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—

[F1 (a) that the scheme is bona fide established for the sole purpose (subject to any enactment or Northern Ireland legislation requiring or allowing provision for the value of any rights to be transferred between schemes or between members of the same scheme) of providing relevant benefits in respect of service as an employee;]

[F2 (aa) that those benefits do not include any benefits payable to a person other than—

(i) the employee or a scheme member’s ex-spouse,

(ii) a widow, widower, child, or dependant of the employee or of a scheme member’s ex-spouse, or

(iii) the personal representatives of the employee or of a scheme member’s ex-spouse;]

(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 [F3 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 [F4 or widower] of an employee is a pension payable on his death after retirement such that the amount payable to the widow [F4 or widower] by way of pension does not exceed two-thirds of any pension or pensions payable to the employee;

[F5 (ba) that any benefit for an ex-spouse, or for the widow or widower of an ex-spouse, is a benefit in relation to which the scheme satisfies the conditions set out in subsection (3A) below;

(bb) that the scheme does not allow any rights debited to a scheme member as a consequence of a pension sharing order or provision to be replaced with any rights which that scheme member would not have been able to acquire (in addition to the debited rights) had the order or provision not been made;

(c) that no benefits are payable under the scheme other than those mentioned in paragraphs (a), (b) and (ba) above;]

(d) that no pension is capable in whole or in part of surrender, commutation or assignment, [F6 except—

(i) for the purpose of giving effect to a pension sharing order or provision, or

(ii) in so far as the commutation of a benefit for an ex-spouse is allowed by virtue of subsection (3A) below, or

(iii)] in so far as the scheme allows an employee on retirement to obtain, by commutation of [F7 a pension provided for him], 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) F8 for each year of service up to a maximum of 40.

[F9 (da) that, in a case in which—

(i) a lump sum may be obtained by the commutation of a part of a pension provided for an employee, and

(ii) the amount of that pension is affected by the making of a pension sharing order or provision,

the lump sum does not exceed the sum produced by multiplying by 2.25 the amount which (after effect has been given to the pension sharing order or provision) is the amount of that pension for the first year in which it is payable;]

[F10 (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.]

[F11 (3A) The conditions mentioned in subsection (3)(ba) above are—

(a) that any benefit for an ex-spouse takes the form of a pension (with or without an entitlement to commute a part of that pension);

(b) that any benefit for an ex-spouse is a pension payable only on the attainment by the ex-spouse of a specified age of not less than 60 and not more than 75;

(c) that any entitlement to commute a part of the pension is exercisable only on its becoming payable;

(d) that any benefit for the widow or widower of an ex-spouse is confined to a non-commutable pension payable on the death of the ex-spouse at a time when the ex-spouse is already entitled to receive a pension under the scheme;

(e) that any pension provided for the widow or widower of an ex-spouse is of an amount not exceeding two-thirds of the pension payable to the ex-spouse;

(f) that, in a case in which a lump sum may be obtained by the commutation of a part of a pension provided for an ex-spouse, the lump sum does not exceed the sum produced by multiplying the amount of the pension for the first year in which it is payable by 2.25.]

(4) The conditions set out in [F12 subsections (2) to (3A)] above are in this Chapter referred to as “the prescribed conditions”.

[F13 (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.]

[F14 (4B) For the purposes of this section a benefit provided under any scheme is provided for an ex-spouse or the widow or widower of an ex-spouse, and shall be treated as not provided for an employee or the widow or widower of an employee, to the extent (and to the extent only) that—

(a) it is provided for a person who is, or is the widow or widower of, either—

(i) an employee who is an ex-spouse; or

(ii) a scheme member’s ex-spouse;

and

(b) it is as an ex-spouse, or as the widow or widower of an ex-spouse, that that person is the person for whom the benefit is provided.

(4C) For the purposes of this section a benefit provided for any person under any scheme is provided for that person as an ex-spouse, or as the widow or widower of an ex-spouse, to the extent (and to the extent only) that—

(a) the benefit is provided in respect of rights of an ex-spouse that are or represent rights conferred on the ex-spouse as a consequence of a pension sharing order or provision; and

(b) the scheme makes provision for the benefit to be treated as provided separately from any benefits which are provided under the scheme for the same person as an employee or as the widow or widower of an employee.

(4D) In this section “scheme member”, in relation to a scheme, means—

(a) an employee; or

(b) a person entitled to any relevant benefits under the scheme as a consequence of a pension sharing order or provision.

(4E) The following rules shall apply in calculating for the purposes of subsection (3)(da) or (3A)(f) above the amount of a person’s pension for the first year in which it is payable—

(a) if the pension payable for the year changes, the initial pension payable shall be taken;

(b) it shall be assumed that that person will survive for the year; and

(c) the effect of commutation shall be ignored.

(4F) A pension provided for an ex-spouse who is an employee, or for the widow or widower of such an ex-spouse, shall be disregarded in any determination of whether the conditions set out in subsection (3)(e) to (h) above are satisfied or continue to be satisfied in the case of that employee.]

F15 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F15 (6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F16 (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 S. 590(2)(a) substituted (with application in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 18(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1999 (c. 16), Sch. 10 para. 2(1); S.I. 2000/1093, art. 2

F2 S. 590(2)(aa) inserted (with application in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 18(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1999 (c. 16), Sch. 10 para. 2(2); S.I. 2000/1093, art. 2

F3 Words in s. 590(3)(a) substituted by Finance Act 1991 (c. 31, SIF 63:1), 34(2)(4)

F4 1988(F) s.35and Sch.3 para.18on and after 6April 1990.

F5 S. 590(3)(ba)(bb)(c) substituted for s. 590(3)(c) (with application in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 18(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1999 (c. 16), Sch. 10 para, 2(3) (with Sch. 10 para. 18(4)); S.I. 2000/1093, art. 2

F6 Words in s. 590(3)(d) substituted (with application in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 18(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1999 (c. 16), Sch. 10 para. 2(4)(a); S.I. 2000/1093, art. 2

F7 Words in s. 590(3)(d) substituted (with application in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 18(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1999 (c. 16), Sch. 10 para. 2(4)(b); S.I. 2000/1093, art. 2

F8 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

F9 S. 590(3)(da) inserted (with application in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 18(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1999 (c. 16), Sch. 10 para. 2(5) (with Sch. 10 para. 18(5)); S.I. 2000/1093, art. 2

F10 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

F11 S. 590(3A) inserted (with application in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 18(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1999 (c. 16), Sch. 10 para. 2(6); S.I. 2000/1093, art. 2

F12 Words in s. 590(4) substituted (with application in accordance with Sch 10 para. 18(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1999 (c. 16), Sch. 10 para. 2(7); S.I. 2000/1093, art. 2

F13 S. 590(4A) inserted by Finance Act 1991 (c. 31, SIF 63:1), s. 34(3)(4)

F14 S. 590(4B)-(4F) inserted (with application in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 18(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1999 (c. 16), Sch. 10 para. 2(8); S.I. 2000/1093, art. 2

F15 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

F16 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