Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

Tax underlying dividends U.K.

799 Computation of underlying tax. U.K.

M1 (1) Where in the case of any dividend arrangements provide for underlying tax to be taken into account in considering whether any and if so what credit is to be allowed against the United Kingdom taxes in respect of the dividend, the tax to be taken into account by virtue of that provision shall be so much of the foreign tax borne on the relevant profits by the body corporate paying the dividend as is properly attributable to the proportion of the relevant profits represented by the dividend.

(2) Where under the foreign tax law the dividend has been increased for tax purposes by an amount to be set off against the recipient’s own tax under that law or, to the extent that it exceeds his own tax thereunder, paid to him, then, from the amount of the underlying tax to be taken into account under subsection (1) above there is to be subtracted the amount of that increase.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1) above the relevant profits, subject to subsection (4) below, are—

(a) if the dividend is paid for a specified period, the profits of that period;

(b) if the dividend is not paid for a specified period, but is paid out of specified profits, those profits; and

(c) if the dividend is paid neither for a specified period nor out of specified profits, the profits of the last period for which accounts of the body corporate were made up which ended before the dividend became payable.

(4) If, in a case falling under paragraph (a) or (c) of subsection (3) above, the total dividend exceeds the profits available for distribution of the period mentioned in that paragraph the relevant profits shall be the profits of that period plus so much of the profits available for distribution of preceding periods (other than profits previously distributed or previously treated as relevant profits for the purposes of this section or section 506 of the 1970 Act) as is equal to the excess; and for the purposes of this subsection the profits of the most recent preceding period shall first be taken into account, then the profits of the next most recent preceding period, and so on.

Marginal Citations

M1 Source—1970 s.506; 1976 s.50(3)

800 Dividends paid between related companies but not covered by arrangements. U.K.

M2 Where—

(a) arrangements provide, in relation to dividends of some classes but not in relation to dividends of other classes, that underlying tax is to be taken into account in considering whether any, and if so what, credit is to be allowed against the United Kingdom taxes in respect of the dividends; and

(b) a dividend is paid which is not of a class in relation to which the arrangements so provide;

then, if the dividend is paid to a company which controls directly or indirectly, or is a subsidiary of a company which controls directly or indirectly, not less than 10 per cent. of the voting power in the company paying the dividend, credit shall be allowed as if the dividend were a dividend of a class in relation to which the arrangements so provide.

Marginal Citations

M2 Source—1970 s.507; 1971 s.26(4)

801 Dividends paid between related companies: relief for U.K. and third country taxes. U.K.

M3 (1) Where a company resident outside the United Kingdom (“the overseas company”) pays a dividend to a company resident in the United Kingdom (“the United Kingdom company”) and the overseas company is related to the United Kingdom company, then for the purpose of allowing credit under any arrangements against corporation tax in respect of the dividend, there shall be taken into account, as if it were tax payable under the law of the territory in which the overseas company is resident—

(a) any United Kingdom income tax or corporation tax payable by the overseas company in respect of its profits; and

(b) any tax which, under the law of any other territory, is payable by the overseas company in respect of its profits.

(2) Where the overseas company has received a dividend from a third company and the third company is related to the overseas company, then, subject to subsection (4) below, there shall be treated for the purposes of subsection (1) above as tax paid by the overseas company in respect of its profits any underlying tax payable by the third company, to the extent that it would be taken into account under this Part if the dividend had been paid by a company resident outside the United Kingdom to a company resident in the United Kingdom and arrangements had provided for underlying tax to be taken into account.

(3) Where the third company has received a dividend from a fourth company and the fourth company is related to the third company, then, subject to subsection (4) below, tax payable by the fourth company shall similarly be treated for the purposes of subsection (2) above as tax paid by the third company; and so on for successive companies each of which is related to the one before.

(4) Subsections (2) and (3) above are subject to the following limitations—

(a) no tax shall be taken into account in respect of a dividend paid by a company resident in the United Kingdom except United Kingdom corporation tax and any tax for which that company is entitled to credit under this Part; and

(b) no tax shall be taken into account in respect of a dividend paid by a company resident outside the United Kingdom to another such company unless it could have been taken into account under the other provisions of this Part had the other company been resident in the United Kingdom.

(5) For the purposes of this section a company is related to another company if that other company—

(a) controls directly or indirectly, or

(b) is a subsidiary of a company which controls directly or indirectly,

not less than 10 per cent. of the voting power in the first-mentioned company.

Marginal Citations

M3 Source—1970 s.508; 1971 s.26(2)

Valid from 19/03/1997

[F1 801A Restriction of relief for underlying tax. U.K.

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a company resident in the United Kingdom (“the United Kingdom company”) makes a claim for an allowance by way of credit in accordance with this Part;

(b) the claim relates to underlying tax on a dividend paid to that company by a company resident outside the United Kingdom (“the overseas company”);

(c) that underlying tax is or includes an amount in respect of tax (“the high rate tax”) payable by—

(i) the overseas company, or

(ii) such a third, fourth or successive company as is mentioned in section 801,

at a rate in excess of the relievable rate; and

(d) the whole or any part of the amount in respect of the high rate tax which is or is included in the underlying tax would not be, or be included in, that underlying tax but for the existence of, or for there having been, an avoidance scheme.

(2) Where this section applies, the amount of the credit to which the United Kingdom company is entitled on the claim shall be determined as if the high rate tax had been tax at the relievable rate, instead of at a rate in excess of that rate.

(3) For the purposes of this section tax shall be taken to be payable at a rate in excess of the relievable rate if, and to the extent that, the amount of that tax exceeds the amount that would represent tax on the relevant profits at the relievable rate.

(4) In subsection (3) above “the relevant profits”, in relation to any tax, means the profits of the overseas company or, as the case may be, of the third, fourth or successive company which, for the purposes of this Part, are taken to bear that tax.

(5) In this section “the relievable rate” means the rate of corporation tax in force when the dividend mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above was paid.

(6) In this section “an avoidance scheme” means any scheme or arrangement which—

(a) falls within subsection (7) below; and

(b) is a scheme or arrangement the purpose, or one of the main purposes, of which is to have an amount of underlying tax taken into account on a claim for an allowance by way of credit in accordance with this Part.

(7) A scheme or arrangement falls within this subsection if the parties to it include both—

(a) the United Kingdom company, a company related to that company or a person connected with the United Kingdom company; and

(b) a person who was not under the control of the United Kingdom company at any time before the doing of anything as part of, or in pursuance of, the scheme or arrangement.

(8) In this section “arrangement” means an arrangement of any kind, whether in writing or not.

(9) Section 839 (meaning of “connected persons”) applies for the purposes of this section.

(10) Subsection (5) of section 801 (meaning of “related company”) shall apply for the purposes of this section as it applies for the purposes of that section.

(11) For the purposes of this section a person who is a party to a scheme or arrangement shall be taken to have been under the control of the United Kingdom company at all the following times, namely—

(a) any time when that company would have been taken (in accordance with section 416) to have had control of that person for the purposes of Part XI;

(b) any time when that company would have been so taken if that section applied (with the necessary modifications) in the case of partnerships and unincorporated associations as it applies in the case of companies; and

(c) any time when that person acted in relation to that scheme or arrangement, or any proposal for it, either directly or indirectly under the direction of that company.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 801A inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 90(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1997 (c. 16), s. 90(1)

Valid from 28/07/2000

[F2 801B Dividends paid out of transferred profits. U.K.

(1) This section applies where—

(a) a company (“company A”) resident outside the United Kingdom has paid tax under the law of a territory outside the United Kingdom in respect of any of its profits;

(b) some or all of those profits become profits of another company resident outside the United Kingdom (“company B”) otherwise than by virtue of the payment of a dividend to company B; and

(c) company B pays a dividend out of those profits to another company (“company C”), wherever resident.

(2) Where this section applies, this Part shall have effect, so far as relating to the determination of underlying tax in relation to any dividend paid—

(a) by any company resident outside the United Kingdom (whether or not company B),

(b) to a company resident in the United Kingdom,

as if company B had paid the tax paid by company A in respect of those profits of company A which have become profits of company B as mentioned in subsection (1)(b) above.

(3) But the amount of relief under this Part which is allowable to a company resident in the United Kingdom shall not exceed the amount which would have been allowable to that company had those profits become profits of company B by virtue of the payment of a dividend by company A to company B.]

Textual Amendments

F2 S. 801B inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 30 para. 12(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2000 (c. 17), Sch. 30 para. 12(1)

Valid from 28/07/2000

[F3 801C Separate streaming of dividend so far as representing an ADP dividend of a CFC. U.K.

(1) This section applies in any case where—

(a) by virtue only of section 748(1)(a), no apportionment under section 747(3) falls to be made as regards an accounting period of a controlled foreign company; and

(b) one or more of the dividends paid by the controlled foreign company by virtue of which the condition in paragraph (a) above is satisfied are dividends falling within subsection (2) below.

(2) A dividend falls within this subsection if, for the purposes of Part I of Schedule 25, the whole or any part of it falls to be treated by virtue of paragraph 4 of that Schedule as paid by the controlled foreign company to a United Kingdom resident.

(3) If, in a case where this section applies,—

(a) an initial dividend is paid to a company resident outside the United Kingdom, and

(b) that company, or any other company which is related to it, pays an intermediate dividend which for the purposes of paragraph 4 of Schedule 25 to any extent represents that initial dividend,

subsection (4) below shall have effect in relation to the UK recipient concerned.

(4) Where this subsection has effect, it shall be assumed for the purposes of allowing credit relief under this Part to that UK recipient—

(a) that, instead of the intermediate dividend, the dividends described in subsection (5) below had been paid and the circumstances had been as described in subsection (6) or (7) below, as the case may be; and

(b) that any tax paid under the law of any territory in respect of the intermediate dividend, or which is underlying tax in relation to that dividend, had instead fallen to be borne accordingly (taking account of any reduction falling to be made under section 799(2)).

(5) The dividends mentioned in subsection (4)(a) above are—

(a) as respects each of the initial dividends which are, for the purposes of paragraph 4 of Schedule 25, to any extent represented by the intermediate dividend, a separate dividend (an “ADP dividend”) representing, and of an amount equal to, so much of that initial dividend as is for those purposes represented by the intermediate dividend; and

(b) a further separate dividend (a “residual dividend”) representing, and of an amount equal to, the remainder (if any) of the intermediate dividend.

(6) As respects each of the ADP dividends, the intermediate company is to be treated as if it were a separate company whose distributable profits are of a constitution corresponding to, and an amount equal to, that of the ADP dividend.

(7) As respects the residual dividend (if any), the relevant profits out of which it is to be regarded for the purposes of section 799(1) as paid by the intermediate company are, in consequence of subsection (6) above, to be treated as being of such constitution and amount as remains after excluding accordingly so much of those relevant profits as constitute the whole or any part of the distributable profits out of which the ADP dividends are paid.

(8) If, in a case where this section applies, an intermediate company also pays a dividend which is not an intermediate dividend (an “independent dividend”) and either—

(a) that dividend is paid to a United Kingdom resident, or

(b) if it is not so paid, a dividend which to any extent represents it is paid by a company which is related to that company and resident outside the United Kingdom to a United Kingdom resident,

subsection (9) below shall have effect in relation to the United Kingdom resident.

(9) Where this subsection has effect, it shall be assumed for the purposes of allowing credit relief under this Part to the United Kingdom resident—

(a) that the relevant profits out of which the independent dividend is to be regarded for the purposes of section 799(1) as paid by the intermediate company are, in consequence of subsection (6) above, to be treated as being of such constitution and amount as remains after excluding so much of those relevant profits as constitute the whole or any part of the distributable profits out of which the ADP dividends are paid; and

(b) that any tax paid under the law of any territory in respect of the independent dividend, or which is underlying tax in relation to that dividend, had instead fallen to be borne accordingly (taking account of any reduction falling to be made under section 799(2)).

(10) For the purposes of this section—

(a) a controlled foreign company is an “ADP controlled foreign company" as respects any of its accounting periods if the condition in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) above is satisfied as respects that accounting period;

(b) an “initial dividend" (subject to subsection (14) below) is any of the dividends mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) above paid by an ADP controlled foreign company; and

(c) a “subsequent dividend” is any dividend which, in relation to one or more initial dividends, is the subsequent dividend for the purposes of paragraph 4 of Schedule 25.

(11) In this section—

• “distributable profits” means a company’s profits available for distribution, determined in accordance with section 799(6);

• “intermediate company” means any company resident outside the United Kingdom which pays an intermediate dividend;

• “intermediate dividend” means any dividend which is paid by a company resident outside the United Kingdom and which—

  (a)

  for the purposes of paragraph 4 of Schedule 25, to any extent represents one or more initial dividends paid by other companies; and

  (b)

  either is the subsequent dividend in the case of those initial dividends or is itself to any extent represented for those purposes by a subsequent dividend;

• “the UK recipient” means the United Kingdom resident to whom a subsequent dividend is paid.

(12) Where—

(a) one company pays a dividend (“dividend A”) to another company, and

(b) that other company, or a company which is related to it, pays a dividend (“dividend B”) to another company,

then, for the purposes of this section, dividend B represents dividend A, and dividend A is represented by dividend B, to the extent that dividend B is paid out of profits which are derived, directly or indirectly, from the whole or part of dividend A.

(13) Sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 4 of Schedule 25 (related companies) shall apply for the purposes of this section as it applies for the purposes of that paragraph.

(14) Where an intermediate company which is an ADP controlled foreign company pays a dividend—

(a) by virtue of which (whether taken alone or with other dividends) the condition in subsection (1)(a) above is satisfied as regards an accounting period of the company, but

(b) which also for the purposes of paragraph 4 of Schedule 25 to any extent represents one or more initial dividends paid by other ADP controlled foreign companies,

the dividend shall not be regarded for the purposes of this section as an initial dividend paid by the company, to the extent that it so represents initial dividends paid by other ADP controlled foreign companies.]

Textual Amendments

F3 S. 801C inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 30 para. 13(2)(3) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2000 (c. 17), Sch. 30 para. 13(1)

802 U.K. insurance companies trading overseas. U.K.

M4 (1) Subject to subsection (2) below, where—

(a) a company resident in the United Kingdom is charged to tax under Case I of Schedule D in respect of any insurance business carried on by it, and

(b) that business or any part of it is carried on through a branch or agency in a territory outside the United Kingdom,

then, in respect of dividends referable to that business which are paid to the company by companies resident in that territory, any tax payable by those companies in respect of their profits under the law of that or any other territory outside the United Kingdom, and any United Kingdom income tax or corporation tax so payable, shall, in considering whether any and if so what credit is to be allowed under any arrangements, be taken into account as tax so payable under the law of the first-mentioned territory is taken into account in a case falling within section 799.

(2) Credit shall not be allowed to a company by virtue of subsection (1) above for any financial year in respect of a greater amount of dividends paid by companies resident in any overseas territory than is equal to any excess of—

(a) the relevant fraction of the company’s total income in that year from investments (including franked investment income [F4 , foreign income dividends] and group income) so far as referable to the business referred to in subsection (1) above; over

(b) the amount of the dividends so referable which are paid to it in the year by companies resident in that territory and in respect of which credit may, apart from subsection (1) above, be allowed to it for underlying tax.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) above the relevant fraction, in relation to any overseas territory, is—

where—

• A is the company’s local premium income in the financial year so far as referable to the business referred to in subsection (1) above;

• B is the company’s total premium income in the financial year so far as referable to that business;

and premium income shall be deemed to be local premium income in so far as it consists of premiums under contracts entered into at or through a branch or agency in that territory by persons not resident in the United Kingdom.

[F5 (4) In this section “foreign income dividends” shall be construed in accordance with Chapter VA of Part VI.]

Textual Amendments

F4 Words in s. 802(2)(a) inserted (3.5.1994) by Finance Act 1994 (c. 9), Sch. 16 para. 8(2)

F5 S. 802(4) inserted (3.5.1994) by Finance Act 1994 (c. 9), Sch. 16 para. 8(3)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C17 S. 802 amended (27.7.1993 with application as mentioned in s. 78(11) of the amending Act) by 1993 c. 34, s. 78(6)(11)

Marginal Citations

M4 Source—1970 s.509

803 Underlying tax reflecting interest on loans. U.K.

M5 (1) This section applies in a case where—

(a) a bank or a company connected with a bank makes a claim for an allowance by way of credit in accordance with this Chapter; and

(b) the claim relates to underlying tax on a dividend paid by the overseas company, within the meaning of section 801; and

(c) that underlying tax is or includes tax payable under the law of a territory outside the United Kingdom on or by reference to interest on a loan made in the course of its business by that overseas company or by such third, fourth or successive company as is referred to in subsection (2) or (3) of that section; and

(d) if the company which made the loan had been resident in the United Kingdom, then, in determining its liability to corporation tax, expenditure related to the earning of the interest on the loan would be deductible in computing the profits of the company brought into charge to tax.

(2) In a case where this section applies, the amount of the credit for that part of the foreign tax which consists of the tax referred to in subsection (1)(c) above shall not exceed an amount determined under subsection (3) below.

(3) The amount referred to in subsection (2) above is a sum equal to corporation tax, at the rate in force at the time the foreign tax referred to in paragraph (c) of subsection (1) above was chargeable, on so much of the interest on the loan as exceeds the amount of the lender’s relevant expenditure which is properly attributable to the period for which that interest is paid.

(4) In subsection (3) above—

(a) “interest”, subject to subsection (5) below, has the meaning assigned to it by section 798(2); and

(b) “the lender’s relevant expenditure” means the amount which, if the company referred to in subsection (1)(d) above were resident in the United Kingdom (and liable to tax accordingly) would be its financial expenditure in relation to the loan, as determined in accordance with section 798(6) to (10).

(5) If, in accordance with subsection (6) or subsection (8) below, the amount of the dividend would be treated for the purposes of corporation tax as increased or reduced by any amount, then the amount which, apart from this subsection, would be the amount of the interest referred to in subsection (3) above shall be taken to be increased or reduced by the same amount as the dividend is so treated as increased or reduced.

(6) If, in a case where this section applies, the underlying tax is or includes an amount of spared tax, then, for the purposes of corporation tax, the amount which apart from this subsection would be the amount of the dividend shall be treated as increased by an amount equal to so much of that spared tax as does not exceed the permitted amount; but nothing in this subsection prejudices the operation of section 795 in relation to foreign tax which is not spared tax.

(7) In this section—

(a) “spared tax” has the same meaning as in section 798; and

(b) the permitted amount, in relation to spared tax which is referable to the whole or any part of the interest referred to in subsection (1)(c) above, is an amount which does not exceed—

(i) 15 per cent. of the interest to which that spared tax is referable; or

(ii) if it is less, the amount of that spared tax which under any arrangements is to be taken into account for the purpose of allowing credit against corporation tax in respect of the dividend concerned.

(8) If, in a case where this section applies—

(a) the underlying tax is or includes an amount of tax which is not spared tax, and

(b) that amount of tax exceeds 15 per cent. of the interest to which it is referable,

then, for the purposes of corporation tax, the amount which would apart from this subsection be the amount of the dividend shall be treated as reduced by a sum equal to the excess.

(9) Where this section applies, the amount of the credit referred to in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) above which is referable to the underlying tax payable as mentioned in paragraph (c) of that subsection shall not exceed 15 per cent. of so much of the interest referred to in that paragraph as is included in the relevant profits of the company paying the dividend; and for the purposes of this subsection—

(a) “relevant profits” has the same meaning as, by virtue of section 799, it has for the purposes of the computation of underlying tax; and

(b) the amount of the interest shall be determined without making any deduction in respect of any foreign tax.

(10) In subsection (1) above “bank” means a company carrying on, in the United Kingdom or elsewhere—

(a) a banking business; or

(b) another business which includes the making of loans where the circumstances of the business are such that, in determining the liability of the company to corporation tax, expenditure related to the earning of the interest on those loans is deductible in computing the profits brought into charge to tax;

and section 839 applies for the purposes of subsection (1) above.

(11) Where the loan referred to in subsection (1)(c) was made pursuant to an agreement entered into before 1st April 1987, subsections (2) to (5) above shall not apply in relation to tax payable as mentioned in subsection (1)(c) above by reference to interest payable before 1st April 1989, but subject to that, this section applies whenever the loan referred to in subsection (1)(c) was made.

Marginal Citations

M5 Source—1982 s.66; 1987 (No.2) s.68

Valid from 28/07/2000

[F6 803A Foreign taxation of group as a single entity. U.K.

(1) This section applies in any case where, under the law of a territory outside the United Kingdom, tax is payable by any one company resident in that territory (“the responsible company”) in respect of the aggregate profits, or aggregate profits and aggregate gains, of that company and one or more other companies so resident, taken together as a single taxable entity.

(2) Where this section applies, this Part shall have effect, so far as relating to the determination of underlying tax in relation to any dividend paid by any of the companies mentioned in subsection (1) above (the “non-resident companies”) to another company (“the recipient company”), as if—

(a) the non-resident companies, taken together, were a single company,

(b) anything done by or in relation to any of the non-resident companies (including the payment of the dividend) were done by or in relation to that single company, and

(c) that single company were related to the recipient company, if that one of the non-resident companies which actually pays the dividend is related to the recipient company,

(so that, in particular, the relevant profits for the purposes of section 799(1) is a single aggregate figure in respect of that single company and the foreign tax paid by the responsible company is foreign tax paid by that single company).

(3) For the purposes of this section a company is related to another company if that other company—

(a) controls directly or indirectly, or

(b) is a subsidiary of a company which controls directly or indirectly,

not less than 10 per cent. of the voting power in the first-mentioned company.]

Textual Amendments

F6 S. 803A inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 30 para. 15(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2000 (c. 17), Sch. 30 para. 15(1)