(1)M1Subject to the following provisions of this section, a registered friendly society other than a society to which subsection (2) below applies shall, on making a claim, be entitled to exemption from income tax and corporation tax (whether on income or chargeable gains) on its profits other than those arising from life or endowment business.
(2)M2This subsection applies to any society registered after 31st May 1973 unless—
(a)its business is limited to the provision, in accordance with the rules of the society, 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 the [F1Board] ; or
(b)it was registered before 27th March 1974 and its rules limit the aggregate 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 the [F1Board] may authorise for the purposes of this section;
and also applies to any society registered before 1st June 1973 with respect to which a direction under subsection [F2(7)] below is in force.
(3)M3If a society to which subsection (2) above applies, after 26th March 1974 or such later date as may be specified in a direction under this section, makes a payment to a member in respect of his interest in the society and the payment is made otherwise than in the course of life or endowment business and exceeds the aggregate of any sums paid by him to the society by way of contributions or deposits, after deducting from that aggregate the amount of—
(a)any previous payment so made to him by the society after that date, and
(b)any earlier repayment of such sums paid by him,
the excess shall be treated for the purposes of corporation tax and income tax as a qualifying distribution.
[F3(3A)The exemption conferred by subsection (1) above does not apply to profits arising from investments, deposits or other property held as a member of a property investment LLP.]
(4)M4Where a registered friendly society—
(a)at any time ceases F4. . . by virtue of [F5section 91 of the Friendly Societies Act 1992] (conversion into company) to be registered under [F6that Act]; and
(b)immediately before that time was exempt from income tax or corporation tax on profits arising from any business carried on by it other than life or endowment business,
the company into which the society is converted shall be so exempt on its profits arising from any part of that business which relates to contracts made before that time so long as there is no increase in the scale of benefits which it undertakes to provide in the course of carrying on that part of its business.
(5)For the purposes of the Corporation Tax Acts any part of a company’s business in respect of the profits from which the company is exempt by virtue of subsection (4) above shall be treated as a separate business from any other business carried on by the company.
(6)M5If—
(a)a friendly society registered before 1st June 1973 begins after 26th March 1974 to carry on business other than life or endowment business or, in the opinion of [F7the Board], begins to carry on business other than life or endowment business on an enlarged scale or of a new character; and
(b)it appears to [F7the Board], having regard to the restrictions imposed by this section on friendly societies registered later, that for the protection of the revenue it is expedient to do so;
[F8the Board may give a direction to the society under subsection (7) below.]
[F9(7)A direction under this subsection is that (and has the effect that) the society to which it is given is to be treated for the purposes of this Act as a society registered after 31st May 1973 with respect to business carried on after the date of the direction.
(8)A society to which a direction is given may, within 30 days of the date on which it is given, appeal against the direction to the Special Commissioners on the ground that—
(a)it has not begun to carry on business as mentioned in subsection (6)(a) above; or
(b)the direction is not necessary for the protection of the revenue.
(9)If a registered friendly society in respect of which a direction is in force under subsection (7) above becomes an incorporated friendly society, the direction shall continue to have effect, so that the incorporated friendly society shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as a society registered after 31st May 1973.]
(10)For the purposes of this section a registered friendly society formed on the amalgamation of two or more friendly societies shall be treated as registered before 1st June 1973 if at the time of the amalgamation subsection (2) above did not apply to any of the societies amalgamated, but otherwise shall be treated as registered at that time.
[F10(11)For the purposes of this section and section 461C—
(a)any group of persons which was approved for the purposes of this section (as mentioned in subsection (2)(a) above) immediately before 1st December 2001 shall be treated as having been approved for the purposes of this section by the Board on that date;
(b)any greater amount which was authorised for the purposes of this section (as mentioned in subsection (2)(b) above) immediately before 1st December 2001 shall be treated as having been authorised for the purposes of this section by the Board on that date; and
(c)where a direction that subsection (2) above applies to a society was in force immediately before 1st December 2001, a direction in relation to that society shall be treated as having been made under subsection (7) above by the Board on that date.]
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 461(2)(a)(b) substituted (1.12.2001 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)(a) of the amending S.I.) by The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Consequential Amendments) (Taxes) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3629), art. 33(2)(a)
F2Word in s. 461(2) substituted (1.12.2001 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)(a) of the amending S.I.) by The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Consequential Amendments) (Taxes) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3629), art. 33(2)(b)
F3S. 461(3A) inserted (6.4.2001) by Finance Act 2001 (c. 9), s. 76, Sch 25 para. 8(2)
F4Words in s. 461(4)(a) omitted (1.12.2001 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)(a) of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Consequential Amendments) (Taxes) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3629), art. 33(3)(a)
F5Words in s. 461(4)(a) substituted (19.2.1993) by Finance (No. 2) Act 1992 (c. 48), s. 56, Sch. 9 para. 6; S.I. 1993/236, art. 2
F6Words in s. 461(4)(a) substituted (1.12.2001 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)(a) of the amending S.I.) by The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Consequential Amendments) (Taxes) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3629), art. 33(3)(b)
F7Words in s. 461(6)(a)(b) substituted (1.12.2001 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)(a) of the amending S.I.) by The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Consequential Amendments) (Taxes) Order 2001 (S.I. 2110/3629), art. 33(4)(a)
F8Words in s. 461(6) substituted (1.12.2001 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)(a) of the amending S.I.) by The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Consequential Amendments) (Taxes) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3629), art. 33(4)(b)
F9S. 461(7)-(9) substituted (1.12.2001 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)(a) of the amending S.I.) by The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Consequential Amendments) (Taxes) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3629), art. 33(5)
F10S. 461(11) added (1.12.2001 with effect in accordance with art. 1(2)(a) of the amending S.I.) by The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Consequential Amendments) (Taxes) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3629), art. 33(6)
Marginal Citations
M1Source—1970 s.332(1); 1974 s.27(1)(a)
M2Source—1974 s.27(2)
M3Source—1974 s.27(1)(b)
M4Source—1970 s.332(11), (12)(b); 1976 s.48(1)
M5Source—1974 s.27(3)—(7); 1985 s.41(10); 1987 Sch.15 6