Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

[F1 International headquarters companies] U.K.

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 6 Ch. 5A (ss. 246A-246Y) inserted (3.5.1994) by Finance Act 1994 (c. 9), Sch. 16 para. 1

246S International headquarters companies. U.K.

(1) For the purposes of this Chapter a company is an international headquarters company in an accounting period if—

(a) at least one of the first three conditions (set out in subsections (2) to (5) below) is fulfilled, and

(b) the fourth condition (set out in subsection (7) below) is fulfilled;

but the fourth condition need not be fulfilled if the second condition is fulfilled.

(2) The first condition is that—

(a) the company is wholly owned by another company throughout the accounting period, and

(b) that other company is a foreign held company in the accounting period.

(3) The second condition is that—

(a) the company is wholly owned by another company throughout the accounting period,

(b) that other company is not resident in the United Kingdom at any time in the accounting period,

(c) throughout the accounting period, and the period of 12 months immediately preceding it, the shares in that other company are quoted in the official list of a recognised stock exchange other than a stock exchange in the United Kingdom,

(d) at a time falling within the accounting period or the period of 12 months immediately preceding it, shares in that other company have been the subject of dealings on a recognised stock exchange other than a stock exchange in the United Kingdom, and

(e) throughout the accounting period, and the period of 12 months immediately preceding it, the shares in that other company are not quoted in the official list of a recognised stock exchange in the United Kingdom;

but this is subject to subsection (8) below.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3)(e) above, shares that (apart from this subsection) would be regarded as quoted in the official list of a recognised stock exchange shall be regarded as not being so quoted if the issuer of the shares is not subject, in relation to them, to the full requirements applicable by virtue of listing rules to the listing of shares on that exchange; and in this subsection “listing rules” shall be construed in accordance with section 142(6) of the Financial Services Act 1986.

(5) The third condition is that—

(a) at each given time in the accounting period each shareholder of the company owns at least 5 per cent. of the company’s share capital, and

(b) the test mentioned in subsection (6) below is satisfied.

(6) The test is that at each given time in the accounting period at least 80 per cent. of the company’s share capital is owned by—

(a) persons who are not companies and who are not resident in the United Kingdom at any time in the accounting period,

(b) companies which are foreign held companies in the accounting period, or

(c) persons falling within paragraph (a) above and companies falling within paragraph (b) above.

(7) The fourth condition is that at each given time in the accounting period not more than 20 per cent. of the company’s ordinary share capital is ultimately owned by persons who are not companies and are resident in the United Kingdom; and where any shares are not directly owned by a person who is not a company their ultimate ownership shall be found by tracing ownership through any corporate holders to persons who are not companies on such basis as is reasonable.

(8) Notwithstanding subsection (3) above, the second condition shall also be treated as fulfilled in relation to a company (the company concerned) and an accounting period if—

(a) the company concerned is throughout the accounting period wholly owned by another company, and that other company is throughout the period wholly owned by a company which satisfies the conditions set out in subsection (3)(b) to (e) above,

(b) there are two or more companies (intermediary companies) which throughout the accounting period beneficially own between them all the share capital of the company concerned, and there is another company which throughout the period wholly owns all the intermediary companies and which satisfies the conditions set out in subsection (3)(b) to (e) above, or

(c) there are two or more companies (relevant companies) which throughout the accounting period beneficially own between them all the share capital of the company concerned, and one of the relevant companies is a company which throughout the period wholly owns all the other relevant companies and which satisfies the conditions set out in subsection (3)(b) to (e) above;

and in determining for the purposes of this subsection whether a particular company satisfies the conditions set out in subsection (3)(b) to (e) above, references in subsection (3)(b) to (e) to “that other company” shall be construed as references to that particular company.

(9) Where a company pays a foreign income dividend, for the purposes of this Chapter it may treat itself as an international headquarters company if—

(a) in the company’s opinion it is likely to be an international headquarters company in the accounting period in which the dividend is paid, and

(b) in a case where the dividend is paid in the company’s second accounting period or a subsequent accounting period, it is an international headquarters company in the immediately preceding accounting period;

and for the purposes of paragraph (a) above the company’s opinion held at the time the dividend is paid is to be taken.

(10) For the purposes of this section a company is a foreign held company in an accounting period if—

(a) at each given time in the accounting period at least 80 per cent. of the company’s share capital is owned by persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom at any time in the accounting period, or

(b) throughout the accounting period the company is wholly owned by another company and at each given time in the accounting period at least 80 per cent. of that other company’s share capital is owned by persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom at any time in the accounting period.

(11) For the purposes of this section a company wholly owns another company if the first company is the beneficial owner of all the share capital of the second company.

(12) For the purposes of this section the question whether a person owns a particular percentage of a company’s share capital at a particular time shall be determined by—

(a) assuming that a general meeting of the company is held at that time;

(b) taking the number of votes carried by the company’s share capital and capable of being cast at such a meeting;

(c) taking the number of those votes capable of being so cast by the person concerned by virtue of the company’s share capital beneficially owned by him;

(d) expressing the number found under paragraph (c) above as a percentage of the number found under paragraph (b) above;

(e) taking the percentage found under paragraph (d) above as the percentage of the company’s share capital owned by that person at that time.

(13) Subsection (12) above shall not apply for the purposes of subsection (7) above; and in subsection (7) references to ownership shall be construed as references to beneficial ownership.

246T Liability to pay ACT displaced. U.K.

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a company pays a foreign income dividend in an accounting period, and

(b) at the time it pays the dividend the company treats itself as an international headquarters company by virtue of section 246S(9).

(2) The company shall not be liable to pay advance corporation tax in respect of the dividend.

(3) This section shall have effect subject to section 246V.

246U Settlement of liability by IHC as to ACT. U.K.

(1) This section applies where—

(a) at any time when it pays a dividend in an accounting period a company treats itself as an international headquarters company by virtue of section 246S(9), and

(b) the company is an international headquarters company in the accounting period.

(2) If amount A exceeds amount B, the company shall be liable to pay an amount equal to the excess as if the amount were advance corporation tax payable in respect of a distribution made by the company in the last return period falling within the accounting period; and “return period” here has the same meaning as in Schedule 13.

(3) If amount B exceeds amount A, an amount equal to the excess shall be paid to the company in accordance with this section; and the payment shall be treated as if it were a repayment of advance corporation tax which—

(a) was paid by the company in respect of distributions made by it in the accounting period, and

(b) falls to be repaid under sections 246N and 246Q.

(4) Amount A is the total amount of the advance corporation tax which by virtue of section 246T and paragraph 3A of Schedule 13 the company is not liable to pay, and has not paid, in respect of dividends paid by it in the accounting period.

(5) Amount B is the amount (if any) of the advance corporation tax which would be required to be repaid, or set off, or partly repaid and partly set off, under sections 246N and 246Q if the company—

(a) had not treated itself as an international headquarters company at any time in the accounting period, and

(b) had, at the expiry of nine months from the end of the accounting period, made a claim as regards the accounting period in accordance with sections 246N and 246Q.

(6) Where an amount of advance corporation tax actually paid by the company in respect of qualifying distributions made by it in the accounting period has been dealt with under section 239(3), or the benefit of such an amount has been surrendered under section 240, in applying section 246N(5)(c) and (d) by virtue of subsection (5) above it shall be assumed that an equivalent amount of advance corporation tax would have been so dealt with or (as the case may be) that the benefit of an equivalent amount of advance corporation tax would have been so surrendered.

(7) No amount shall be paid under subsection (3) above unless the company makes a claim for payment; and—

(a) a return made by the company for the accounting period under section 11 of the Management Act, or

(b) an amendment of such a return,

shall be treated as a claim for payment if the return or (as the case may be) the amendment contains such particulars as the inspector may require.

(8) A claim which is not made by means of a return under section 11 of the Management Act, or by means of an amendment of such a return, shall be supported by such particulars as the inspector may require.

(9) No amount shall be payable under subsection (3) above until the expiry of nine months from the end of the accounting period.

246V Settlement of liability by non-IHC as to ACT. U.K.

(1) This section applies where—

(a) at any time when it pays a dividend in an accounting period a company treats itself as an international headquarters company by virtue of section 246S(9), and

(b) the company is not an international headquarters company in the accounting period.

(2) Section 246T shall not apply, and shall be treated as never having applied, as regards the dividend.

(3) Sections 246N and 246Q shall apply as if the company had not treated itself as an international headquarters company at any time in the period by virtue of section 246S(9).

246W Payments and repayments where further matching takes place. U.K.

(1) Subsection (2) below applies where—

(a) a company pays an amount under section 246U(2) as regards an accounting period,

(b) the company makes an election under section 246J(5) or 246K(10) matching profits with dividends paid in that accounting period, and

(c) had the election been made before the relevant time, the company would not have been required to pay some or all of the amount mentioned in paragraph (a) above.

(2) The company shall be entitled to repayment of so much of the amount mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above as it would not have been required to pay if the election had been made before the relevant time.

(3) Subsection (4) below applies where—

(a) a company either pays an amount under section 246U(2) as regards an accounting period or is paid an amount under section 246U(3) as regards the period,

(b) the company makes an election under section 246J(5) or 246K(10) matching profits with dividends paid in that accounting period, and

(c) had the election been made before the relevant time, the company would have been entitled under section 246U(3) to be paid an amount which was not in fact paid to it.

(4) The company shall be entitled to payment of the amount mentioned in subsection (3)(c) above.

(5) Any repayment under subsection (2) above shall (without prejudice to section 246U(2)) be treated as if it were a repayment of advance corporation tax which—

(a) was paid by the company in respect of a distribution made by it in the last return period falling within the accounting period mentioned in subsection (1) above, and

(b) falls to be repaid under sections 246N and 246Q.

(6) In relation to a repayment under subsection (2) above which by virtue of subsection (5) above is treated as a repayment of advance corporation tax, the material date for the purposes of section 826 shall be the date when advance corporation tax in respect of distributions made by the company in the return period mentioned in subsection (5) above became (or, as the case may be, would have become) due and payable; and accordingly subsection (2A) of section 826 shall not apply in relation to the repayment.

(7) Any payment under subsection (4) above shall be treated as if it were a repayment of advance corporation tax which—

(a) was paid by the company in respect of distributions made by it in the accounting period mentioned in subsection (3) above, and

(b) falls to be repaid under sections 246N and 246Q.

(8) Subsections (7) and (8) of section 246U shall apply in relation to payments and repayments under this section as they apply in relation to payments under section 246U(3).

(9) For the purposes of this section—

(a) “the relevant time” means the expiry of nine months from the end of the accounting period mentioned in subsection (1) or (3) above;

(b) “return period” has the same meaning as in Schedule 13.