Part 2 Plant and machinery allowances
F1Chapter 6AInterpretation of provisions about long funding leases
The tests for being a funding lease
70NThe finance lease test
(1)
A lease meets the finance lease test in the case of any person if the lease is one which, under generally accepted accounting practice, falls (or would fall) to be treated as a finance lease or a loan in the accounts—
(a)
of that person, or
(b)
where that person is the lessor, of any person connected with him.
(2)
In this section “accounts”, in relation to a company, includes any accounts which—
(a)
relate to two or more companies of which that company is one, and
(b)
are drawn up in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice.
(3)
Where for any period—
(a)
a person is not within the charge to income tax or corporation tax by reason of not being resident in the United Kingdom, and
(b)
accounts are not prepared in accordance with international accounting standards or UK generally accepted accounting practice,
any question relating to generally accepted accounting practice is to be determined for the purposes of this section by reference to generally accepted accounting practice with respect to accounts prepared in accordance with international accounting standards.
70OThe lease payments test
(1)
A lease meets the lease payments test if—
(a)
the present value of the minimum lease payments (see section 70YE),
is equal to
(b)
80% or more of the fair value of the leased plant or machinery.
(2)
The present value of the minimum lease payments is to be calculated by using the interest rate implicit in the lease.
(3)
In this section “fair value” means—
(a)
the market value of the leased plant or machinery,
less
(b)
any grants receivable towards the purchase or use of that plant or machinery.
(4)
For the purposes of this section—
(a)
the interest rate implicit in the lease is the interest rate that would apply in accordance with normal commercial criteria, including, in particular, generally accepted accounting practice (where applicable), but
F4(5)
For this purpose, the incremental borrowing rate has the same meaning as it has for accounting purposes.
(6)
The Treasury may by regulations amend this section for the purpose of replacing references to the incremental borrowing rate with references to another rate.
70PThe useful economic life test
A lease meets the useful economic life test if the term of the lease is more than 65% of the remaining useful economic life of the leased plant or machinery.