal was made or deemed to be made.
- (4) Where tax is payable by instalments by virtue of this section the first instalment shall be due at the expiration of twelve months from the time of the disposal, and subject to section 9 below, the interest on the unpaid portion of the tax shall be added to each instalment and paid accordingly; but the tax for the time being unpaid, with interest to the date of payment, may be paid at any time, and shall become due and payable forthwith if—
- (a) the disposal was by way of gift to a person connected with the donor, or was deemed to be made under section 54(1) or 55(1) below, and
- (b) the assets are disposed of for valuable consideration under a subsequent disposal (whether or not the subsequent disposal is made by the person who acquired them under the first disposal).
Postponement of payment of tax: further provisions
9
- (1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, where capital gains tax is payable—
- (a) by instalments under section 8 above, and
- (b) in respect of the disposal of assets falling within paragraph (b), (c) or (d) of subsection (3) of that section,
the tax shall, for the purpose of any interest to be added to each instalment, be treated as carrying interest from the date at which the instalment is payable.
- (2) Subsection (1) above does not apply to tax payable in respect of the disposal of shares or securities of a company falling within paragraph (a) of subsection (3) below unless it also falls within paragraph (b) or (c) of that subsection.
- (3) The companies referred to in subsection (2) above are—
- (a) any company whose business consists wholly or mainly of one or more of the following, that is to say, dealing in shares or securities, land or buildings, or making or holding investments,
- (b) any company whose business consists wholly or mainly in being a holding company (within the meaning of section 154 of the Companies Act 1948) of one or more companies not falling within paragraph (a) above and
- (c) any company whose business is that of a jobber (as defined in section 477 of the Taxes Act) or discount house and is carried on in the United Kingdom.
- (4) Subsection (1) above applies only to the extent to which—
- (a) the market value of the assets in respect of the disposal of which the tax concerned is payable, plus
- (b) the market value of any assets which the same person has or is deemed to have previously disposed of and in respect of the disposal of which the tax also fell within that subsection,
does not exceed £250,000.
The foreign element
Double taxation relief
10
- (1) For the purpose of giving relief from double taxation in relation to capital gains tax and tax on chargeable gains charged under the law of any country outside the United Kingdom, in Chapters I and II of Part XVIII of the Taxes Act, as they apply for the purposes of income tax, for references to income there shall be substituted references to capital gains and for references to income tax there shall be substituted references to capital gains tax meaning, as the context may require, tax charged under the law of the United Kingdom or tax charged under the law of a country outside the United Kingdom.
- (2) Any arrangements set out in an order made under section 347 of the Income Tax Act 1952 before 5th August 1965 (the date of the passing of the Finance Act 1965) shall so far as they provide (in whatever terms) for relief from tax chargeable in the United Kingdom on capital gains have effect in relation to capital gains tax.
- (3) So far as by virtue of this section capital gains tax charged under the law of a country outside the United Kingdom may be brought into account under the said Chapters I and II as applied by this section, that tax, whether relief is given by virtue of this section in respect of it or not, shall not be taken into account for the purposes of those Chapters as they apply apart from this section.
- (4) Section 518 of the Taxes Act (disclosure of information for purposes of double taxation) shall apply in relation to capital gains tax as it applies in relation to income tax.
Allowance for foreign tax
11
Subject to section 10 above, the tax chargeable under the law of any country outside the United Kingdom on the disposal of an asset which is borne by the person making the disposal shall be allowable as a deduction in the computation under Chapter II of Part II of this Act.
Non-resident with United Kingdom branch or agency
12
- (1) Subject to any exceptions provided by this Act, a person shall be chargeable to capital gains tax in respect of chargeable gains accruing to him in a year of assessment in which he is not resident and not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom but is carrying on a trade in the United Kingdom through a branch or agency, and shall be so chargeable on chargeable gains accruing on the disposal—
- (a) of assets situated in the United Kingdom and used in or for the purposes of the trade at or before the time when the capital gain accrued, or
- (b) of assets situated in the United Kingdom and used or held for the purposes of the branch or agency at or before that time, or assets acquired for use by or for the purposes of the branch or agency.
- (2) This section shall not apply to a person who, by virtue of Part XVIII of the Taxes Act (double taxation agreements), is exempt from income tax chargeable for the year of assessment in respect of the profits or gains of the branch or agency.
- (3) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “branch or agency” means any factorship, agency, receivership, branch or management, but does not include any person within the exemptions in section 82 of the Taxes Management Act 1970 (general agents and brokers).
Foreign assets: delayed remittances
13
- (1) Subsection (2) below applies where—
- (a) chargeable gains accrue from the disposal of assets situated outside the United Kingdom, and
- (b) the person charged or chargeable makes a claim and shows that the conditions set out in subsection (3) below are, so far as applicable, satisfied as respects those gains (“the qualifying gains ”).
- (2) For the purposes of capital gains tax—
- (a) the amount of the qualifying gains shall be deducted from the amounts on which the claimant is assessed to capital gains tax for the year in which the qualifying gains accrued to the claimant, but
- (b) the amount so deducted shall be assessed to capital gains tax on the claimant (or his personal representatives) as if it were an amount of chargeable gains accruing in the year of assessment in which the conditions set out in subsection (3) below cease to be satisfied.
- (3) The said conditions are—
- (a) that the claimant was unable to transfer the qualifying gains to the United Kingdom, and
- (b) that that inability was due to the laws of the territory where the income arose, or to the executive action of its government, or to the impossibility of obtaining foreign currency in that territory, and
- (c) that the inability was not due to any want of reasonable endeavours on the part of the claimant.
- (4) Where under an agreement entered into under arrangements made by the Secretary of State in pursuance of section 1 of the Overseas Investment and Export Guarantees Act 1972 or section 11 of the Export Guarantees and Overseas Investment Act 1978 any payment is made by the Exports Credits Guarantee Department in respect of any gains which cannot be transferred to the United Kingdom, then, to the extent of the payment, the gains shall be treated as gains with respect to which the conditions mentioned in subsection (3) above are not satisfied (and accordingly cannot cease to be satisfied).
- (5) No claim under this section shall be made in respect of any chargeable gain more than six years after the end of the year of assessment in which that gain accrues.
- (6) The personal representatives of a deceased person may make any claim which he might have made under this section if he had not died.
Foreign assets of person with foreign domicile
14
- (1) In the case of individuals resident or ordinarily resident but not domiciled in the United Kingdom, capital gains tax shall not be charged in respect of gains accruing to them from the disposal of assets situated outside the United Kingdom (that is chargeable gains accruing in the year 1965-66 or a later year of assessment) except that the tax shall be charged on the amounts (if any) received in the United Kingdom in respect of those chargeable gains, any such amounts being treated as gains accruing when they are received in the United Kingdom.
- (2) For the purposes of this section there shall be treated as received in the United Kingdom in respect of any gain all amounts paid, used or enjoyed in or in any manner or form transmitted or brought to the United Kingdom, and subsections (4) to (7) of section 122 of the Taxes Act (under which income applied outside the United Kingdom in payment of debts is, in certain cases, treated as received in the United Kingdom) shall apply as they would apply for the purposes of subsection (3) of the said section 122 if the gain were income arising from possessions out of the United Kingdom.
Non-resident company
15
- (1) This section applies as respects chargeable gains accruing to a company—
- (a) which is not resident in the United Kingdom, and
- (b) which would be a close company if it were resident in the United Kingdom.
- (2) Subject to this section, every person who at the time when the chargeable gain accrues to the company is resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, who, if an individual, is domiciled in the United Kingdom, and who holds shares in the company, shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as if a part of the chargeable gain had accrued to him.
- (3) That part shall be equal to the proportion of the assets of the company to which that person would be entitled on a liquidation of the company at the time when the chargeable gain accrues to the company.
- (4) If the part of a chargeable gain attributable to a person under subsection (2) above is less than one-twentieth, the said subsection (2) shall not apply to that person.
- (5) This section shall not apply in relation to—
- (a) any amount in respect of the chargeable gain which is distributed, whether by way of dividend or distribution of capital or on the dissolution of the company, to persons holding shares in the company, or creditors of the company, within two years from the time when the chargeable gain accrued to the company, or
- (b) a chargeable gain accruing on the disposal of assets, being tangible property, whether movable or immovable, or a lease of such property, where the property was used, and used only, for the purposes of a trade carried on by the company wholly outside the United Kingdom, or
- (c) a chargeable gain accruing on the disposal of currency or of a debt within section 135(1) below (foreign currency bank accounts), where the currency or debt is or represents money in use for the purposes of a trade carried on by the company wholly outside the United Kingdom, or
- (d) to a chargeable gain in respect of which the company is chargeable to tax by virtue of section 246(2)(b) of the Taxes Act (gains corresponding to those charged under section 12 above).
- (6) Subsection (5)(a) above shall not prevent the making of an assessment in pursuance of this section but if, by virtue of that paragraph, this section is excluded all such adjustments, whether by way of repayment or discharge of tax or otherwise, shall be made as will give effect to the provisions of that paragraph.
- (7) The amount of capital gains tax paid by a person in pursuance of subsection (2) above (so far as not reimbursed by the company) shall be allowable as a deduction in the computation under this Act of a gain accruing on the disposal by him of the shares by reference to which the tax was paid.
- (8) So far as it would go to reduce or extinguish chargeable gains accruing by virtue of this section to a person in a year of assessment this section shall apply in relation to a loss accruing to the company on the disposal of an asset in that year of assessment as it would apply if a gain instead of a loss had accrued to the company on the disposal, but shall only so apply in relation to that person; and subject to the preceding provisions of this subsection this section shall not apply in relation to a loss accruing to the company.
- (9) If the person owning any of the shares in the company at the time when the chargeable gain accrues to the company is itself a company which is not resident in the United Kingdom but which would be a close company if it were resident in the United Kingdom, an amount equal to the amount apportioned under subsection (3) above out of the chargeable gain to the shares so owned shall be apportioned among the issued shares of the second-mentioned company, and the holders of those shares shall be treated in accordance with subsection (2) above, and so on through any number of companies.
- (10) If any tax payable by any person by virtue of subsection (2) above is paid by the company to which the chargeable gain accrues, or in a case under subsection (9) above is paid by any such other company, the amount so paid shall not for the purposes of income tax, capital gains tax or corporation tax be regarded as a payment to the person by whom the tax was originally payable.
Non-resident group of companies
16
- (1) This section has effect for the purposes of section 15 above.
- (2) Sections 273 to 275 and 276 (1) of the Taxes Act shall apply in relation to non-resident companies which are members of a non-resident group of companies, as they apply in relation to companies resident in the United Kingdom which are members of a group of companies.
- (3) Sections 278 and 279 of the Taxes Act shall apply for the said purposes as if for any reference therein to a group of companies there were substituted a reference to a non-resident group of companies, and as if references to companies were references to companies not resident in the United Kingdom.
- (4) For the purposes of this section—
- (a) a “non-resident group ” of companies—
- (i) in the case of a group, none of the members of which are resident in the United Kingdom, means that group, and
- (ii) in the case of a group, two or more members of which are not resident in the United Kingdom means the members which are not resident in the United Kingdom;
- (b) “group” shall be construed in accordance with subsections (1) (without paragraph (a)), (3) and (4) of section 272 of the Taxes Act.
Non-resident trust
17
- (1) This section applies as respects chargeable gains accruing to the trustees of a settlement if the trustees are not resident and not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, and if the settlor, or one of the settlors, is domiciled and either resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, or was domiciled and either resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom when he made his settlement.
- (2) Any beneficiary under the settlement who is domiciled and either resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom during any year of assesment shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as if an apportioned part of the amount, if any, on which the trustees would have been chargeable to capital gains tax under section 4(1) above, if domiciled and either resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom in that year of assessment, had been chargeable gains accruing to the beneficiary in that year of assessment; and for the purposes of this section any such amount shall be apportioned in such manner as is just and reasonable between persons having interests in the settled property, whether the interest be a life interest or an interest in reversion, and so that the chargeable gain is apportioned, as near as may be, according to the respective values of those interests, disregarding in the case of a defeasible interest the possibility of defeasance.
- (3) For the purposes of this section—
- (a) if in any of the three years ending with that in which the chargeable gain accrues a person has received a payment or payments out of the income of the settled property made in exercise of a discretion he shall be regarded, in relation to that chargeable gain, as having an interest in the settled property of a value equal to that of an annuity of a yearly amount equal to one-third of the total of the payments so received by him in the said three years, and
- (b) if a person receives at any time after the chargeable gain accrues a capital payment made out of the settled property in exercise of a discretion, being a payment which represents the chargeable gain in whole or part then, except so far as any part of the gain has been attributed under this section to some other person who is domiciled and resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, that person shall, if domiciled and resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, be treated as if the chargeable gain, or as the case may be the part of the chargeable gain represented by the capital payment, had accrued to him at the time when he received the capital payment.
- (4) In the case of a settlement made before 6th April 1965—
- (a) subsection (2) above shall not apply to a beneficiary whose interest is solely in the income of the settled property, and who cannot, by means of the exercise of any power of appointment or power of revocation or otherwise, obtain for himself, whether with or without the consent of any other person, any part of the capital represented by the settled property, and
- (b) payment of capital gains tax chargeable on a gain apportioned to a beneficiary in respect of an interest in reversion in any part of the capital represented by the settled property may be postponed until that person becomes absolutely entitled to that part of the settled property, or disposes of the whole or any part of his interest, unless he can, by any means described in paragraph (a) above, obtain for himself any of it at any earlier time,
and for the purposes of this subsection, property added to a settlement after the settlement is made shall be regarded as property under a separate settlement made at the time when the property is so added.
- (5) In any case in which the amount of any capital gains tax payable by a beneficiary under a settlement in accordance with the provisions of this section is paid by the trustees of the settlement that amount shall not for the purposes of taxation be regarded as a payment to the beneficiary.
- (6) This section shall not apply in relation to a loss accruing to the trustees of the settlement.
- (7) In this section “settlement ” and “settlor ” have the meanings given by section 454(3) of the Taxes Act and “settled property” shall be construed accordingly.
Residence etc. and location of assets
18
- (1) In this Act “resident” and “ordinarily resident” have the same meanings as in the Income Tax Acts.
- (2) Section 207 of the Taxes Act (disputes as to domicile or ordinary residence) shall apply in relation to capital gains tax as it applies for the purposes mentioned in that section.
- (3) Subject to section 12(1) above, an individual who is in the United Kingdom for some temporary purpose only and not with any view or intent to establish his residence in the United Kingdom shall be charged to capital gains tax on chargeable gains accruing in any year of assessment if and only if the period (or the sum of the periods) for which he is resident in the United Kingdom in that year of assessment exceeds six months.
- (4) For the purposes of this Act—
- (a) the situation of rights or interests (otherwise than by way of security) in or over immovable property is that of the immovable property,
- (b) subject to the following provisions of this subsection, the situation of rights or interests (otherwise than by way of security) in or over tangible movable property is that of the tangible movable property,
- (c) subject to the following provisions of this subsection, a debt, secured or unsecured, is situated in the United Kingdom if and only if the creditor is resident in the United Kingdom,
- (d) shares or securities issued by any muncipal or govern mental authority, or by any body created by such an authority, are situated in the country of that authority,
- (e) subject to paragraph (d) above, registered shares or securities are situated where they are registered and, if registered in more than one register, where the principal register is situated,
- (f) a ship or aircraft is situated in the United Kingdom if and only if the owner is then resident in the United Kingdom, and an interest or right in or over a ship or aircraft is situated in the United Kingdom if and only if the person entitled to the interest or right is resident in the United Kingdom,
- (g) the situation of good-will as a trade, business or professional asset is at the place where the trade, business or profession is carried on,
- (h) patents, trade-marks and designs are situated where they are registered, and if registered in more than one register, where each register is situated, and copyright, franchises, rights and licences to use any copyright material, patent, trade-mark or design are situated in the United Kingdom if they, or any rights derived from them, are exercisable in the United Kingdom,
- (i) a judgment debt is situated where the judgment is recorded.
PART II — Gains and Losses
CHAPTER I — Disposals
Disposal of assets
19
- (1) All forms of property shall be assets for the purposes of this Act, whether situated in the United Kingdom or not, including—
- (a) options, debts and incorporeal property generally, and
- (b) any currency other than sterling, and
- (c) any form of property created by the person disposing of it, or otherwise coming to be owned without being acquired.
- (2) For the purposes of this Act—
- (a) references to a disposal of an asset include, except where the context otherwise requires, references to a part disposal of an asset, and
- (b) there is a part disposal of an asset where an interest or right in or over the asset is created by the disposal, as well as where it subsists before the disposal, and generally, there is a part disposal of an asset where, on a person making a disposal, any description of property derived from the asset remains undisposed of.
- (3) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a person's acquisition of an asset and the disposal of it to him shall for the purposes of this Act be deemed to be for a consideration equal to the market value of the asset—
- (a) where he acquires the asset otherwise than by way of a bargain made at arm's length and in particular where he acquires it by way of gift or by way of distribution from a company in respect of shares in the company, or
- (b) where he acquires the asset wholly or partly for a consideration that cannot be valued, or in connection with his own or another's loss of office or employment or diminution of emoluments, or otherwise in consideration for or recognition of his or another's services or past services in any office or employment or of any other service rendered or to be rendered by him or another.
- (4) It is hereby declared that winnings from betting, including pool betting, or lotteries or games with prizes are not chargeable gains, and no chargeable gain or allowable loss shall accrue on the disposal of rights to winnings obtained by participating in any pool betting or lottery or game with prizes.
- (5) It is hereby declared that sums obtained by way of compensation or damages for any wrong or injury suffered by an individual in his person or in his profession or vocation are not chargeable gains.
Capital sums derived from assets
20
- (1) Subject to sections 21 and 23(1) below, and to any other exceptions in this Act, there is for the purposes of this Act a disposal of assets by their owner where any capital sum is derived from assets notwithstanding that no asset is acquired by the person paying the capital sum, and this subsection applies in particular to—
- (a) capital sums received by way of compensation for any kind of damage or injury to assets or for the loss, destruction or dissipation of assets or for any depreciation or risk of depreciation of an asset,
- (b) capital sums received under a policy of insurance of the risk of any kind of damage or injury to, or the loss or depreciation of, assets,
- (c) capital sums received in return for forfeiture or surrender of rights, or for refraining from exercising rights, and
- (d) capital sums received as consideration for use or exploitation of assets.
- (2) In the case of a disposal within paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d) of subsection (1) above the time of the disposal shall be the time when the capital sum is received as described in that subsection.
- (3) In this section “capital sum” means any money or money's worth which is not excluded from the consideration taken into account in the computation under Chapter II below.
Capital sums: compensation and insurance money
21
- (1) If the recipient so claims, receipt of a capital sum within paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d) of section 20(1) above derived from an asset which is not lost or destroyed shall not be treated for the purposes of this Act as a disposal of the asset if—
- (a) the capital sum is wholly applied in restoring the asset, or
- (b) (subject to subsection (2) below), the capital sum is applied in restoring the asset except for a part of the capital sum which is not reasonably required for the purpose and which is small as compared with the whole capital sum, or
- (c) (subject to subsection (2) below), the amount of the capital sum is small, as compared with the value of the asset,
but, if the receipt is not treated as a disposal, all sums which would, if the receipt had been so treated, have been brought into account as consideration for that disposal in the computation under Chapter II below of a gain accruing on the disposal shall be deducted from any expenditure allowable under Chapter II below as a deduction in computing a gain on the subsequent disposal of the asset.
- (2) If the allowable expenditure is less than the consideration for the disposal constituted by the receipt of the capital sum (or is nil)—
- (a) paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1) above shall not apply, and
- (b) if the recipient so elects (and there is any allowable expenditure)—
- (i) the amount of the consideration for the disposal shall be reduced by the amount of the allowable expenditure, and
- (ii) none of that expenditure shall be allowable as a deduction in computing a gain accruing on the occasion of the disposal or any subsequent occasion.
In this subsection “allowable expenditure” means expenditure which, immediately before the disposal, was attributable to the asset under paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 32(1) below.
- (3) If, in a case not falling within subsection (1)(b) above, a part of a capital sum within paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of section 20(1) above derived from an asset which is not lost or destroyed is applied in restoring the asset, then if the recipient so claims, that part of the capital sum shall not be treated as consideration for the disposal deemed to be effected on receipt of the capital sum but shall be deducted from any expenditure allowable under Chapter II below as a deduction in computing a gain on the subsequent disposal of the asset.
- (4) If an asset is lost or destroyed and a capital sum received by way of compensation for the loss or destruction, or under a policy of insurance of the risk of the loss or destruction, is within one year of receipt, or such longer period as the inspector may allow, applied in acquiring an asset in replacement of the asset lost or destroyed the owner shall if he so claims be treated for the purposes of this Act—
- (a) as if the consideration for the disposal of the old asset were (if otherwise of a greater amount) of such amount as would secure that on the disposal neither a gain nor a loss accrues to him, and
- (b) as if the amount of the consideration for the acquisition of the new asset were reduced by the excess of the amount of the capital sum received by way of compensation or under the policy of insurance, together with any residual or scrap value, over the amount of the consideration which he is treated as receiving under paragraph (a) above.
- (5) A claim shall not be made under subsection (4) above if part only of the capital sum is applied in acquiring the new asset but if all of that capital sum except for a part which is less than the amount of the gain (whether all chargeable gain or not) accruing on the disposal of the old asset is so applied, then the owner shall if he so claims be treated for the purposes of this Act—
- (a) as if the amount of the gain so accruing were reduced to the amount of the said part (and, if not all chargeable gain, with a proportionate reduction in the amount of the chargeable gain), and
- (b) as if the amount of the consideration for the acquisition of the new asset were reduced by the amount by which the gain is reduced under paragraph (a) of this subsection.
- (6) Subsections (4) and (5) above have effect subject to paragraph 18 of Schedule 5 to this Act (application to gain which in consequence of that Schedule is not all chargeable gain).
- (7) This section shall not apply in relation to a wasting asset.
Assets lost or destroyed, or whose value becomes negligible
22
- (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act and, in particular to section 137 below (options), the occasion of the entire loss, destruction, dissipation or extinction of an asset shall, for the purposes of this Act, constitute a disposal of the asset whether or not any capital sum by way of compensation or otherwise is received in respect of the destruction, dissipation or extinction of the asset.
- (2) If, on a claim by the owner of an asset, the inspector is satisfied that the value of an asset has become negligible, he may allow the claim and thereupon this Act shall have effect as if the claimant had sold, and immediately re-acquired, the asset for a consideration of an amount equal to the value specified in the claim.
- (3) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2) above, a building and any permanent or semi-permanent structure in the nature of a building, may be regarded as an asset separate from the land on which it is situated, but where either of those subsections applies in accordance with this subsection, the person deemed to make the disposal of the building or structure shall be treated as if he had also sold, and immediately reacquired, the site of the building or structure (including in the site any land occupied for purposes ancillary to the use of the building or structure) for a consideration equal to its market value at that time.
Mortgages and charges
23
- (1) The conveyance or transfer by way of security of an asset or of an interest or right in or over it, or transfer of a subsisting interest or right by way of security in or over an asset (including a retransfer on redemption of the security), shall not be treated for the purposes of this Act as involving any acquisition or disposal of the asset.
- (2) Where a person entitled to an asset by way of security or to the benefit of a charge or incumbrance on an asset deals with the asset for the purpose of enforcing or giving effect to the security, charge or incumbrance his dealings with it shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as if they were done through him as nominee by the person entitled to it subject to the security, charge or incumbrance; and this subsection shall apply to the dealings of any person appointed to enforce or give effect to the security, charge or incumbrance as receiver and manager or judicial factor as it applies to the dealings of the person entitled as aforesaid.
- (3) An asset shall be treated as having been acquired free of any interest or right by way of security subsisting at the time of any acquisition of it, and as being disposed of free of any such interest or right subsisting at the time of the disposal; and where an asset is acquired subject to any such interest or right the full amount of the liability thereby assumed by the person acquiring the asset shall form part of the consideration for the acquisition and disposal in addition to any other consideration.
Hire-purchase
24
A hire-purchase or other transaction under which the use and enjoyment of an asset is obtained by a person for a period at the end of which the property in the asset will or may pass to that person shall be treated for the purposes of this Act, both in relation to that person and in relation to the person from whom he obtains the use and enjoyment of the asset, as if it amounted to an entire disposal of the asset to that person at the beginning of the period for which he obtains the use and enjoyment of the asset, but subject to such adjustments of tax, whether by way of repayment or discharge of tax or otherwise, as may be required where the period for which that person has the use and enjoyment of the asset terminates without the property in the asset passing to him.
Value shifting
25
- (1) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of this Act as to the transactions which are disposals of assets, any transaction which under the following subsections is to be treated as a disposal of an asset shall be so treated (with a corresponding acquisition of an interest in the asset) notwithstanding that there is no consideration and so far as, on the assumption that the parties to the transaction were at arm's length, the party making the disposal could have obtained consideration, or additional consideration, for the disposal the transaction shall be treated as not being at arm's length and the consideration so obtainable, or the additional consideration so obtainable added to the consideration actually passing, shall be treated as the market value of what is acquired.
- (2) If a person having control of a company exercises his control so that value passes out of shares in the company owned by him or a person with whom he is connected, or out of rights over the company exercisable by him or by a person with whom he is connected, and passes into other shares in or rights over the company, that shall be a disposal of the shares or rights out of which the value passes by the person by whom they were owned or exercisable.
- (3) A loss on the disposal of an asset shall not be an allowable loss to the extent to which it is attributable to value having passed out of other assets, being shares in or rights over a company which by virtue of the passing of value are treated as disposed of under subsection (2) above.
- (4) If, after a transaction which results in the owner of land or of any other description of property becoming the lessee of the property there is any adjustment of the rights and liabilities under the lease, whether or not involving the grant of a new lease, which is as a whole favourable to the lessor, that shall be a disposal by the lessee of an interest in the property.
- (5) If an asset is subject to any description of right or restriction the extinction or abrogation, in whole or in part, of the right or restriction by the person entitled to enforce it shall be a disposal by him of the right or restriction.
Value shifting: further provisions
26
- (1) This section has effect as respects the disposal of an asset if a scheme has been effected or arrangements have been made (whether before or after the disposal) whereby—
- (a) the value of the asset has been materially reduced, and
- (b) a tax-free benefit has been or will be conferred—
- (i) on the person making the disposal or a person with whom he is connected, or
- (ii) subject to subsection (3) below, on any other person.
- (2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) above a benefit is conferred on a person if he becomes entitled to any money or money's worth or the value of any asset in which he has an interest is increased or he is wholly or partly relieved from any liability to which he is subject; and a benefit is tax-free unless it is required, on the occasion on which it is conferred on the person in question, to be brought into account in computing his income, profits or gains for the purposes of income tax, capital gains tax or corporation tax.
- (3) This section shall not apply by virtue of subsection (1)(b)(ii) above if it is shown that avoidance of tax was not the main purpose or one of the main purposes of the scheme or arrangements in question.
- (4) Where this section has effect in relation to any disposal, any allowable loss or chargeable gain accruing on the disposal shall be calculated as if the consideration for the disposal were increased by such amount as appears to the inspector, or on appeal the Commissioners concerned, to be just and reasonable having regard to the scheme or arrangements and the tax-free benefit in question.
- (5) Where—
- (a) by virtue of subsection (4) above the consideration for the disposal of an asset has been treated as increased, and
- (b) the benefit taken into account under subsection (1)(b) above was an increase in the value of another asset,
any allowable loss or chargeable gain accruing on the first disposal of the other asset after the increase in its value shall be calculated as if the consideration for that disposal were reduced by such amount as appears to the inspector, or on appeal the Commissioners concerned, to be just and reasonable having regard to the scheme or arrangements in question and the increase made in relation to the disposal mentioned in paragraph (a) above.
- (6) References in this section to a disposal do not include references to any disposal falling within—
- (a) section 44(1) below (disposals between husband and wife), or
- (b) section 49(4) below (disposals by personal representatives to legatees), or
- (c) section 273(1) of the Taxes Act (disposals within a group of companies).
- (7) In relation to the disposal by a company of an asset consisting of shares in another company the reference in subsection (1)(a) above to a reduction in the value of the asset does not include a reference to any reduction attributable to—
- (a) the payment of a dividend by the second company at a time when it and the first company are members of the same group of companies within the meaning of section 272 of the Taxes Act, or
- (b) the disposal of any asset by the second company at such a time, being a disposal falling within section 273(1) of that Act.
- (8) In relation to a case in which the disposal of an asset precedes its acquisition the reference in subsection (1)(a) above to a reduction shall be read as including a reference to an increase.
Time of disposal and acquisition where asset disposed of under contract
27
- (1) Where an asset is disposed of and acquired under a contract the time at which the disposal and acquisition is made is the time the contract is made (and not, if different, the time at which the asset is conveyed or transferred).
This subsection has effect subject to section 20(2) above, and subsection (2) below.
- (2) If the contract is conditional (and in particular if it is conditional on the exercise of an option) the time at which the disposal and acquisition is made is the time when the condition is satisfied.
CHAPTER II — Computation
Chargeable gains
28
- (1) The amount of the gains accruing on the disposal of assets shall be computed in accordance with this Chapter, and subject to the other provisions of this Act.
- (2) Every gain shall, except as otherwise expressly provided, be a chargeable gain.
- (3) Schedule 5 to this Act (which restricts the amount of chargeable gains accruing on the disposal of assets owned on 6th April 1965) shall have effect.
Losses
29
- (1) Except as otherwise expressly provided, the amount of a loss accruing on a disposal of an asset shall be computed in the same way as the amount of a gain accruing on a disposal is computed.
- (2) Except as otherwise expressly provided, all the provisions of this Act which distinguish gains which are chargeable gains from those which are not, or which make part of a gain a chargeable gain, and part not, shall apply also to distinguish losses which are allowable losses from those which are not, and to make part of a loss an allowable loss, and part not; and references in this Act to an allowable loss shall be construed accordingly.
- (3) A loss accruing to a person in a year of assessment during no part of which he is resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom shall not be an allowable loss for the purposes of this Act unless, under section 12 above (non-resident with U.K. branch or agency), he would be chargeable to capital gains tax in respect of a chargeable gain if there had been a gain instead of a loss on that occasion.
- (4) In accordance with section 14(1) above (foreign assets of person with foreign domicile), losses accruing on the disposal of assets situated outside the United Kingdom to an individual resident or ordinarily resident but not domiciled in the United Kingdom shall not be allowable losses.
- (5) Except as provided by section 49 below (death), an allowable loss accruing in a year of assessment shall not be allowable as a deduction from chargeable gains accruing in any earlier year of assessment, and relief shall not be given under this Act more than once in respect of any loss or part of a loss, and shall not be given under this Act if and so far as relief has been or may be given in respect of it under the Income Tax Acts.
Computation of gains
Introductory
30
The following provisions of this Chapter, and Schedule 5 to this Act, shall have effect for computing for the purposes of this Act the amount of a gain accruing on the disposal of an asset.
Consideration chargeable to tax on income
31
- (1) There shall be excluded from the consideration for a disposal of assets taken into account in the computation under this Chapter of the gain accruing on that disposal any money or money's worth charged to income tax as income of, or taken into account as a receipt in computing income or profits or gains or losses of, the person making the disposal for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts.
- (2) Subsection (1) above shall not be taken as excluding from the consideration so taken into account any money or money's worth which is taken into account in the making of a balancing charge under the Capital Allowances Act 1968 (including the provisions of the Taxes Act which under that Act are to be treated as contained in the said Act of 1968).
- (3) This section shall not preclude the taking into account in a computation under this Chapter, as consideration for the disposal of an asset, of the capitalised value of a rentcharge (as in a case where a rentcharge is exchanged for some other asset) or of the capitalised value of a ground annual or feu duty, or of a right of any other description to income or to payments in the nature of income over a period, or to a series of payments in the nature of income.
Expenditure: general
32
- (1) Except as otherwise expressly provided, the sums allowable as a deduction from the consideration in the computation under this Chapter of the gain accruing to a person on the disposal of an asset shall be restricted to—
- (a) the amount or value of the consideration, in money or money's worth, given by him or on his behalf wholly and exclusively for the acquisition of the asset, together with the incidental costs to him of the acquisition or, if the asset was not acquired by him, any expenditure wholly and exclusively incurred by him in providing the asset,
- (b) the amount of any expenditure wholly and exclusively incurred on the asset by him or on his behalf for the purpose of enhancing the value of the asset, being expenditure reflected in the state or nature of the asset at the time of the disposal, and any expenditure wholly and exclusively incurred by him in establishing, preserving or defending his title to, or to a right over, the asset,
- (c) the incidental costs to him of making the disposal.
- (2) For the purposes of this section and for the purposes of all other provisions of this Act the incidental costs to the person making the disposal of the acquisition of the asset or of its disposal shall consist of expenditure wholly and exclusively incurred by him for the purposes of the acquisition or, as the case may be, the disposal, being fees, commission or remuneration paid for the professional services of any surveyor or valuer, or auctioneer, or accountant, or agent or legal adviser and costs of transfer or conveyance (including stamp duty) together—
- (a) in the case of the acquisition of an asset, with costs of advertising to find a seller, and
- (b) in the case of a disposal, with costs of advertising to find a buyer and costs reasonably incurred in making any valuation or apportionment required for the purposes of the computation under this Chapter, including in particular expenses reasonably incurred in ascertaining market value where required by this Act.
- (3) Except as provided by section 269 of the Taxes Act (companies: interest charged to capital), no payment of interest shall be allowable under this section.
- (4) Any provision in this Act introducing the assumption that assets are sold and immediately re-acquired shall not imply that any expenditure is incurred as incidental to the sale or re-acquisition.
Exclusion of expenditure by reference to tax on income
33
- (1) There shall be excluded from the sums allowable under section 32 above as a deduction in the computation under this Chapter any expenditure allowable as a deduction in computing the profits or gains or losses of a trade, profession or vocation for the purposes of income tax or allowable as a deduction in computing any other income or profits or gains or losses for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts and any expenditure which, although not so allowable as a deduction in computing any losses, would be so allowable but for an insufficiency of income or profits or gains; and this subsection applies irrespective of whether effect is or would be given to the deduction in computing the amount of tax chargeable or by discharge or repayment of tax or in any other way.
- (2) Without prejudice to the provisions of subsection (1) above there shall be excluded from the sums allowable under section 32 above as a deduction in the computation under this Chapter any expenditure which, if the assets, or all the assets to which the computation relates, were, and had at all times been, held or used as part of the fixed capital of a trade the profits or gains of which were (irrespective of whether the person making the disposal is a company or not) chargeable to income tax would be allowable as a deduction in computing the profits or gains or losses of the trade for the purposes of income tax.
Restriction of losses by reference to capital allowances and renewals allowances
34
- (1) Section 33 above shall not require the exclusion from the sums allowable as a deduction in the computation under this Chapter of any expenditure as being expenditure in respect of which a capital allowance or renewals allowance is made, but the amount of any losses accruing on the disposal of an asset shall be restricted by reference to capital allowances and renewals allowances as follows.
- (2) In the computation under this Chapter of the amount of a loss accruing to the person making the disposal, there shall be excluded from the sums allowable as a deduction any expenditure to the extent to which any capital allowance or renewals allowance has been or may be made in respect of it.
- (3) If the person making the disposal acquired the asset—
- (a) by a transfer by way of sale in relation to which an election under paragraph 4 of Schedule 7 to the Capital Allowances Act 1968 was made, or
- (b) by a transfer to which section 35(2) to (4) or section 48(2) of that Act applies,
(being enactments under which a transfer is treated for the purposes of capital allowances as being made at written down value), the preceding provisions of this section shall apply as if any capital allowance made to the transferor in respect of the asset had (except so far as any loss to the transferor was restricted under those provisions) been made to the person making the disposal (that is the transferee); and where the transferor acquired the asset by such a transfer, capital allowances which by virtue of this subsection can be taken into account in relation to the transferor shall also be taken into account in relation to the transferee (that is the person making the disposal), and so on for any series of transfers before the disposal.
- (4) In this section “capital allowance” means—
- (a) any allowance under the Capital Allowances Act 1968 (including the provisions of the Taxes Act which under that Act are to be treated as contained in the said Act of 1968) or under Chapter I of Part III of the Finance Act 1971, other than an allowance under section 79(1) of the Taxes Act (relief for cost of maintenance of agricultural land),
- (b) any relief given under section 76 of the Taxes Act (expenditure on sea walls), and
- (c) any deduction in computing profits or gains allowable under section 141 of the Taxes Act (cemeteries).
- (5) In this section “renewals allowance” means a deduction allowable in computing the profits or gains of a trade, profession or vocation for the purpose of income tax by reference to the cost of acquiring an asset for the purposes of the trade, profession or vocation in replacement of another asset, and for the purposes of this Chapter a renewals allowance shall be regarded as a deduction allowable in respect of the expenditure incurred on the asset which is being replaced.
- (6) The amount of capital allowances to be taken into account under this section in relation to a disposal include any allowances falling to be made by reference to the event which is the disposal, and there shall be deducted from the amount of the allowances the amount of any balancing charge to which effect has been or is to be given by reference to the event which is the disposal, or any earlier event, and of any balancing charge to which effect might have been so given but for the making of an election under section 40 of the Capital Allowances Act 1968 (option in case of replacement of machinery or plant).
- (7) Where the disposal is of machinery or plant in relation to expenditure on which allowances or charges have been made under Chapter I of Part III of the Finance Act 1971, and neither paragraph 5 (assets used partly for trade purposes and partly for other purposes) nor paragraph 6 (wear and tear subsidies) of Schedule 8 to that Act applies, the capital allowances to be taken into account under this section are to be regarded as equal to the difference between the capital expenditure incurred, or treated as incurred, under that Chapter on the provision of the machinery or plant by the person making the disposal and the disposal value required to be brought into account in respect of the machinery or plant.
Part disposals
35
- (1) Where a person disposes of an interest or right in or over an asset, and generally wherever on the disposal of an asset any description of property derived from that asset remains undisposed of, the sums which under paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 32(1) above are attributable to the asset shall, both for the purposes of the computation under this chapter of the gain accruing on the disposal and for the purpose of applying this Chapter in relation to the property which remains undisposed of, be apportioned.
- (2) The apportionment shall be made by reference—
- (a) to the amount or value of the consideration for the disposal on the one hand (call that amount or value A), and
- (b) to the market value of the property which remains undisposed of on the other hand (call that market value B),
and accordingly the fraction of the said sums allowable as a deduction in computing under this Chapter the amount of the gain accruing on the disposal shall be $AA+B$, and the remainder shall be attributed to the property which remains undisposed of.
- (3) Any apportionment to be made in pursuance of this section shall be made before operating the provisions of section 34 above and if, after a part disposal, there is a subsequent disposal of an asset the capital allowances or renewals allowances to be taken into account in pursuance of that section in relation to the subsequent disposal shall, subject to subsection (4) below, be those referable to the sums which under paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 32(1) above are attributable to the asset whether before or after the part disposal, but those allowances shall be reduced by the amount (if any) by which the loss on the earlier disposal was restricted under the provisions of section 34 above.
- (4) This section shall not be taken as requiring the apportionment of any expenditure which, on the facts, is wholly attributable to what is disposed of, or wholly attributable to what remains undisposed of.
- (5) It is hereby declared that this section, and all other provisions for apportioning on a part disposal expenditure which is deductible in computing a gain, are to be operated before the operation of, and without regard to—
- (a) section 44(1) below (disposals between husband and wife),
- (b) sections 115 to 121 below (replacement of business assets), but without prejudice to the provisions of subsection (8) of the said section 115,
- (c) section 273(1) of the Taxes Act (transfers within a group of companies), or
- (d) any other enactment making an adjustment to secure that neither a gain nor a loss occurs on a disposal.
Assets derived from other assets
36
If and so far as, in a case where assets have been merged or divided or have changed their nature or rights or interests in or over assets have been created or extinguished, the value of an asset is derived from any other asset in the same ownership, an appropriate proportion of the sums allowable as a deduction in a computation under this Chapter in respect of the other asset under paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 32(1) above shall, both for the purpose of the computation of a gain accruing on the disposal of the first-mentioned asset and, if the other asset remains in existence, on a disposal of that other asset, be attributed to the first-mentioned asset.
Wasting assets
37
- (1) In this Chapter “wasting asset” means an asset with a predictable life not exceeding fifty years but so that—
- (a) freehold land shall not be a wasting asset whatever its nature, and whatever the nature of the buildings or works on it,
- (b) “life”, in relation to any tangible movable property, means useful life, having regard to the purpose for which the tangible assets were acquired or provided by the person making the disposal,
- (c) plant and machinery shall in every case be regarded as having a predictable life of less than fifty years, and in estimating that life it shall be assumed that its life will end when it is finally put out of use as being unfit for further use, and that it is going to be used in the normal manner and to the normal extent and is going to be so used throughout its life as so estimated,
- (d) a life interest in settled property shall not be a wasting asset until the predictable expectation of life of the life tenant is fifty years or less, and the predictable life of life interests in settled property and of annuities shall be ascertained from actuarial tables approved by the Board.
- (2) In this Chapter “the residual or scrap value”, in relation to a wasting asset, means the predictable value, if any, which the wasting asset will have at the end of its predictable life as estimated in accordance with this section.
- (3) The question what is the predictable life of an asset, and the question what is its predictable residual or scrap value at the end of that life, if any, shall, so far as those questions are not immediately answered by the nature of the asset, be taken, in relation to any disposal of the asset, as they were known or ascertainable at the time when the asset was acquired or provided by the person making the disposal.
Wasting assets: straightline restriction of allowable expenditure
38
- (1) In the computation under this Chapter of the gain accruing on the disposal of a wasting asset it shall be assumed—
- (a) that any expenditure attributable to the asset under section 32(1)(a) above after deducting the residual or scrap value, if any of the asset, is written off at a uniform rate from its full amount at the time when the asset is acquired or provided to nothing at the end of its life, and
- (b) that any expenditure attributable to the asset under section 32(1)(b) above is written off from the full amount of that expenditure at the time when that expenditure is first reflected in the state or nature of the asset to nothing at the end of its life,
so that an equal daily amount is written off day by day.
- (2) Thus, calling the predictable life of a wasting asset at the time when it was acquired or provided by the person making the disposal L, the period from that time to the time of disposal T(1), and, in relation to any expenditure attributable to the asset under section 32(1)(b) above, the period from the time when that expenditure is first reflected in the state or nature of the asset to the said time of disposal T(2), there shall be excluded from the computation under this Chapter—
- (a) out of the expenditure attributable to the asset under section 32(1)(a) above a fraction $T(1)L$ of an amount equal to the amount of that expenditure minus the residual or scrap value, if any, of the asset, and
- (b) out of the expenditure attributable to the asset under section 32(1)(b) above a fraction $T(2)L−(T(1)−T(2))$ of the amount of the expenditure.
- (3) If any expenditure attributable to the asset under section 32(1)(b) above creates or increases a residual or scrap value of the asset, the provisions of subsection (1)(a) above shall be applied so as to take that into account.
Wasting assets qualifying for capital allowances
39
- (1) Section 38 above shall not apply in relation to a disposal of an asset—
- (a) which, from the beginning of the period of ownership of the person making the disposal to the time when the disposal is made, is used and used solely for the purposes of a trade, profession or vocation and in respect of which that person has claimed or could have claimed any capital allowance in respect of any expenditure attributable to the asset under paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of section 32(1) above, or
- (b) on which the person making the disposal has incurred any expenditure which has otherwise qualified in full for any capital allowance.
- (2) In the case of the disposal of an asset which, in the period of ownership of the person making the disposal, has been used partly for the purposes of a trade, profession or vocation and partly for other purposes, or has been used for the purposes of a trade, profession or vocation for part of that period, or which has otherwise qualified in part only for capital allowances—
- (a) the consideration for the disposal, and any expenditure attributable to the asset by paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of section 32(1) above shall be apportioned by reference to the extent to which that expenditure qualified for capital allowances, and
- (b) the computation under this Chapter shall be made separately in relation to the apportioned parts of the expenditure and consideration, and
- (c) section 38 above shall not apply for the purposes of the computation in relation to the part of the consideration apportioned to use for the purposes of the trade, profession or vocation, or to the expenditure qualifying for capital allowances, and
- (d) if an apportionment of the consideration for the disposal has been made for the purposes of making any capital allowance to the person making the disposal or for the purpose of making any balancing charge on him, that apportionment shall be employed for the purposes of this section, and
- (e) subject to paragraph (d) above, the consideration for the disposal shall be apportioned for the purposes of this section in the same proportions as the expenditure attributable to the asset is apportioned under paragraph (a) above.
Consideration due after time of disposal
40
- (1) If the consideration, or part of the consideration, taken into account in the computation under this Chapter is payable by instalments over a period beginning not earlier than the time when the disposal is made, being a period exceeding eighteen months, then, if the person making the disposal satisfies the Board that he would otherwise suffer undue hardship, the tax on a chargeable gain accruing on the disposal may, at his option, be paid by such instalments as the Board may allow over a period not exceeding eight years and ending not later than the time at which the last of the first-mentioned instalments is payable.
- (2) In the computation under this Chapter consideration for the disposal shall be brought into account without any discount for postponement of the right to receive any part of it and, in the first instance, without regard to a risk of any part of the consideration being irrecoverable or to the right to receive any part of the consideration being contingent; and if any part of the consideration so brought into account is subsequently shown to the satisfaction of the inspector to be irrecoverable, such adjustment, whether by way of discharge or repayment of tax or otherwise, shall be made as is required in consequence.
Contingent liabilities
41
- (1) In the first instance no allowance shall be made in the computation under this Chapter—
- (a) in the case of a disposal by way of assigning a lease of land or other property, for any liability remaining with, or assumed by, the person making the disposal by way of assigning the lease which is contingent on a default in respect of liabilities thereby or subsequently assumed by the assignee under the terms and conditions of the lease,
- (b) for any contingent liability of the person making the disposal in respect of any covenant for quiet enjoyment or other obligation assumed as vendor of land, or of any estate or interest in land, or as a lessor,
- (c) for any contingent liability in respect of a warranty or representation made on a disposal by way of sale or lease of any property other than land.
- (2) If it is subsequently shown to the satisfaction of the inspector that any such contingent liability has become enforceable, and is being or has been enforced, such adjustment, whether by way of discharge or repayment of tax or otherwise, shall be made as is required in consequence.
Expenditure reimbursed out of public money
42
There shall be excluded from the computation under this Chapter any expenditure which has been or is to be met directly or indirectly by the Crown or by any Government, public or local authority whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.
Supplemental
43
- (1) No deduction shall be allowable in a computation under this Chapter more than once from any sum or from more than one sum.
- (2) References in this Chapter to sums taken into account as receipts or as expenditure in computing profits or gains or losses for the purposes of income tax shall include references to sums which would be so taken into account but for the fact that any profits or gains of a trade, profession, employment or vocation are not chargeable to income tax or that losses are not allowable for those purposes.
- (3) In this Chapter references to income or profits charged or chargeable to tax include references to income or profits taxed or as the case may be taxable by deduction at source.
- (4) For the purposes of any computation under this Chapter any necessary apportionments shall be made of any consideration or of any expenditure and the method of apportionment adopted shall, subject to the express provisions of this Chapter, be such method as appears to the inspector or on appeal the Commissioners concerned to be just and reasonable.
- (5) In this Chapter “capital allowance” and “renewals allowance ” have the meanings given by subsections (4) and (5) of section 34 above.
PART III — Persons and Trusts
Married persons
Husband and wife
44
- (1) If, in any year of assessment, and in the case of a woman who in that year of assessment is a married woman living with her husband, the man disposes of an asset to the wife, or the wife disposes of an asset to the man, both shall be treated as if the asset was acquired from the one making the disposal for a consideration of such amount as would secure that on the disposal neither a gain nor a loss would accrue to the one making the disposal.
- (2) This section shall not apply—
- (a) if until the disposal the asset formed part of trading stock of a trade carried on by the one making the disposal, or if the asset is acquired as trading stock for the purposes of a trade carried on by the one acquiring the asset, or
- (b) if the disposal is by way of donatio mortis causa,
but this section shall have effect notwithstanding the provisions of section 62 (transactions between connected persons) or section 122 (appropriations to and from stock in trade) below, or of any other provisions of this Act fixing the amount of the consideration deemed to be given on a disposal or acquisition.
Tax on married woman's gains
45
- (1) Subject to this section, the amount of capital gains tax on chargeable gains accruing to a married woman in—
- (a) a year of assessment, or
- (b) any part of a year of assessment, being a part beginning with 6th April,
during which she is a married woman living with her husband shall be assessed and charged on the husband and not otherwise but this subsection shall not affect the amount of capital gains tax chargeable on a man apart from this subsection nor result in the additional amount of capital gains tax charged on a man by virtue of this subsection being different from the amount which would otherwise have remained chargeable on the married woman.
- (2) Subsection (1) above shall not apply in relation to a husband and wife in any year of assessment if, before 6th July in the year next following that year of assessment, an application is made by either the husband or wife, and such an application duly made shall have effect not only as respects the year of assessment for which it is made but also for any subsequent year of assessment:
Provided that the applicant may give, for any subsequent year of assessment, a notice to withdraw that application and where such a notice is given the application shall not have effect with respect to the year for which the notice is given or any subsequent year.
A notice of withdrawal under this proviso shall not be valid unless it is given within the period for making, for the year for which the notice is given, an application similar to that to which the notice relates.
- (3) Returns under section 8 or 42(5) of the Taxes Management Act 1970 as respects chargeable gains accruing to a married woman may be required either from her or, if her husband is liable under subsection (1) above, from him.
- (4) Section 40 (collection from wife of tax assessed on husband attributable to her income) and section 41 (right of husband to disclaim liability for tax on deceased wife's income) of the Taxes Act shall apply with any necessary modifications in relation to capital gains tax as they apply in relation to income tax.
- (5) An application or notice of withdrawal under this section shall be in such form and made in such manner as may be prescribed by the Board.
Trustees, nominees and personal representatives
Nominees and bare trustees
46
- (1) In relation to assets held by a person as nominee for another person, or as trustee for another person absolutely entitled as against the trustee, or for any person who would be so entitled but for being an infant or other person under disability (or for two or more persons who are or would be jointly so entitled), this Act shall apply as if the property were vested in, and the acts of the nominee or trustee in relation to the assets were the acts of, the person or persons for whom he is the nominee or trustee (acquisitions from or disposals to him by that person or persons being disregarded accordingly).
- (2) It is hereby declared that references in this Act to any asset held by a person as trustee for another person absolutely entitled as against the trustee are references to a case where that other person has the exclusive right, subject only to satisfying any outstanding charge, lien or other right of the trustees to resort to the asset for payment of duty, taxes, costs or other outgoings, to direct how that asset shall be dealt with.
Expenses in administration of estates and trusts
47
- (1) In the case of a gain accruing to a person on the disposal of, or of a right or interest in or over, an asset to which he became absolutely entitled as legatee or as against the trustees of settled property—
- (a) any expenditure within section 32(2) above incurred by him in relation to the transfer of the asset to him by the personal representatives or trustees, and
- (b) any such expenditure incurred in relation to the transfer of the asset by the personal representatives or trustees,
shall be allowable as a deduction in the computation under Chapter II of Part II above of the gain accruing to that person on the disposal.
- (2) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “legatee” includes any person taking under a testamentary disposition or on an intestacy or partial intestacy, whether he takes beneficially or as trustee, and a person taking under a donatio mortis causa shall be treated (except for the purposes of section 49 below (death)) as a legatee and his acquisition as made at the time of the donor's death.
- (3) For the purposes of the definition of “legatee ” above, and of any reference in this Act to a person acquiring an asset “as legatee ”, property taken under a testamentary disposition or on an intestacy or partial intestacy includes any asset appropriated by the personal representatives in or towards satisfaction of a pecuniary legacy or any other interest or share in the property devolving under the disposition or intestacy.
Liability for tax
48
- (1) Capital gains tax chargeable in respect of chargeable gains accruing to the trustees of a settlement or capital gains tax due from the personal representatives of a deceased person may be assessed and charged on and in the name of any one or more of those trustees or personal representatives, but where an assessment is made in pursuance of this subsection otherwise than on all the trustees or all the personal representatives the persons assessed shall not include a person who is not resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.
- (2) Subject to section 46 above, chargeable gains accruing to the trustees of a settlement or to the personal representatives of a deceased person, and capital gains tax chargeable on or in the name of such trustees or personal representatives, shall not be regarded for the purposes of this Act as accruing to, or chargeable on, any other person, nor shall any trustee or personal representative be regarded for the purposes of this Act as an individual.
Death
Death: general provisions
49
- (1) For the purposes of this Act the assets of which a deceased person was competent to dispose—
- (a) shall be deemed to be acquired on his death by the personal representatives or other person on whom they devolve for a consideration equal to their market value at the date of the death, but
- (b) shall not be deemed to be disposed of by him on his death (whether or not they were the subject of a testamentary disposition).
- (2) Allowable losses sustained by an individual in the year of assessment in which he dies may, so far as they cannot be deducted from chargeable gains accruing in that year, be deducted from chargeable gains accruing to the deceased in the three years of assessment preceding the year of assessment in which the death occurs, taking chargeable gains accruing in a later year before those accruing in an earlier year.
- (3) In relation to property forming part of the estate of a deceased person the personal representatives shall for the purposes of this Act be treated as being a single and continuing body of persons (distinct from the persons who may from time to time be the personal representatives), and that body shall be treated as having the deceased's residence, ordinary residence, and domicile at the date of death.
- (4) On a person acquiring any asset as legatee (as defined in section 47 above)—
- (a) no chargeable gain shall accrue to the personal representatives, and
- (b) the legatee shall be treated as if the personal representatives' acquisition of the asset had been his acquisition of it.
- (5) Notwithstanding section 19(3) above (gifts) no chargeable gain shall accrue to any person on his making a disposal by way of donatio mortis causa.
- (6) Subject to subsections (7) and (8) below, where within the period of two years after a person's death any of the dispositions (whether effected by will, under the law relating to intestacy or otherwise) of the property of which he was competent to dispose are varied, or the benefit conferred by any of those dispositions is disclaimed, by an instrument in writing made by the persons or any of the persons who benefit or would benefit under the dispositions—
- (a) the variation or disclaimer shall not constitute a disposal for the purposes of this Act, and
- (b) this section shall apply as if the variation had been effected by the deceased or, as the case may be, the disclaimed benefit had never been conferred.
- (7) Subsection (6) above does not apply to a variation unless the person or persons making the instrument so elect by written notice given to the Board within six months after the date of the instrument or such longer time as the Board may allow.
- (8) Subsection (6) above does not apply to a variation or disclaimer made for any consideration in money or money's worth other than consideration consisting of the making of a variation or disclaimer in respect of another of the dispositions.
- (9) Subsection (6) above applies whether or not the administration of the estate is complete or the property has been distributed in accordance with the original dispositions.
- (10) In this section references to assets of which a deceased person was competent to dispose are references to assets of the deceased which (otherwise than in right of a power of appointment or of the testamentary power conferred by statute to dispose of entailed interests) he could, if of full age and capacity, have disposed of by his will, assuming that all the assets were situated in England and, if he was not domiciled in the United Kingdom, that he was domiciled in England, and include references to his severable share in any assets to which, immediately before his death, he was beneficially entitled as a joint tenant
Death: application of law in Scotland
50
- (1) The provisions of this Act, so far as relating to the consequences of the death of an heir of entail in possession of any property in Scotland subject to an entail, whether sui juris or not, or of a proper liferenter of any property, shall have effect subject to the provisions of this section.
- (2) For the purposes of this Act, on the death of any such heir or liferenter the heir of entail next entitled to the entailed property under the entail or, as the case may be, the person (if any) who, on the death of the liferenter, becomes entitled to possession of the property as fiar shall be deemed to have acquired all the assets forming part of the property at the date of the deceased's death for a consideration equal to their market value at that date.
Settlements
Meaning of “settled property ”
51
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “settled property” means any property held in trust other than property to which section 46 above (nominees and bare trustees) applies.
Trustees of settlements
52
- (1) In relation to settled property, the trustees of the settlement shall for the purposes of this Act be treated as being a single and continuing body of persons (distinct from the persons who may from time to time be the trustees), and that body shall be treated as being resident and ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom unless the general administration of the trusts is ordinarily carried on outside the United Kingdom and the trustees or a majority of them for the time being are not resident or not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.
- (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) above, a person carrying on a business which consists of or includes the management of trusts, and acting as trustee of a trust in the course of that business, shall be treated in relation to that trust as not resident in the United Kingdom if the whole of the settled property consists of or derives from property provided by a person not at the time (or, in the case of a trust arising under a testamentary disposition or on an intestacy or partial intestacy, at his death) domiciled, resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, and if in such a case the trustees or a majority of them are or are treated in relation to that trust as not resident in the United Kingdom, the general administration of the trust shall be treated as ordinarily carried on outside the United Kingdom.
- (3) For the purposes of this section, and of sections 54(1) and 55(1) below, where part of the property comprised in a settlement is vested in one trustee or set of trustees and part in another (and in particular where settled land within the meaning of the Settled Land Act 1925 is vested in the tenant for life and investments representing capital money are vested in the trustees of the settlement), they shall be treated as together constituting and, in so far as they act separately, as acting on behalf of a single body of trustees.
- (4) If tax assessed on the trustees, or any one trustee, of a settlement in respect of a chargeable gain accruing to the trustees is not paid within six months from the date when it becomes payable by the trustees or trustee, and before or after the expiration of that period of six months the asset in respect of which the chargeable gain accrued, or any part of the proceeds of sale of that asset, is transferred by the trustees to a person who as against the trustees is absolutely entitled to it, that person may at any time within two years from the time when the tax became payable be assessed and charged (in the name of the trustees) to an amount of capital gains tax not exceeding tax chargeable on an amount equal to the amount of the chargeable gain and, where part only of the asset or of the proceeds was transferred, not exceeding a proportionate part of that amount.
Gifts in settlement
53
A gift in settlement, whether revocable or irrevocable, is a disposal of the entire property thereby becoming settled property notwithstanding that the donor has some interest as a beneficiary under the settlement and notwithstanding that he is a trustee, or the sole trustee, of the settlement.
Person becoming absolutely entitled to settled property
54
- (1) On the occasion when a person becomes absolutely entitled to any settled property as against the trustee all the assets forming part of the settled property to which he becomes so entitled shall be deemed to have been disposed of by the trustee, and immediately reacquired by him in his capacity as a trustee within section 46(1) above, for a consideration equal to their market value.
- (2) On the occasion when a person becomes absolutely entitled to any settled property as against the trustee, any allowable loss which has accrued to the trustee in respect of property which is, or is represented by, the property to which that person so becomes entitled (including any allowable loss carried forward to the year of assessment in which that occasion falls), being a loss which cannot be deducted from chargeable gains accruing to the trustee in that year, but before that occasion, shall be treated as if it were an allowable loss accruing ait that time to the person becoming so entitled, instead of to the trustee.
Termination of life interest etc.
55
- (1) On the termination at any time after 6th April 1965 of a life interest in possession in all or any part of settled property, the whole or a corresponding part of each of the assets forming part of the settled property and not ceasing at that time to be settled property shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act at that time to be disposed of and immediately reacquired by the trustee for a consideration equal to the whole or a corresponding part of the market value of the asset.
For the purposes of this subsection a life interest which is a right to part of the income of settled property shall be treated as a life interest in a corresponding part of the settled property.
- (2) Subsection (1) above shall not apply on the occasion of the termination of the trusts of the settlement as respects any part of the settled property by the exercise of a power for that purpose contained in the settlement or of a statutory power of advancement or by the surrender of a life interest in such a part for the purpose of advancement, if all the property as respects which the life interest terminates thereby ceases to be settled property under the settlement.
- (3) Subsection (1) above shall apply where the person entitled to a life interest in possession in all or any part of settled property dies (although the interest does not then terminate) as it applies on the termination of such a life interest.
- (4) In this section “life interest” in relation to a settlement—
- (a) includes a right under the settlement to the income of, or the use or occupation of, settled property for the life of a person other than the person entitled to the right, or for lives,
- (b) does not include any right which is contingent on the exercise of the discretion of the trustee or the discretion of some other person, and
- (c) subject to subsection (5) below, does not include an annuity, notwithstanding that the annuity is payable out of or charged on settled property or the income of settled property.
- (5) In this section the expression “life interest” shall include entitlement to an annuity created by the settlement if—
- (a) some or all of the settled property is appropriated by the trustees as a fund out of which the annuity is payable, and
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