Finance (No. 2) Act 2023

151 Adjustments for companies in distress U.K.

(1) This section applies to a member of a multinational group [F1 for an accounting period] where—

(a) it is released from an obligation to pay a debt (however that obligation arises), F2 ...

[F3 (aa) that release is reflected in the underlying profits of the member for that period,]

(b) at the time of that release, one or more of the circumstances mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (2) applied to it [F4 , and

(c) the filing member of the group elects that this section should apply to the member for that period.]

(2) Those circumstances are—

(a) that the member meets an insolvency condition mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (e) of section 322(6) of CTA 2009 (release of debts);

(b) that—

(i) it is reasonable to suppose that within 12 months, ignoring any debts owed to persons and entities that are connected to the member, the member will be unable to meet its debts to persons and entities it is not connected to as they fall due, and

(ii) the member has obtained an independent expert opinion confirming that is the case;

(c) that the member’s liabilities exceed its assets.

(3) Where the circumstance in subsection (2)(a) applies to the member, its underlying profits are to be adjusted to exclude any profits arising as a result of the release of the debt obligation.

(4) Where—

(a) the circumstance in subsection (2)(b) applies to the member,

(b) the circumstance in (2)(a) does not, and

(c) the debt—

(i) is not a debt owed to a person or entity that is connected to the member, or

(ii) the debt is owed to a person or entity that is connected to the member, but the release of the debt obligation can reasonably be regarded as part of arrangements to secure the solvency of the member that involve the release of debt owed to a person that is not connected to the member,

the member’s underlying profits are to be adjusted to exclude any profits arising as a result of the release of the debt obligation.

(5) Subsection (6) applies where—

(a) the circumstance in subsection (2)(c) applies to the member,

(b) neither the circumstance in subsection (2)(a) nor (2)(b) applies to the member, and

(c) the debt is not a debt owed to a person or entity that is connected to the member.

(6) Where this subsection applies, the underlying profits of the member are to be adjusted to exclude the lesser of—

(a) the amount of any profits arising as a result of the release of the debt obligation,

(b) if, as a result of the release of the debt obligation, the member’s assets exceed its liabilities, the amount by which its liabilities exceeded its assets immediately before the release, and

(c) if, in determining the member’s liability to tax, some or all of the profits arising as a result of the release of the debt obligation are offset by [F5 local tax attributes], the amount of those profits that are offset.

[F6 (6A) For the purposes of subsection (6)(c) “local tax attributes” means any tax attributes (which may include foreign tax credits) of the member that are recognised under the law of the territory in which the member is located (whether or not such tax attributes are excluded from the member’s covered tax balance).]

[F7 (7) Where more than one debt is released at the same time, the debts released are to be treated as a single aggregate amount for the purpose of assessing whether conditions in this section are met (for example, whether the member’s assets exceed its liabilities at any time).]

[F8 (8) Paragraph 2 of Schedule 15 (annual elections) applies to an election under subsection (1)(c).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 151(1) inserted (22.2.2024 with effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 31.12.2023 in accordance with Sch. 12 para. 1(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2024 (c. 3), Sch. 12 para. 9(2)(a)

F2 Word in s. 151(1) omitted (22.2.2024 with effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 31.12.2023 in accordance with Sch. 12 para. 1(2) of the amending Act) by virtue of Finance Act 2024 (c. 3), Sch. 12 para. 9(2)(b)

F3 S. 151(1)(aa) inserted (22.2.2024 with effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 31.12.2023 in accordance with Sch. 12 para. 1(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2024 (c. 3), Sch. 12 para. 9(2)(c)

F4 S. 151(1)(c) and word inserted (22.2.2024 with effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 31.12.2023 in accordance with Sch. 12 para. 1(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2024 (c. 3), Sch. 12 para. 9(2)(d)

F5 Words in s. 151(6)(c) substituted (22.2.2024 with effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 31.12.2023 in accordance with Sch. 12 para. 1(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2024 (c. 3), Sch. 12 para. 9(3)

F6 S. 151(6A) inserted (22.2.2024 with effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 31.12.2023 in accordance with Sch. 12 para. 1(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2024 (c. 3), Sch. 12 para. 9(4)

F7 S. 151(7) substituted (22.2.2024 with effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 31.12.2023 in accordance with Sch. 12 para. 1(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2024 (c. 3), Sch. 12 para. 9(5)

F8 S. 151(8) inserted (22.2.2024 with effect for accounting periods beginning on or after 31.12.2023 in accordance with Sch. 12 para. 1(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2024 (c. 3), Sch. 12 para. 9(6)