Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003

Chapter 18 U.K. Exemptions: Non-UK resident taxpayers

647 Introduction and meaning of “foreign residence condition” etc. U.K.

(1) The provisions of this Part provide that no liability to income tax arises on certain kinds of pensions if the foreign residence condition is met.

(2) The foreign residence condition is met in relation to a pension if the pension is payable to a person who is not resident in the United Kingdom.

(3) For the purposes of the foreign residence condition, a person is taken to be not resident in the United Kingdom only if—

(a) a person makes a claim to [F1 the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs] that the person is not resident, and

(b) the [F2 Commissioners] [F3 are] satisfied that the person is not resident.

(4) In this Chapter “pension” includes—

(a) a gratuity or any sum payable on or in respect of death,

(b) a return of contributions, and

(c) any interest or other addition included in a return of contributions.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Act substituted (18.4.2005) by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (c. 11), s. 53(1), Sch. 4 para. 102(2); S.I. 2005/1126, art. 2(2)(h)

F2 Word in s. 647 substituted (18.4.2005) by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (c. 11), s. 53(1), Sch. 4 para. 102(3)(h); S.I. 2005/1126, art. 2(2)(h)

F3 Word in s. 647(3)(b) substituted (18.4.2005) by Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (c. 11), s. 53(1), Sch. 4 para. 116; S.I. 2005/1126, art. 2(2)(h)

648 The Central African Pension Fund U.K.

(1) No liability to income tax arises on a pension which is paid from the Central African Pension Fund if the foreign residence condition is met.

(2) In this section “the Central African Pension Fund” means the fund established under that name by section 24 of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (Dissolution) Order in Council 1963 (S.I. 1963/2085).

649 Commonwealth government pensions U.K.

(1) No liability to income tax arises on a pension paid out of a fund which is established—

(a) in the United Kingdom,

(b) by a Commonwealth government,

(c) for the sole purpose of providing pensions payable in respect of service under that government,

if the foreign residence condition is met.

(2) In this section “Commonwealth government” means—

(a) the government of a territory or country mentioned in subsection (3),

(b) the government of any part of a territory or country mentioned in subsection (3), or

(c) a government constituted for two or more of the territories or countries mentioned in subsection (3).

(3) The territories and countries referred to in subsection (2) are—

(a) a country mentioned in Schedule 3 to the British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61) apart from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and Cyprus,

(b) an associated state,

(c) a British overseas territory,

(d) a protectorate,

(e) a protected state, and

(f) a United Kingdom trust territory.

(4) In subsection (2)(c) the reference to a government constituted for two or more of the territories or countries mentioned in subsection (3) includes a reference to any authority established for the purpose of providing or administering services which are common to, or relate to matters of common interest to, two or more of those territories or countries.

(5) In subsection (3)(f) “United Kingdom trust territory” means a territory administered by the government of the United Kingdom under the trusteeship system of the United Nations.

650 Oversea Superannuation Scheme U.K.

(1) No liability to income tax arises on a pension which is paid under the Oversea Superannuation Scheme (formerly known as the Colonial Superannuation Scheme) if the foreign residence condition is met.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) a pension is paid under the Oversea Superannuation Scheme if—

(a) the pension is paid under the Scheme as it has effect (by reason of section 2(4A) of OPA 1973) as a scheme under section 2 of OPA 1973, or

(b) the pension is paid under a scheme which—

(i) the Secretary of State has made under section 2(1) of OPA 1973, and

(ii) corresponds to the Oversea Superannuation Scheme.

651 Overseas Pensions Act 1973 U.K.

(1) No liability to income tax arises on a pension which is paid under section 1 of OPA 1973 if the foreign residence condition is met.

(2) Subsection (1) applies whether or not the pension is paid out of a fund established under a scheme made under section 1 of OPA 1973.

(3) But subsection (1) does not apply to any part of a pension paid because the Pensions (Increase) Acts apply to it.

(4) In this section “the Pensions (Increase) Acts” means—

(a) the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 (c. 56), and

(b) any Act passed after that Act for purposes which correspond to the purposes of that Act.

652 Overseas Service Act 1958 U.K.

(1) No liability to income tax arises on a pension—

(a) which is paid under the authority of the Overseas Service Act 1958 (c. 14), and

(b) which the Secretary of State certifies to be attributable to the employment of a person in the public services of an overseas territory,

if the foreign residence condition is met.

(2) If the Secretary of State certifies that only part of a pension paid under the authority of the 1958 Act is attributable to the employment of a person in the public services of an overseas territory, subsection (1) applies only to that part of the pension.

(3) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2) a pension is paid under the authority of the 1958 Act if condition A or B is met.

(4) Condition A is that the pension is paid under either of the following—

(a) an order made under section 2 of the 1958 Act, or

(b) section 4(2) of the 1958 Act,

as it has effect (by reason of section 2(3) of OPA 1973) as a scheme under section 2 of OPA 1973.

(5) Condition B is that the pension is paid under a scheme which the Secretary of State—

(a) has made under section 2(1) of OPA 1973, and

(b) has certified to correspond to—

(i) an order made under section 2 of the 1958 Act, or

(ii) section 4(2) of the 1958 Act.

(6) For the purposes of this section, a person is taken to be employed in the public service of an overseas territory at any time when—

(a) the person is employed in any capacity under the government of that territory, or under any municipal or other local authority in it,

(b) the person is employed in circumstances not falling within paragraph (a), by a body corporate established for any public purpose in that territory by an enactment of a legislature empowered to make laws for that territory, or

(c) the person is the holder of a public office in that territory in circumstances not falling within paragraph (a) or (b).

(7) In subsection (6) references to the government of an overseas territory include references to—

(a) a government constituted for two or more overseas territories, and

(b) any authority established for the purpose of providing or administering services which are common to, or relate to matters of common interest to, two or more such territories.

(8) In this section—

• “the 1958 Act” means the Overseas Service Act 1958 (c. 14);

• “certified” means certified for the purposes of ICTA 1970, ICTA or this Act.

653 Overseas Service Pensions Fund U.K.

(1) No liability to income tax arises on a pension which is paid out of the Overseas Service Pensions Fund if the foreign residence condition is met.

(2) In this section “the Overseas Service Pensions Fund” means the fund with that name established under section 7(1) of the Overseas Aid Act 1966 (c. 21).

(3) In this section “pension” includes not only the things mentioned in section 647(4) but also any sum payable in respect of ill-health.

654 The Pensions (India, Pakistan and Burma) Act 1955 U.K.

(1) No liability to income tax arises on a pension paid under the authority of the Pensions (India, Pakistan and Burma) Act 1955 (c. 22) if the foreign residence condition is met.

(2) A pension is paid under the authority of the 1955 Act if—

(a) the pension is paid under the 1955 Act as it has effect (by reason of section 2(3) of OPA 1973) as a scheme under section 2 of OPA 1973, or

(b) the pension is paid under a scheme which the Secretary of State—

(i) has made under section 2(1) of OPA 1973, and

(ii) has certified to correspond to the provision made under the 1955 Act.

(3) This section does not apply to any part of a pension paid because the Pensions (Increase) Acts apply to it.

(4) In this section—

• “the 1955 Act” means the Pensions (India, Pakistan and Burma) Act 1955 (c. 22);

• “certified” means certified for the purposes of ICTA 1970, ICTA or this Act;

• “the Pensions (Increase) Acts” means—

  (a)

  the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 (c. 56), and

  (b)

  any Act passed after that Act for purposes which correspond to the purposes of that Act.