251Information: general requirementsU.K.
(1)The Board of Inland Revenue may by regulations make provision requiring persons of a prescribed description—
(a)to provide to the Inland Revenue, in a form specified by the Board of Inland Revenue, information of a prescribed description relating to any of the matters mentioned in subsection (2), and
(b)to preserve for a prescribed period any documents relating to such information.
(2)Those matters are—
(a)any matter relating to a registered pension scheme,
(b)any matter relating to a pension scheme which has ceased to be a registered pension scheme,
(c)any matter relating to a pension scheme in relation to which an application for registration has been made,
(d)any matter relating to an annuity purchased with sums or assets held for the purposes of a registered pension scheme,
(e)the coming into operation of an employer-financed retirement benefits scheme, and
(f)the provision of relevant benefits under an employer-financed retirement benefits scheme.
(3)In subsection (2)—
“employer-financed retirement benefits scheme”, and
“relevant benefits”,
have the same meaning as in Chapter 2 of Part 6 of ITEPA 2003 (see sections 393A and 393B of that Act).
(4)The Board of Inland Revenue may by regulations make provision—
(a)requiring scheme administrators of registered pension schemes or other persons of a prescribed description to provide information of a prescribed description to persons of such of the descriptions mentioned in subsection (5) as are prescribed [F1or to the scheme administrators of other registered pension schemes], F2...
(b)requiring persons of such of the descriptions specified in subsection (5) as are prescribed to provide information of a prescribed description to the scheme administrators of registered pension schemes,
[F3(ba)requiring, in a case where a payment (“the onwards payment”) is made directly or indirectly out of a sum on whose payment tax has been charged under section 206, the person making the onwards payment to provide information of a prescribed description to the person to whom the onwards payment is made,]
[F4(c)requiring scheme administrators of registered pension schemes to provide information of a prescribed description to scheme managers of qualifying recognised overseas pension schemes, or
(d)requiring members or former members of a relevant non-UK pension scheme to provide information to the scheme administrators, or scheme managers, of registered pension schemes or other relevant non-UK pension schemes.]
(5)Those persons are—
(a)members of a registered pension scheme,
[F5(aa)employers of members of a registered pension scheme,]
(b)persons who have ceased to be members of a registered pension scheme,
(c)persons to whom benefits under a registered pension scheme are being, or have been, provided,
(d)the personal representatives of any person within paragraphs (a) to (c), and
(e)insurance companies who pay annuities purchased with sums or assets held for the purposes of registered pension schemes.
[F6(5A)Regulations under this section may make different provision for different cases.]
(6)“Prescribed”, in relation to regulations, means prescribed by the regulations[F7; and “relevant non-UK scheme” has the meaning given by paragraph 1 of Schedule 34].
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 251(4)(a) inserted (6.4.2006) by Finance Act 2005 (c. 7), Sch. 10 paras. 47, 64(1)
F2Word in s. 251(4)(a) omitted (17.12.2014) by virtue of Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 1 para. 93(2)(a)
F3S. 251(4)(ba) inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 21(10) of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2015 (c. 33), s. 21(6)
F4S. 251(4)(c)(d) inserted (17.12.2014) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 1 para. 93(2)(b)
F5S. 251(5)(aa) inserted (8.4.2010) by Finance Act 2010 (c. 13), s. 49
F6S. 251(5A) inserted (11.7.2023) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2023 (c. 30), s. 348(1)(b)(3)
F7Words in s. 251(6) inserted (17.12.2014) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 1 para. 93(3)
Commencement Information
I1Ss. 160-274, 281, Schs. 30-35 in force at 6.4.2006 but any power to make an order or regulations under those provisions may be exercised at any time after Royal Assent, see s. 284