Finance Act 2012

164 Societies registered before 1 June 1973, etc

(1) A registered friendly society which is a qualifying society is not liable to pay corporation tax (whether on income or chargeable gains) on its profits other than those arising from—

(a) life assurance business, or

(b) PHI business comprised in BLAGAB or eligible PHI business.

(2) A registered friendly society is a qualifying society if—

(a) it was registered before 1 June 1973 (but see section 168 for circumstances in which it ceases to be a qualifying society),

(b) it is registered on or after that date and its business is limited to the provision, in accordance with its rules, of benefits for or in respect of employees of a particular employer or such other group of persons as is for the time being approved for the purposes of this section by HMRC Commissioners, or

(c) it is registered on or after that date but before 27 March 1974 and its rules limit the total amount which may be paid by a member by way of contributions and deposits to not more than £1 per month or such greater amount as HMRC Commissioners may authorise for the purposes of this section.

(3) For the purposes of this section a registered friendly society formed on the amalgamation of two or more friendly societies is treated as registered before 1 June 1973 if, at the time of amalgamation, each of the societies amalgamated was a qualifying society (but otherwise is treated as registered at that time).

(4) The exemption applies only if the society makes a claim.