Part II General Provisions relating to computation of gains and acquisitions and disposals of assets

Chapter II Assets and disposals of assets

General provisions

24 Disposals where assets lost or destroyed, or become of negligible value.

1

Subject to the provisions of this Act and, in particular to section 144, the occasion of the entire loss, destruction, dissipation or extinction of an asset shall, for the purposes of this Act, constitute a disposal of the asset whether or not any capital sum by way of compensation or otherwise is received in respect of the destruction, dissipation or extinction of the asset.

F12

Where the owner of an asset which has become of negligible value makes a claim to that effect:

a

this Act shall apply as if the claimant had sold, and immediately reacquired, the asset at the time of the claim or (subject to paragraphs (b) and (c) below) at any earlier time specified in the claim, for a consideration of an amount equal to the value specified in the claim.

b

An earlier time may be specified in the claim if:

i

the claimant owned the asset at the earlier time; and

ii

the asset had become of negligible value at the earlier time; and either

iii

for capital gains tax purposes the earlier time is not more than two years before the beginning of the year of assessment in which the claim is made; or

iv

for corporation tax purposes the earlier time is on or after the first day of the earliest accounting period ending not more than two years before the time of the claim.

c

Section 93 of and Schedule 12 to the Finance Act 1994 (indexation losses and transitional relief) shall have effect in relation to an asset to which this section applies as if the sale and reacquisition occurred at the time of the claim and not at any earlier time.

3

For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2) above, a building and any permanent or semi-permanent structure in the nature of a building may be regarded as an asset separate from the land on which it is situated, but where either of those subsections applies in accordance with this subsection, the person deemed to make the disposal of the building or structure shall be treated as if he had also sold, and immediately reacquired, the site of the building or structure (including in the site any land occupied for purposes ancillary to the use of the building or structure) for a consideration equal to its market value at that time.