Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

590 Conditions for approval of retirement benefit schemes. U.K.

(1) M1 Subject to section 591, the Board shall not approve any retirement benefits scheme for the purposes of this Chapter unless the scheme satisfies all of the conditions set out in subsection (2) below.

(2) M2 The conditions are—

(a) that the scheme is bona fide established for the sole purpose of providing relevant benefits in respect of service as an employee, being benefits payable to, or to the widow, [F1 widower], children or dependants or personal representatives of, the employee;

(b) that the scheme is recognised by the employer and employees to whom it relates, and that every employee who is, or has a right to be, a member of the scheme has been given written particulars of all essential features of the scheme which concern him;

(c) that there is a person resident in the United Kingdom who will be responsible for the discharge of all duties imposed on the administrator of the scheme under this Chapter;

(d) that the employer is a contributor to the scheme;

(e) that the scheme is established in connection with some trade or undertaking carried on in the United Kingdom by a person resident in the United Kingdom;

(f) that in no circumstances, whether during the subsistence of the scheme or later, can any amount be paid by way of repayment of an employee’s contributions under the scheme.

(3) M3 Subject to subsection (1) above, the Board shall approve a retirement benefits scheme for the purposes of this Chapter if the scheme satisfies all the conditions of this subsection, that is to say—

(a) that any benefit for an employee is a pension on retirement at a specified age not earlier than 60 [F2 and not later than 75], which does not exceed one-sixtieth of the employee’s final remuneration for each year of service up to a maximum of 40;

(b) that any benefit for any widow [F3 or widower] of an employee is a pension payable on his death after retirement such that the amount payable to the widow [F3 or widower] by way of pension does not exceed two-thirds of any pension or pensions payable to the employee;

(c) that no other benefits are payable under the scheme;

(d) that no pension is capable in whole or in part of surrender, commutation or assignment, except in so far as the scheme allows an employee on retirement to obtain, by commutation of his pension, a lump sum or sums not exceeding in all three-eightieths of his final remuneration (disregarding any excess of that remuneration over the permitted maximum) F4 for each year of service up to a maximum of 40.

[F5 (e) that, in the case of any employee who is a member of the scheme by virtue of two or more relevant associated employments, the amount payable by way of pension in respect of service in any one of them may not, when aggregated with any amount payable by way of pension in respect of service in the other or others, exceed the relevant amount;

(f) that, in the case of any employee who is a member of the scheme by virtue of two or more relevant associated employments, the amount payable by way of commuted pension in respect of service in any one of them may not, when aggregated with any amount payable by way of commuted pension in respect of service in the other or others, exceed the relevant amount;

(g) that, in the case of any employee in relation to whom the scheme is connected with another scheme which is (or other schemes each of which is) an approved scheme, the amount payable by way of pension under the scheme may not, when aggregated with any amount payable by way of pension under the other scheme or schemes, exceed the relevant amount;

(h) that, in the case of any employee in relation to whom the scheme is connected with another scheme which is (or other schemes each of which is) an approved scheme, the amount payable by way of commuted pension may not, when aggregated with any amount payable by way of commuted pension under the other scheme or schemes, exceed the relevant amount.]

(4) The conditions set out in subsections (2) and (3) above are in this Chapter referred to as “the prescribed conditions”.

[F6 (4A) In subsection (3)(c) above “benefits” does not include any benefits for whose payment the scheme makes provision in pursuance of any obligation imposed by legislation relating to social security.]

F7 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F7 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F8 (7) Subsections (8) to (10) below apply where the Board are considering whether a retirement benefits scheme satisfies or continues to satisfy the prescribed conditions.

(8) For the purpose of determining whether the scheme, so far as it relates to a particular class or description of employees, satisfies or continues to satisfy the prescribed conditions, that scheme shall be considered in conjunction with—

(a) any other retirement benefits scheme (or schemes) which relates (or relate) to employees of that class or description and which is (or are) approved for the purposes of this Chapter,

(b) any other retirement benefits scheme (or schemes) which relates (or relate) to employees of that class or description and which is (or are) at the same time before the Board in order for them to decide whether to give approval for the purposes of this Chapter,

(c) any section 608 scheme or schemes relating to employees of that class or description, and

(d) any relevant statutory scheme or schemes relating to employees of that class or description.

(9) If those conditions are satisfied in the case of both or all of those schemes taken together, they shall be taken to be satisfied in the case of the scheme mentioned in subsection (7) above (as well as the other or others).

(10) If those conditions are not satisfied in the case of both or all of those schemes taken together, they shall not be taken to be satisfied in the case of the scheme mentioned in subsection (7) above.

(11) The reference in subsection (8)(c) above to a section 608 scheme is a reference to a fund to which section 608 applies.]

Textual Amendments

F1 1988(F) s.35and Sch.3 para.18on and after 6April 1990.

F2 Words in s. 590(3)(a) substituted by Finance Act 1991 (c. 31, SIF 63:1), 34(2)(4)

F3 1988(F) s.35and Sch.3 para.18on and after 6April 1990.

F4 S. 590(3)(e)-(h) substituted for words in s. 590(3) by Finance Act 1989 (c. 26), s. 75, Sch. 6 paras. 3(3), 18(2) in respect of schemes not approved before 27 July 1989 (not applicable to certain employees of pre 14 March 1989 schemes). Previously: “ In paragraph (d) above “ the permitted maximum” means £100,000 or such other sum as may for the time being be specified in an order made by the Treasury.”; and those words in s. 590(3) (as originally enacted) amended (6.4.2005) by The Retirement Benefits Schemes (Increase in Permitted Maximum in Transitional Cases) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/723), art. 2

F5 S. 590(3)(e)-(h) substituted for words in s. 590(3) by Finance Act 1989 (c. 26), s. 75, Sch. 6 paras. 3(3), 18(2) in respect of schemes not approved before 27 July 1989 (not applicable to certain employees of pre 14 March 1989 schemes). Previously: "In paragraph (d) above "the permitted maximum" means £100,000 or such other sum as may for the time being be specified in an order made by the Treasury."; and those words in s. 590(3) (as originally enacted) amended (6.4.2005) by The Retirement Benefits Schemes (Increase in Permitted Maximum in Transitional Cases) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/723), art. 2

F6 S. 590(4A) inserted by Finance Act 1991 (c. 31, SIF 63:1), s. 34(3)(4)

F7 S. 590(5)(6) repealed (retrospectively) by Finance Act 1991 (c. 31, SIF 63:1), ss. 36(2)(3), 123, Sch. 19, Pt. V, Note 8

F8 1989 s.75and Sch.6 paras.3(4)and 18(3)—to have effect where a determination is made on or after 27July 1989.Previously

“(7) For the purpose of determining whether a retirement benefits scheme, so far as it relates to a particular class or description of employees, satisfies or continues to satisfy the prescribed conditions—(a) that scheme shall be considered in conjunction with any other retirement benefits scheme or schemes relating to employees of that class or description, and (b) if those conditions are satisfied in the case of both or all of those schemes taken together, they shall be taken to be satisfied in the case of each of them, but otherwise those conditions shall be taken to be satisfied in the case of none of them.”.

Marginal Citations

M1 Source-1970(F) s.19(1); 1971 s.21(2)

M2 Source-1970(F) s.19(2)

M3 Source-1970(F) s.19(2A), (2B); 1971 s.21(3); 1987 (No.2) Sch.3 1