Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

60 Assessment on preceding year basis

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section and sections 61 to 63, income tax shall be charged under Cases I and II of Schedule D on the full amount of the profits or gains of the year preceding the year of assessment.

(2) Subsection (3) or (4) below shall apply where, in the case of a trade, profession or vocation, an account has, or accounts have, been made up to a date or dates within the period of three years immediately preceding the year of assessment.

(3) If—

(a) an account was made up to a date within the year preceding the year of assessment, and

(b) that account was the only account made up to a date in that year, and

(c) it was for a period of one year beginning either—

(i) at the commencement of the trade, profession or vocation, or

(ii) at the end of the period on the profits or gains of which the assessment for the last preceding year of assessment was to be computed,

the profits or gains of the year ending on that date shall be taken to be the profits or gains of the year preceding the year of assessment.

(4) If subsection (3) does not apply, the Board shall decide what period of 12 months ending on a date within the year preceding the year of assessment shall be deemed to be the year the profits or gains of which are to be taken to be the profits or gains of the year preceding the year of assessment.

(5) Where—

(a) the Board have given a decision under subsection (4) above, and

(b) it appears to them that, in consequence of that decision, income tax for the last preceding year of assessment in respect of the profits or gains from the same source should be computed on the profits or gains of a corresponding period,

they may give a direction to that effect, and an assessment or, on a claim therefor, repayment of tax shall be made accordingly.

(6) The decision whether or not to give a direction under subsection (5) above shall be subject to an appeal which shall lie to the General Commissioners unless the appellant elects (in accordance with section 46(1) of the Management Act) to bring it before the Special Commissioners, and the Commissioners hearing the appeal shall grant such relief, if any, as is just.

(7) An appeal under subsection (6) above shall be brought within 30 days of receipt of notice of the decision, save that, if the decision is to give a direction and an assessment is made in accordance with the direction, the appeal against the decision shall be by way of an appeal against the assessment.

(8) In the case of the death of a person who, if he had not died, would under subsections (2) to (5) above have become chargeable to income tax for any year, the tax which would have been so chargeable shall be assessed and charged on his executors or administrators, and shall be a debt due from and payable out of his estate.