Finance Act 2004

234 Defined benefits arrangements U.K.

(1) The pension input amount in respect of a defined benefits arrangement is the amount of any increase in the value of the individual’s rights under the arrangement during the pension input period of the arrangement that ends in the tax year.

(2) There is an increase in the value of the individual’s rights under the arrangement during the pension input period if—

(a) the opening value of the individual’s rights under the arrangement, is exceeded by

(b) the closing value of the individual’s rights under the arrangement.

(3) The amount of the increase in the value of the individual’s rights under the arrangement during the pension input period is the amount of that excess.

[F1 (4) The opening value of the individual’s rights under the arrangement is—

where—

PB is the annual rate of the pension which would, on the valuation assumptions (see section 277), be payable to the individual under the arrangement if the individual became entitled to payment of it at the [F2 end of the immediately preceding pension input period (or is nil if the pension input period is the first pension input period of the arrangement)], and

LSB is the amount of the lump sum to which the individual would, on the valuation assumptions, be entitled under the arrangement (otherwise than by commutation of pension) if the individual became entitled to the payment of it at [F3 the end of the immediately preceding pension input period (or is nil if the pension input period is the first pension input period of the arrangement)]].

[F4 (5) The closing value of the individual’s rights under the arrangement is—

where—

PE is the annual rate of the pension which would, on the valuation assumptions, be payable to the individual under the arrangement if the individual became entitled to payment of it at the end of the pension input period, and

LSE is the amount of the lump sum to which the individual would, on the valuation assumptions, be entitled under the arrangement (otherwise than by commutation of pension) if the individual became entitled to the payment of it at that time.]

[F5 (5A) If, during the pension input period, minimum payments are made under—

(a) section 8 of the Pension Schemes Act 1993, or

(b) section 4 of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993,

in relation to the individual in connection with the arrangement, their amount is to be subtracted from what would otherwise be the pension input amount in the case of the individual in respect of the arrangement.

(5B) The pension input amount in respect of the arrangement is nil if—

(a) the individual is a deferred member of the pension scheme under which it is an arrangement (or would be if it were the only arrangement under the pension scheme relating to the individual) throughout the pension input period or is (or would be) such a deferred member for part of the pension input period and a pensioner member for the rest of it, and

(b) the value of the relevant rights of the individual does not increase during the pension input period by more than the relevant percentage.

(5C) In this section—

• “guaranteed minimum pension” has the meaning given by—

  (a)

  section 8(2) of the Pension Schemes Act 1993, or

  (b)

  section 4(2) of the Pension Schemes (Northern Ireland) Act 1993;

• “predecessor arrangement”, in relation to an arrangement, means another arrangement (under the same or another registered pension scheme) from which some or all of the sums or assets held for the purposes of the arrangement directly or indirectly derive;

• “predecessor registered pension scheme”, in relation to a pension scheme, means another registered pension scheme from which some or all of the sums or assets held for the purposes of the arrangement under the pension scheme directly or indirectly derive;

• “the relevant percentage”—

  (a)

  where throughout the pension input period the arrangement (or a predecessor arrangement) includes provision for the value of the relevant rights of the individual to increase at an annual rate specified in the rules of the pension scheme (or a predecessor registered pension scheme) on 14 October 2010, that percentage, and

  (b)

  otherwise, the percentage by which the consumer prices index for a month falling within the pension input period and nominated by the scheme administrator is higher than it was for the same month in the previous period of 12 months (or nil per cent if it is not higher);

• “the relevant rights of the individual” means rights of the individual under the arrangement, other than any rights to a guaranteed minimum pension;

• “specified”, in relation to an annual rate, means specified as a percentage figure or as a percentage produced by movement in an index (or a combination of the two) but does not include a percentage produced by the exercise of a discretion by any person.]

(6) Section 235 (uprating of opening value)[F6 , section 236 (adjustments of closing value) and section 236A (post-entitlement enhancements)] supplement this section.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 234(4) formula substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 17 Pt. 2 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 17 para. 10(2)(a)

F2 Words in s. 234(4) substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 17 Pt. 2 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 17 para. 10(2)(b)

F3 Words in s. 234(4) substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 17 Pt. 2 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 17 para. 10(2)(c)

F4 Word in s. 234(5) formula substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 17 Pt. 2 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 17 para. 10(3)

F5 S. 234(5A)-(5C) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 17 Pt. 2 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 17 para. 10(4)

F6 Words in s. 234(6) substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 17 Pt. 2 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 17 para. 10(5)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C9 Pt. 4 applied (21.7.2009) by Finance Act 2009 (c. 10), Sch. 35 para. 18

C10 Pt. 4 modified (19.7.2011) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 18 para. 14(3)

C11 S. 234 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2006) by The Registered Pension Schemes (Restriction of Employers Relief) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/3458), regs. 1(1), 7 (with regs. 2-4)

C12 Ss. 230-237 modified (21.7.2009) by Finance Act 2009 (c. 10), Sch. 35 para. 5(2)

C13 S. 234(1) modified (21.7.2009) by Finance Act 2009 (c. 10), Sch. 35 para. 5(1)

C14 S. 234(4)(5) applied (with modifications) (19.7.2011) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 17 para. 28(6)

Commencement Information

I1 Ss. 160-274, 281, Schs. 30-35 in force at 6.4.2006 but any power to make an order or regulations under those provisions may be exercised at any time after Royal Assent, see s. 284