Capital Allowances Act 2001

Available qualifying expenditure U.K.

57 Available qualifying expenditure U.K.

(1) The general rule is that a person’s available qualifying expenditure in a pool for a chargeable period consists of—

(a) any qualifying expenditure allocated to the pool for that period in accordance with section 58, and

(b) any unrelieved qualifying expenditure carried forward in the pool from the previous chargeable period under section 59.

(2) A person’s available qualifying expenditure in a pool for a chargeable period also includes any amount allocated to the pool for that period under—

• section 26(3) (net costs of demolition);

• section 86(2) or 87(2) (allocation of expenditure in short-life asset pool);

• section 111(3) (overseas leasing: standard recovery mechanism);

• section 129(1), 132(2), 133(3) or 137 (provisions relating to operation of single ship pool and deferment of balancing charges in respect of ships);

• [F1 section 161C(2)(decommissioning expenditure incurred by person carrying on trade of oil extraction);]

• section 165(3) ([F2 general decommissioning expenditure] incurred after cessation of ring fence trade);

• section 206(3) (plant or machinery used partly for purposes other than those of the qualifying activity);

• section 211(4) (partial depreciation subsidy paid).

(3) A person’s available qualifying expenditure does not include any expenditure excluded by—

• section 8(4) or 9(1) (rules against double relief);

• [F3 section 70DA (transfer and long funding leaseback);]

• [F4 sections 165A to 165E (restrictions on allowances: anti-avoidance);]

• section 166(2) (transfers of interests in oil fields: anti-avoidance);

• section 185(2), 186(2)[F5 , 186A(2)] or 187(2) (restrictions where other claims made in respect of fixture);

• section 218(1), [F6 218ZA(1) or (3),] F7 ... 228(2)[F8 , 229A], 242(2), or 243(2) (general anti-avoidance provisions).

(4) Subsection (1) is also subject to section 220 (allocation to chargeable periods of expenditure incurred on plant or machinery for leasing under finance lease).

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 57(2) inserted (with effect as mentioned in Sch. 20 para. 9(1)-(4)(8) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2001 (c. 9), s. 68, Sch. 20 para. 5(2)

F2 Words in s. 57(2) substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 109(7) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2008 (c. 9), Sch. 34 para. 4

F3 Words in s. 57(3) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 32 para. 17 to the amending Act) by Finance Act 2009 (c. 10), Sch. 32 para. 14

F4 Words in s. 57(3) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 32 para. 8 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 32 para. 4

F5 Words in s. 57(3) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 12 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2012 (c. 14), Sch. 10 para. 8

F6 Words in s. 57(3) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 9 para. 9(1)(3) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2012 (c. 14), Sch. 9 para. 2

F7 Word in s. 57(3) omitted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 20 para. 6(19) of the amending Act) by virtue of Finance Act 2008 (c. 9), Sch. 20 para. 6(4)

F8 Words in s. 57(3) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 32 para. 22 to the amending Act) by Finance Act 2009 (c. 10), Sch. 32 para. 20

58 Initial allocation of qualifying expenditure to pools U.K.

(1) The following rules apply to the allocation of a person’s qualifying expenditure to the appropriate pool.

(2) An amount of qualifying expenditure is not to be allocated to a pool for a chargeable period if that amount has been taken into account in determining the person’s available qualifying expenditure for an earlier chargeable period.

(3) Qualifying expenditure is not to be allocated to a pool for a chargeable period before that in which the expenditure is incurred.

(4) Qualifying expenditure is not to be allocated to a pool for a chargeable period unless the person owns the plant or machinery at some time in that period.

[F9 (4A) If an annual investment allowance is made to a person for a chargeable period—

(a) the AIA qualifying expenditure in respect of which the allowance is made must be allocated to the appropriate pool (or pools) in that chargeable period, and

(b) the available qualifying expenditure in a pool to which the expenditure (or some of it) is allocated is reduced by the amount of that expenditure.]

(5) If a first-year allowance is made in respect of an amount of first-year qualifying expenditure—

(a) subject to subsection (6), none of that amount is to be allocated to a pool for the chargeable period in which the expenditure is incurred, and

(b) the amount that may be allocated to a pool for any chargeable period is limited to the balance left after deducting the first-year allowance.

(6) If—

(a) a first-year allowance is made in respect of an amount of first-year qualifying expenditure,

(b) a disposal event occurs in respect of the plant or machinery in any chargeable period, and

(c) none of the balance left after deducting the first-year allowance has been allocated to a pool for an earlier chargeable period,

the balance (or some of it) must be allocated to a pool for the chargeable period in which the disposal event occurs.

(7) Subsection (6) applies even if the balance is nil (because of a 100% first-year allowance).

(8) “The appropriate pool” means whichever pool is applicable under the provisions of this Part apart from this section.

Textual Amendments

F9 S. 58(4A) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 24 para. 23 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2008 (c. 9), Sch. 24 para. 5

59 Unrelieved qualifying expenditure U.K.

(1) A person has unrelieved qualifying expenditure to carry forward from a chargeable period if for that period—

[F10 (a)] AQE exceeds TDR[F11 , and

( b) where section 56A(2) applies, the person does not claim a writing-down allowance of the amount by which AQE exceeds TDR.]

(2) The amount of the unrelieved qualifying expenditure is—

(a) the excess less the writing-down allowance made for the period, or

(b) if no writing-down allowance is claimed for the period, the excess.

(3) No amount may be carried forward as unrelieved qualifying expenditure from the final chargeable period.

[F12 (4) If a person carrying on a trade, profession or vocation enters the cash basis for a tax year, [F13 any cash basis deductible amount may not be carried forward as unrelieved qualifying expenditure in a pool for the trade, profession or vocation] from the chargeable period ending [F14 in the previous tax year (or, if there is more than one such period, the latest of them)].

[F15 (4A) If a person carrying on a property business enters the cash basis for a tax year, any cash basis deductible amount may not be carried forward as unrelieved qualifying expenditure in a pool for a relevant qualifying activity from the chargeable period which is the previous tax year.]

F16 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F17 (5A) A “cash basis deductible amount” means any amount of unrelieved qualifying expenditure for which a deduction would be allowed in calculating the profits of the trade, profession, vocation or property business (as the case may be) on the cash basis on the assumption that the expenditure was paid in the tax year for which the person enters the cash basis.]

(6) Where a person has unrelieved qualifying expenditure to carry forward from a chargeable period that is not expenditure allocated to a single asset pool, [F18 any cash basis deductible amount] is to be determined on such basis as is just and reasonable in all the circumstances.

[F19 (7) Subsections (9), (10) and (11) of section 1A (capital allowances and charges: cash basis) apply for the purposes of this section as they apply for the purposes of that section.]

(7A) In subsection (4A) “relevant qualifying activity” means—

(a) in relation to a UK property business, an ordinary UK property business and a UK furnished holiday lettings business, and

(b) in relation to an overseas property business, an ordinary overseas property business and an EEA furnished holiday lettings business.]

[F20 (8) Subsection (9) applies if—

(a) a person carrying on a trade, profession or vocation incurs expenditure in relation to a vehicle,

(b) at the end of F21 ... a tax year, the person has unrelieved qualifying expenditure incurred in relation to the vehicle to carry forward from the chargeable period ending [F22 in that tax year (or, if there is more than one such period, the latest of them)] (“the relevant chargeable period”), [F23 and]

(c) in calculating the profits of a trade, profession or vocation of a person for the following tax year, a deduction is made under section 94D of ITTOIA 2005 in respect of expenditure incurred in relation to the vehicle, F24 ...

F24 (d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(9) None of the unrelieved qualifying expenditure incurred in relation to the vehicle may be carried forward as unrelieved qualifying expenditure from the relevant chargeable period.

[F25 (9A) Subsection (9B) applies if—

(a) a person carrying on a property business incurs expenditure in relation to a vehicle,

(b) at the end of a tax year, the person has unrelieved qualifying expenditure incurred in relation to the vehicle to carry forward from the chargeable period ending with that tax year (“the relevant chargeable period”), and

(c) in calculating the profits of a property business of a person for the following tax year, a deduction is made under section 94D of ITTOIA 2005 (as applied by section 271E of that Act) in respect of expenditure incurred in relation to the vehicle.

(9B) None of the unrelieved qualifying expenditure incurred in relation to the vehicle may be carried forward as unrelieved qualifying expenditure from the relevant chargeable period.]

(10) Where a person has unrelieved qualifying expenditure to carry forward from a chargeable period that is not expenditure allocated to a single asset pool, the amount of the unrelieved qualifying expenditure incurred in relation to the vehicle is to be determined on such basis as is just and reasonable in all the circumstances.]

Textual Amendments

F10 Word in s. 59(1) inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 81(5) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2008 (c. 9), s. 81(4)(a)

F11 Words in s. 59(1) inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 81(5) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2008 (c. 9), s. 81(4)(b)

F12 S. 59(4)-(7) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 4 paras. 56, 57 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 4 para. 47

F13 Words in s. 59(4) substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 64 of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2017 (c. 32), Sch. 2 para. 52(2)

F14 Words in s. 59(4) substituted (for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by Finance Act 2022 (c. 3), Sch. 1 paras. 34(2), 61(1)

F15 S. 59(4A) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 64 of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2017 (c. 32), Sch. 2 para. 52(3)

F16 S. 59(5) omitted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 64 of the amending Act) by virtue of Finance (No. 2) Act 2017 (c. 32), Sch. 2 para. 52(4)

F17 S. 59(5A) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 64 of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2017 (c. 32), Sch. 2 para. 52(5)

F18 Words in s. 59(6) substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 64 of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2017 (c. 32), Sch. 2 para. 52(6)

F19 S. 59(7)(7A) substituted for s. 59(7) (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 64 of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2017 (c. 32), Sch. 2 para. 52(7)

F20 S. 59(8)-(10) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 5 para. 6 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 5 para. 5(3)

F21 Words in s. 59(8)(b) omitted (for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by virtue of Finance Act 2022 (c. 3), Sch. 1 paras. 34(3)(a), 61(1)

F22 Words in s. 59(8)(b) substituted (for the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by Finance Act 2022 (c. 3), Sch. 1 paras. 34(3)(b), 61(1)

F23 Word in s. 59(8)(b) inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 36(7) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2018 (c. 3), s. 36(6)(a)(i)

F24 S. 59(8)(d) and preceding word omitted (with effect in accordance with s. 36(7) of the amending Act) by virtue of Finance Act 2018 (c. 3), s. 36(6)(a)(ii)

F25 S. 59(9A)(9B) inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 36(8) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2018 (c. 3), s. 36(6)(b)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 59(1)(2) applied by Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005 (c. 5), s. 240C(6) (as inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 4 paras. 56, 57 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 4 para. 38)

C2 S. 59(4) excluded by Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005 (c. 5), s. 240C(5A) (as inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 64 of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2017 (c. 32), Sch. 2 para. 7(7))