Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

[F2 F3 299 Disposal of shares. U.K.

(1) [F4 Subject to section 304(1), where an individual makes, before the end of the relevant period, any disposal of eligible shares to which relief is attributable], then—

(a) if the disposal is made otherwise than by way of a bargain made at arm’s length, [F5 the relief] attributable to those shares shall be withdrawn, and

(b) in the case of any disposal made by way of a bargain made at arm’s length—

(i) if, apart from this subsection, the relief attributable to those shares is greater than the amount mentioned in subsection (2) below, it shall be reduced by that amount, and

(ii) if sub-paragraph (i) above does not apply, [F5 the relief] attributable to those shares shall be withdrawn.

(2) The amount referred to in subsection (1) above is an amount equal to tax at the lower rate for the year of assessment for which the relief was given on the amount or value of the consideration which the individual receives for the shares.

(3) Where, in relation to [F6 any issue of eligible shares held by any individual], the disposal referred to in subsection (1) above is a disposal of part of [F7 the issue], that subsection shall apply to the relief that was attributable to that part.

(4) Where an individual’s liability to income tax has been reduced in any year of assessment under section 289A in respect of any issue of [F8 eligible] shares [F9 issued in that year (or treated by section 289B(5) as so issued)] and the amount of the reduction (“A”) is less than the amount (“B”) which is equal to tax at the lower rate for that year on the amount subscribed for the issue, subsection (2) above shall have effect as if the amount or value referred to in that subsection were reduced by multiplying it by the fraction—

(5) Where an option, the exercise of which would bind the grantor to purchase any shares, is granted to an individual during the relevant period, any relief attributable to the shares to which the option relates shall be withdrawn.

[F10 (5A) The shares to which such an option relates shall be taken to be those which, if—

(a) the option were exercised immediately after the grant, and

(b) any shares in the company acquired by the individual after the grant were disposed of immediately after being acquired,

would be treated for the purposes of this section as disposed of in pursuance of the option.]

[F11 (6) Where shares of any class in a company have been acquired by an individual on different days, any disposal by him of shares of that class shall be treated for the purposes of this section as relating to those acquired on an earlier day rather than to those acquired on a later day.

(6A) Where shares of any class in a company have been acquired by an individual on the same day, any of those shares disposed of by him shall be treated for the purposes of this section as disposed of in the following order, namely—

(a) first any to which neither relief under this Chapter nor deferral relief is attributable;

(b) next any to which deferral relief, but not relief under this Chapter, is attributable;

(c) next any to which relief under this Chapter, but not deferral relief, is attributable; and

(d) finally any to which both relief under this Chapter and deferral relief are attributable;

and in this subsection and subsection (6C) below “deferral relief” has the same meaning as in Schedule 5B to the 1992 Act.

(6B) Any shares falling within paragraph (c) or (d) of subsection (6A) above which are treated by section 289B(5) as issued on an earlier day shall be treated as disposed of before any other shares falling within that paragraph.

(6C) The following, namely—

(a) any shares to which relief under this Chapter is attributable and which were transferred to an individual as mentioned in section 304, and

(b) any shares to which deferral relief, but not relief under this Chapter, is attributable and which were acquired by an individual on a disposal to which section 58 of the 1992 Act applies,

shall be treated for the purposes of subsections (6) and (6A) above as acquired by him on the day on which they were issued.

(6D) In a case to which section 127 of the 1992 Act applies (whether or not by virtue of section 135(3) of that Act), shares comprised in the new holding shall be treated for the purposes of subsections (6) and (6A) above as acquired when the original shares were acquired.

In this subsection “new holding” and “original shares” shall be construed in accordance with sections 126, 127, 135 and 136 of the 1992 Act.]

(7) F12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(8) For the purposes of this section—

(a) F13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b) references to a disposal of shares include references to the grant of an option the exercise of which would bind the grantor to sell the shares, and

(c) section 312(1A)(a) applies to determine the relevant period.]

Textual Amendments

F2 S. 299 substituted (with effect as mentioned in s. 137(1)(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1994 (c. 9), Sch. 15 para. 12

F3 S. 299 (as it has effect in relation to shares issued before 1st January 1994) amended (with effect as mentioned in Sch. 13 para. 39(3) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 39(1)(2); and s. 299 (as it applies to shares issued before 1st January 1994) further amended (with effect as mentioned in Sch. 9 paras. 7, 8(1) of the further amending Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), Sch. 9 para. 4(2)

F4 Words in s. 299(1) substituted (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3), Sch. 13 para. 12(8) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(1)(a)

F5 Words in s. 299(1)(a)(b)(ii) substituted (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3), Sch. 13 para. 12(8) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(1)(b)

F6 Words in s. 299(3) substituted (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(2)(a)

F7 Words in s. 299(3) substituted (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(2)(b)

F8 Word in s. 299(4) inserted (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(3)(a)

F9 Words in s. 299(4) inserted (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3), Sch. 13 para. 12(8) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(3)(b)

F10 S. 299(5A) inserted (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3), Sch. 13 para. 12(9) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(4)

F11 S. 299(6)-(6D) substituted for s. 299(6) (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3), Sch. 13 para. 12(8) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(5)

F12 S. 299(7) repealed (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3), Sch. 13 para. 12(8), Sch. 27 Pt. 3(14) Note 2 of the repealing Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(6), Sch. 27 Pt. 3(14)

F13 S. 299(8)(a) repealed (with effect as mentioned in s. 74(3), Sch. 27 Pt. 3(14) Note 4 of the repealing Act) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), Sch. 13 para. 12(6), Sch. 27 Pt. 3(14)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 S. 299 applied (6.3.1992 with effect as mentioned in s. 289(1)(2) of the amending Act) by Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (c. 12), ss. 150(4), 289 (with ss. 60, 101(1), 171, 201(3)).