Part VIU.K. Companies, oil, insurance etc.

Chapter IU.K. Companies

Non-resident and dual resident companiesU.K.

185 Deemed disposal of assets on company ceasing to be resident in U.K.U.K.

(1)This section and section 187 apply to a company if, at any time (“the relevant time”), the company ceases to be resident in the United Kingdom.

(2)The company shall be deemed for all purposes of this Act—

(a)to have disposed of all its assets, other than assets excepted from this subsection by subsection (4) below, immediately before the relevant time; and

(b)immediately to have reacquired them,

at their market value at that time.

(3)Section 152 shall not apply where the company—

(a)has disposed of the old assets, or of its interest in those assets, before the relevant time; and

(b)acquires the new assets, or its interest in those assets, after that time,

unless the new assets are excepted from this subsection by subsection (4) below.

(4)If at any time after the relevant time the company carries on a trade in the United Kingdom through a branch or agency—

(a)any assets which, immediately after the relevant time, are situated in the United Kingdom and are used in or for the purposes of the trade, or are used or held for the purposes of the branch or agency, shall be excepted from subsection (2) above; and

(b)any new assets which, after that time, are so situated and are so used or so held shall be excepted from subsection (3) above;

and references in this subsection to assets situated in the United Kingdom include references to exploration or exploitation assets and to exploration or exploitation rights.

(5)In this section—

(a)“designated area”, “exploration or exploitation activities” and “exploration or exploitation rights” have the same meanings as in section 276;

(b)“exploration or exploitation assets” means assets used or intended for use in connection with exploration or exploitation activities carried on in the United Kingdom or a designated area;

(c)“the old assets” and “the new assets” have the same meanings as in section 152;

and a company shall not be regarded for the purposes of this section as ceasing to be resident in the United Kingdom by reason only that it ceases to exist.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

F1186 Deemed disposal of assets on company ceasing to be liable to U.K. taxation.U.K.

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Textual Amendments

F1S. 186 repealed (with effect in accordance with s. 251(1)(a)(9) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1994 (c. 9), s. 251(9), Sch. 26 Pt. VIII(1)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

187 Postponement of charge on deemed disposal under section 185 or 186.U.K.

(1)If—

(a)immediately after the relevant time, a company to which this section applies by virtue of section 185 F2... (“the company”) is a 75 per cent. subsidiary of another company (“the principal company”) which is resident in the United Kingdom; and

(b)the principal company and the company so elect, by notice given to the inspector within 2 years after that time,

this Act shall have effect in accordance with the following provisions.

(2)Any allowable losses accruing to the company on a deemed disposal of foreign assets shall be set off against the chargeable gains so accruing and—

(a)that disposal shall be treated as giving rise to a single chargeable gain equal to the aggregate of those gains after deducting the aggregate of those losses; and

(b)the whole of that gain shall be treated as not accruing to the company on that disposal but an equivalent amount (“the postponed gain”) shall be brought into account in accordance with subsections (3) and (4) below.

(3)If at any time within 6 years after the relevant time the company disposes of any assets (“relevant assets”) the chargeable gains on which were taken into account in arriving at the postponed gain, there shall be deemed to accrue to the principal company as a chargeable gain on that occasion the whole or the appropriate proportion of the postponed gain so far as not already taken into account under this subsection or subsection (4) below.

In this subsection “the appropriate proportion” means the proportion which the chargeable gain taken into account in arriving at the postponed gain in respect of the part of the relevant assets disposed of bears to the aggregate of the chargeable gains so taken into account in respect of the relevant assets held immediately before the time of the disposal.

(4)If at any time after the relevant time—

(a)the company ceases to be a 75 per cent. subsidiary of the principal company on the disposal by the principal company of ordinary shares of the company;

(b)after the company has ceased to be such a subsidiary otherwise than on such a disposal, the principal company disposes of such shares; or

(c)the principal company ceases to be resident in the United Kingdom,

there shall be deemed to accrue to the principal company as a chargeable gain on that occasion the whole of the postponed gain so far as not already taken into account under this subsection or subsection (3) above.

(5)If at any time—

(a)the company has allowable losses which have not been allowed as a deduction from chargeable gains; and

(b)a chargeable gain accrues to the principal company under subsection (3) or (4) above,

then, if and to the extent that the principal company and the company so elect by notice given to the inspector within 2 years after that time, those losses shall be allowed as a deduction from that gain.

(6)In this section—

  • “deemed disposal” means a disposal which, by virtue of section 185(2) F3... is deemed to have been made;

  • “foreign assets” means any assets of the company which, immediately after the relevant time, are situated outside the United Kingdom and are used in or for the purposes of a trade carried on outside the United Kingdom;

  • “ordinary share” means a share in the ordinary share capital of the company;

  • “the relevant time” has the meaning given by section 185(1) F3... .

(7)For the purposes of this section a company is a 75 per cent. subsidiary of another company if and so long as not less than 75 per cent. of its ordinary share capital is owned directly by that other company.

Textual Amendments

F2Words in s. 187(1)(a) repealed (with effect in accordance with s. 251(1)(a)(9) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1994 (c. 9), s. 251(9)(a), Sch. 26 Pt. VIII(1)

F3Words in s. 187(6) repealed (with effect in accordance with s. 251(1)(a)(9) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1994 (c. 9), s. 251(9)(b), Sch. 26 Pt. VIII(1)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

188 Dual resident companies: deemed disposal of certain assets.U.K.

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Textual Amendments

F4S. 188 repealed (retrospective to 30.11.1993) by Finance Act 1994 (c. 9), s. 251(1)(a)(10), Sch. 26 Pt. 8(1)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)