Finance Act 1996

87 Accounting method where parties have a connection. U.K.

(1) This section applies in the case of a loan relationship of a company where for any accounting period there is a connection between the company and—

(a) in the case of a debtor relationship of the company, a person standing in the position of a creditor as respects the debt in question; or

(b) in the case of a creditor relationship of the company, a person standing in the position of a debtor as respects that debt.

[F1 (2) Where this section applies the debits and credits to be brought into account for the purposes of this Chapter as respects the loan relationship must be determined on an amortised cost basis of accounting.

(2A) The provisions of subsections (2B) and (2C) apply where subsection (2) applies, or ceases to apply, with the result that there is a change of basis of accounting for a loan relationship as between one accounting period of a company and the next.

(2B) Where for an accounting period (“the relevant period”) a company brings into account debits or credits determined in accordance with an amortised cost basis of accounting, having used a fair value basis of accounting for the immediately previous accounting period (“the previous period”)—

(a) any amount by which the fair value of the relevant asset or liability at the end of the previous period (“A”) exceeds the cost of the asset or liability that would be given at that time on an amortised cost basis of accounting (“B”) shall be brought into account for the purposes of this Chapter as a debit (in the case of an asset) or credit (in the case of a liability) for the relevant period, and

(b) any amount by which B exceeds A shall be brought into account for the purposes of this Chapter as a credit (in the case of an asset) or debit (in the case of a liability) for that period.

(2C) Where for an accounting period (“the relevant period”) a company brings into account debits or credits determined on the basis of fair value accounting, having used an amortised cost basis of accounting for the immediately previous accounting period (“the previous period”)—

(a) any amount by which the fair value of the relevant asset or liability immediately before the relevant period (“C”) exceeds the cost of the asset or liability that would be given at that time on an amortised cost basis of accounting (“D”) shall be brought into account for the purposes of this Chapter as a credit (in the case of an asset) or debit (in the case of a liability) for the relevant period, and

(b) any amount by which D exceeds C shall be brought into account for the purposes of this Chapter as a debit (in the case of an asset) or credit (in the case of a liability) for that period.]

(3) For the purposes of this section there is a connection between a company and another person for an accounting period if (subject to subsection (4) and section 88 below)—

(a) the other person is a company and there is a time in that period F2 . . . when one of the companies has had control of the other; [F3 or]

(b) the other person is a company and there is a time in that period F4 . . . when both the companies have been under the control of the same person; or

(c) F5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) Two companies which have at any time been under the control of the same person shall not, by virtue of that fact, be taken for the purposes of this section to be companies between whom there is a connection if the person was the Crown, a Minister of the Crown, a government department, a Northern Ireland department, a foreign sovereign power or an international organisation.

(5) The references in subsection (1) above to a person who stands in the position of a creditor or debtor as respects a loan relationship include references to a person who indirectly stands in that position by reference to a series of loan relationships [F6 or money debts which would be loan relationships if a company directly stood in the position of creditor or debtor] .

[F7 (5A) Where a trade, profession or business is carried on by two or more persons in partnership (“the firm”) and the firm stands in the position of a creditor or debtor as respects a money debt, any question—

(a) whether there is for the purposes of this Chapter a connection, within the meaning of this section, between any two companies for an accounting period in the case of a loan relationship, or

(b) to what extent any amount is to be treated under this Chapter in any particular way as a result of there being, or not being, such a connection,

shall be determined as if to the extent of his appropriate share each of the partners separately, instead of the firm, stood in the position of a creditor or, as the case may be, debtor as respects the money debt.

The reference in the words following paragraph (b) above to partners does not include a reference to the general partner of a limited partnership which is a collective investment scheme within the meaning of section 235 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

(5B) For the purposes of subsection (5A) above, a partner’s “appropriate share” is the share that would be apportioned to him if an apportionment were made in the shares in which any profit or loss computed in accordance with subsection (1) of section 114 of the Taxes Act 1988 for the accounting period in question would be apportioned between the partners under subsection (2) of that section.]

(6) F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(7) F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(8) F8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 87(2)-(2C) substituted for s. 87(2) (with effect in accordance with s. 52(3) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2004 (c. 12), Sch. 10 para. 4

F2 Words in s. 87(3)(a) repealed (24.7.2002 with effect as mentioned in s. 82(2) of the repealing Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), ss. 82(1), 141, Sch. 25 Pt. 1 para. 7(2)(a), Sch. 40 Pt. 3(12)

F3 Word in s. 87(3)(a) inserted (24.7.2002 with effect as mentioned in s. 82(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), s. 82(1), Sch. 25 Pt. 1 para. 7(2)(b)

F4 Words in s. 87(3)(b) repealed (24.7.2002 with effect as mentioned in s. 82(2) of the repealing Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), ss. 82(1), 141, Sch. 25 Pt. 1 para. 7(3), Sch. 40 Pt. 3(12)

F5 S. 87(3)(c) repealed (24.7.2002 with effect as mentioned in s. 82(2) of the repealing Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), ss. 82(1), 141, Sch. 25 Pt. 1 para. 7(4), Sch. 40 Pt. 3(12)

F6 Words in s. 87(5) inserted (24.7.2002 with effect as mentioned in s. 82(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), s. 82(1), Sch. 25 Pt. 1 para. 7(5)

F7 S. 87(5A)(5B) inserted (24.7.2002 with effect as mentioned in s. 82(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), s. 82(1), Sch. 25 Pt. 1 para. 7(6)

F8 S. 87(6)-(8) repealed (24.7.2002 with effect as mentioned in s. 82(2) of the repealing Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), ss. 82(1), 141, Sch. 25 Pt. 1 para. 7(7), Sch. 40 Pt. 3(12)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 87(3) applied (24.7.2002) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), s. 73(8)

C2 S. 87(3)(4) applied (with modifications) (24.7.2002 with effect as mentioned in s. 83(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), s. 83(1), Sch. 26 Pt. 2 paras. 6(9), 7(8) (with Sch. 26 Pt. 2 para. 10(2))

S. 87(3)(4) applied (with modifications) (24.7.2002 with effect as mentioned in s. 83(3)(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2002 (c. 23), s. 83(1), Sch. 26 Pt. 6 para. 26(6)