Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003

[F1 Chapter 5A U.K. PENSIONS UNDER REGISTERED PENSION SCHEMES

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 9 Ch. 5A inserted (6.4.2006) by Finance Act 2004 (c. 12), s. 284(1), Sch. 31 para. 6 (with Sch. 36)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 9 Ch. 5A restricted (6.4.2006) by Finance Act 2004 (c. 12), Sch. 36 para. 43(2) (with s. 283(5), Sch. 36)

C2 Pt. 9 Ch. 5A modified (6.4.2006) by Finance Act 2004 (c. 12), Sch. 36 paras. 44, 45 (with s. 283(5), Sch. 36)

C3 Pt. 9 Ch. 5A modified (1.4.2012 being "the specified day", see S.I. 2012/687, 688 and 966) by The Postal Services Act 2011 (Taxation) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/764), regs. 1(1), 23(2)

C4 Pt. 9 Ch. 5A modified (1.4.2012 being "the specified day", see S.I. 2012/687, 688 and 966) by The Postal Services Act 2011 (Taxation) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/764), regs. 1(1), 24

579A Pensions U.K.

(1) This section applies to any pension under a registered pension scheme (but subject to subsection (2) [F2 and section 579CZA]).

(2) This section does not apply to a pension under a registered pension scheme if and to the extent that, when it is paid, a liability to the unauthorised payments charge arises in respect of the amount of the payment (see section 208 of FA 2004).

[F3 (3) Chapter 17 of this Part provides exemptions for certain annuities (see sections 646B and 646C: certain beneficiaries' annuities purchased out of unused or drawdown funds).]

Textual Amendments

F2 Words in s. 579A(1) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 25(7) of the amending Act) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 2 para. 25(4)

F3 S. 579A(3) inserted (26.3.2015) by Finance Act 2015 (c. 11), Sch. 4 para. 22

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C5 S. 579A applied (6.4.2006) by The Pension Protection Fund (Tax) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/575), regs. 1, 41

C6 S. 579A applied (6.4.2023 for the tax year 2023-24 and subsequent tax years) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2023 (c. 30), s. 19(2)(8)

579B Taxable pension income U.K.

If section 579A applies, the taxable pension income for a tax year is the full amount of the pension under the registered pension scheme that accrues in that year irrespective of when any amount is actually paid [F4 This is subject to section 579CA.]

Textual Amendments

F4 Words in s. 579B inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 16 para. 85 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 16 para. 22(2)

579C Person liable for tax U.K.

If section 579A applies, the person liable for any tax charged under this Part is the person receiving or entitled to the pension under the registered pension scheme.

[F5 579CZA Exemption for beneficiaries' income withdrawal in some cases U.K.

(1) Section 579A does not apply to dependants' income withdrawal or nominees' income withdrawal if it is paid—

(a) in respect of a deceased member of a registered pension scheme who had not reached the age of 75 at the date of the member's death, and

(b) to a person from the person's—

(i) dependant's drawdown pension fund,

(ii) dependant's flexi-access drawdown fund, or

(iii) nominee's flexi-access drawdown fund,

in respect of a money purchase arrangement under a registered pension scheme.

(2) Section 579A does not apply to successors' income withdrawal if it is paid—

(a) in respect of a deceased beneficiary of a deceased member of a registered pension scheme where the beneficiary had not reached the age of 75 at the date of the beneficiary's death, and

(b) to a person from the person's successor's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of a money purchase arrangement under a registered pension scheme,

and here “beneficiary” means dependant, nominee or successor.

(3) Subsection (1) is subject to the following provisions of this section.

(4) Section 579A does apply to dependants' income withdrawal paid on or after 6 April 2015 to a person from the person's dependant's drawdown pension fund in respect of a money purchase arrangement under a registered pension scheme (“the drawdown fund”) if before 6 April 2015—

(a) any payment of dependants' income withdrawal was made from—

(i) the drawdown fund, or

(ii) any fund represented (to any extent) by the drawdown fund, or

(b) any payment was made of a dependants' short-term annuity purchased using sums or assets out of—

(i) the drawdown fund, or

(ii) any fund represented (to any extent) by the drawdown fund.

(5) Section 579A does apply to dependants' income withdrawal paid in respect of a deceased member of a registered pension scheme to a person from the person's dependant's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of a money purchase arrangement under a registered pension scheme (“the new fund”) if—

(a) any of the sums or assets that make up the new fund—

(i) became newly-designated dependant funds under paragraph 22A(2)(b) of Schedule 28 to FA 2004 or as a result of the operation of any of paragraphs 22B to 22D of that Schedule, or

(ii) arise, or (directly or indirectly) derive, from any such newly-designated dependant funds or from sums or assets which so arise or derive,

[F6 (b) before 6 April 2015—

(i) any payment of dependants' income withdrawal in respect of the deceased member was made to the person from, or

(ii) any payment in respect of the deceased member was made to the person of a dependants' short-term annuity purchased using sums or assets out of,

the person's dependant's drawdown pension fund in respect of a money purchase arrangement under a registered pension scheme, and]

(c) any of the sums or assets that made up that fund at the time of that payment to any extent make up, or are represented by sums or assets that to any extent make up, the new fund.

(6) Where relevant unused uncrystallised funds—

(a) are designated on or after 6 April 2015 as available for the payment of dependants' drawdown pension or nominees' drawdown pension, and

(b) as a result of the designation make up (to any extent) a person's dependant's flexi-access drawdown fund or nominee's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of a money purchase arrangement under a registered pension scheme, but

(c) are not so designated before the end of the relevant two-year period,

section 579A does apply to dependants' income withdrawal or nominees' income withdrawal paid to the person from the fund so far as it is paid in respect of sums or assets for the time being representing the whole or any part of those relevant unused uncrystallised funds.

(7) In this section—

• “dependant”, “nominee” and “successor” have the meaning given (respectively) by paragraphs 15, 27A and 27F of Schedule 28 to FA 2004,

• “dependant's drawdown pension fund”, “dependant's flexi-access drawdown fund”, “nominee's flexi-access drawdown fund” and “successor's flexi-access drawdown fund” have the meaning given (respectively) by paragraphs 22, 22A, 27E and 27K of Schedule 28 to FA 2004,

• “money purchase arrangement” has the meaning given by section 152 of FA 2004, and

• “the relevant two-year period”, in relation to relevant unused uncrystallised funds held for the purposes of a money purchase arrangement relating to a deceased individual under a registered pension scheme, means the period of two years beginning with the earlier of the day on which the scheme administrator of the scheme first knew of the individual's death and the day on which the scheme administrator could first reasonably have been expected to have known of it.

(8) For the purposes of this section, sums or assets held after the death of a member of a registered pension scheme for the purposes of a money purchase arrangement relating to the member under the scheme are “relevant unused uncrystallised funds” if—

(a) they are unused uncrystallised funds, and

(b) the member had not reached the age of 75 at the date of the member's death.

(9) Paragraph 27E(4) and (5) of Schedule 28 to FA 2004 (meaning of “unused uncrystallised funds”) apply for the purposes of subsection (8)(a).]

Textual Amendments

F5 S. 579CZA inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 25(7) of the amending Act) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 2 para. 25(5)

F6 S. 579CZA(5)(b) substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 4 para. 23(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2015 (c. 11), Sch. 4 para. 23(1)

[F7 579CA Temporary non-residents U.K.

(1) This section applies if a person is temporarily non-resident.

(2) Any relevant withdrawals within subsection (3) are to be treated for the purposes of section 579B as if they accrued in the period of return [F8 , but only if the total amount of—

(a) the relevant withdrawals within subsection (3), and

(b) the relevant withdrawals (as defined by section 576A(4)) within section 576A(3) for the same temporary period of non-residence,

exceeds £100,000]

(3) A relevant withdrawal is within this subsection if—

(a) it is paid to the person in the temporary period of non-residence, and

(b) ignoring this section, it is not chargeable to tax under this Part (or would not be if a DTR claim were made in respect of it).

[F9 (4) A “relevant withdrawal” is—

(a) any income withdrawal paid to the person from a member's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under a registered pension scheme,

(b) any dependants' income withdrawal paid to the person from a dependant's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under a registered pension scheme,

(c) any nominees' income withdrawal paid to the person from a nominee's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under a registered pension scheme,

(d) any successors' income withdrawal paid to the person from a successor's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under a registered pension scheme,

(e) any payment to the person of a short-term annuity purchased using sums or assets out of a member's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under a registered pension scheme,

(f) any payment to the person of a dependants' short-term annuity purchased using sums or assets out of a dependant's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under a registered pension scheme,

(g) any payment to the person of a nominees' short-term annuity purchased using sums or assets out of a nominee's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under a registered pension scheme,

(h) any payment to the person of a successors' short-term annuity purchased using sums or assets out of a successor's flexi-access drawdown fund in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under a registered pension scheme,

(i) any uncrystallised funds pension lump sum paid to the person in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under a registered pension scheme, but only so far as section 579A applies in relation to the sum (see section 636A),

(j) any income withdrawal, or dependants' income withdrawal, paid before 6 April 2015 to the person under a registered pension scheme in respect of an arrangement relating to the person under the scheme which at the time of the payment was an arrangement to which section 165(3A) or 167(2A) of FA 2004 applied (flexible drawdown arrangements),

(k) any payment to the person of a lifetime annuity or dependants' annuity where—

(i) the annuity is within paragraph 3(1A) or 17(1ZA), as the case may be, of Schedule 28 to FA 2004,

(ii) the terms of the contract under which the annuity is paid are such that there will or could be decreases in the amount of the annuity other than decreases from time to time allowed by regulations under paragraph 3(1)(d) or 17(1)(c), as the case may be, of Schedule 28 to FA 2004 (and any such regulations are to be treated as having effect for this purpose), and

(iii) the annuity is purchased using sums or assets held for the purposes of a registered pension scheme, F10 ...

(l) any payment to the person of a scheme pension, or dependants' scheme pension, under a money purchase arrangement under a registered pension scheme where—

(i) the person first acquired an actual (rather than a prospective) right to receive the scheme pension on or after 6 April 2015,

(ii) when the person first acquired that actual right, fewer than 11 other individuals were entitled to the present payment of a scheme pension, or dependants' scheme pension, under the registered pension scheme, and

(iii) the scheme pension is not payable under an annuity contract treated under section 153(8) or (8A) of FA 2004 as having become a registered pension scheme[F11 , or

(m) any payment to the person of a lump sum to which section 579A applies by virtue of section 636A(4ZA).]

(4A) For the purpose of determining whether the figure specified in subsection (2) is exceeded, any relevant withdrawal paid in a currency other than sterling is to be translated into sterling using the average exchange rate for the year ending with 31 March in the tax year in which the relevant withdrawal is paid.]

(5) Nothing in any double taxation relief arrangements is to be read as preventing the person from being chargeable to income tax in respect of any relevant withdrawal treated by virtue of this section as accruing in the period of return (or as preventing a charge to that tax from arising as a result).

(6) Part 4 of Schedule 45 to FA 2013 (statutory residence test: anti-avoidance) explains—

(a) when a person is to be regarded as “temporarily non-resident”, and

(b) what “the temporary period of non-residence” and “the period of return” mean.

(7) In this section—

• “double taxation relief arrangements” means arrangements that have effect under section 2(1) of TIOPA 2010;

• “DTR claim” means a claim for relief under section 6 of that Act;

• [F12 “dependants' annuity”, “dependant's flexi-access drawdown fund”, “dependants' scheme pension”, “dependants' short-term annuity”, “lifetime annuity”, “member's flexi-access drawdown fund”, “money purchase arrangement”, “nominee's flexi-access drawdown fund”, “scheme pension”, “short-term annuity”, “successor's flexi-access drawdown fund” and “uncrystallised funds pension lump sum” have the same meaning as in Part 4 of FA 2004 (see section 152 of FA 2004 and paragraphs 2, 3, 6, 8A, 16 to 16C, 17, 20, 22A, 27E and 27K of Schedule 28, and paragraph 4A of Schedule 29, to FA 2004).]]

Textual Amendments

F7 S. 579CA substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 45 para. 153(3) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 45 para. 117

F8 Words in s. 579CA(2) inserted (6.4.2015) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 1 para. 81(2)(5)

F9 S. 579CA(4)(4A) substituted for s. 579CA(4) (6.4.2015) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 1 para. 81(3)(5)

F10 Word in s. 579CA(4)(k) as substituted by paragraph 117 of Schedule 45 to the Finance Act 2013 omitted (with effect in accordance with s. 22(12) of the amending Act) by virtue of Finance (No. 2) Act 2015 (c. 33), s. 22(6)(a)

F11 S. 579CA(4)(m) and word as substituted by paragraph 117 of Schedule 45 to the Finance Act 2013 inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 22(12) of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2015 (c. 33), s. 22(6)(b)

F12 Words in s. 579CA(7) substituted (6.4.2015) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 1 para. 81(4)(5)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C7 S. 579CA modified (6.4.2015) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 1 para. 82

C8 S. 579CA as it has effect if the year of departure is the tax year 2012-13 or an earlier tax year modified (with effect in accordance with s. 22(12) of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2015 (c. 33), s. 22(7)

[F13 579D Interpretation U.K.

In this Chapter—

• “income withdrawal” has the meaning given by paragraph 7 of that Schedule;

• [F14 “nominees' income withdrawal" has the meaning given by paragraph 27D of that Schedule;]

• [F14 “successors' income withdrawal" has the meaning given by paragraph 27J of Schedule 28 to FA 2004.]

• “pension under a registered pension scheme” includes—

  (a)

  an annuity under, or purchased with sums or assets held for the purposes of, or representing acquired rights under, a registered pension scheme, and

  (b)

  income withdrawal or dependants' income withdrawal [F15 , or nominees' income withdrawal or successors' income withdrawal,] under a registered pension scheme.]]

Textual Amendments

F13 S. 579D substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 16 para. 85 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 16 para. 22(4)

F14 Words in s. 579D inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 25(7) of the amending Act) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 2 para. 25(6)(a)

F15 Words in s. 579D inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 25(7) of the amending Act) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), Sch. 2 para. 25(6)(b)