Part 3Income tax, corporation tax and capital gains tax

Chapter 2Corporation tax: general

Thin capitalisation

35Elimination of double counting etc

(1)Schedule 28AA to the Taxes Act 1988 is amended as follows.

(2)In paragraph 6 (elimination of double counting) in sub-paragraph (2) (right of disadvantaged person to claim relief, subject to sub-paragraphs (3) to (6) and paragraph 7) before “7” insert “6C, 6D,”.

(3)After paragraph 6B (which is inserted by section 32) insert—

Claims under paragraph 6 where paragraph 1A applies

6C(1)Where paragraph 1A above applies in relation to any provision, this paragraph has effect in relation to that provision.

(2)A claim under paragraph 6(2) above may be made in accordance with this paragraph.

For the purposes of this Schedule a “paragraph 6C claim” is a claim under paragraph 6(2) above made in accordance with this paragraph.

(3)A paragraph 6C claim may be made by—

(a)the disadvantaged person, or

(b)the advantaged person,

but any such claim made by the advantaged person shall be taken to be made on behalf of the disadvantaged person.

(4)A paragraph 6C claim may be made before or after a computation falling within paragraph 6(3)(a) above has been made.

(5)A paragraph 6C claim must be made either—

(a)at any time before the end of the period mentioned in paragraph 6(5)(a) above, or

(b)within the period mentioned in paragraph 6(5)(b) above,

but this is subject to section 111(3)(b) of the Finance Act 1998 (extension of period for making a claim).

(6)A paragraph 6C claim is not a claim within paragraph 57 or 58 of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998 (company tax returns, assessments and related matters).

Accordingly, paragraph 59 of that Schedule (application of Schedule 1A to the Management Act) has effect in relation to a paragraph 6C claim.

(7)Where—

(a)a paragraph 6C claim is made before a computation falling within paragraph 6(3)(a) above has been made,

(b)such a computation is subsequently made, and

(c)the claim is not consistent with the computation,

the affected persons shall be treated as if (instead of the claim actually made) a claim had been made that was consistent with the computation.

(8)All such adjustments shall be made (whether by discharge or repayment of tax, the making of assessments or otherwise) as are required to give effect to sub-paragraph (7) above.

(9)Sub-paragraph (8) above has effect notwithstanding any limit on the time within which any adjustment may be made.

(10)Where—

(a)a paragraph 6C claim is made,

(b)a return is subsequently made by the advantaged person on the basis mentioned in paragraph 6(3)(a) above, and

(c)a relevant notice (within the meaning of paragraph 6 above) taking account of such a determination as is mentioned in paragraph 6(4)(b) above is subsequently given to the advantaged person,

sub-paragraph (11) below applies.

(11)Where this sub-paragraph applies, any such amendment of the paragraph 6C claim as may be appropriate in consequence of the determination contained in the relevant notice may be made by—

(a)the disadvantaged person, or

(b)the advantaged person,

but any such amendment made by the advantaged person shall be taken to be made on behalf of the disadvantaged person.

(12)Any such amendment must be made within the period mentioned in paragraph 6(5)(b) above.

But that is subject to section 111(3)(b) of the Finance Act 1998 (extension of period for making amendment).

Compensating adjustment for guarantor company etc where paragraph 1B applies

6D(1)This paragraph applies in any case where—

(a)a company (“the issuing company”) has liabilities under a security issued by the company,

(b)those liabilities are to any extent the subject of a guarantee provided by a company (“the guarantor company”), and

(c)in computing the profits and losses of the issuing company for tax purposes, the amounts to be deducted in respect of interest or other amounts payable under the security fall to be reduced (whether or not to nil) under paragraph 1(2) above by virtue of paragraph 1B above.

(2)On the making of a claim in any such case, the guarantor company shall, to the extent of that reduction, be treated for all purposes of the Taxes Acts as if it (and not the issuing company)—

(a)had issued the security,

(b)owed the liabilities under it, and

(c)had paid any interest or other amounts paid under it by the issuing company,

and in computing the profits and losses of the guarantor company for those purposes amounts shall be brought into account accordingly.

This sub-paragraph is subject to the following provisions of this paragraph.

(3)Where the issuing company’s liabilities under the security are the subject of two or more guarantees (whether or not provided by the same person) TD must not exceed TR, where—

  • TD is the total of the amounts brought into account by the guarantor companies by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) above, and

  • TR is the total amount of the reductions that fall within sub-paragraph (1)(c) above.

(4)In this paragraph “the loan provision” means the actual provision made or imposed between—

(a)the issuing company, and

(b)another company (“the lending company”),

which is provision in relation to the security.

(5)Where—

(a)the guarantor company makes a claim under sub-paragraph (2) above, and

(b)the lending company makes a claim under paragraph 6 above in respect of the loan provision,

sub-paragraphs (6) and (7) below apply.

(6)In determining, in a case where this sub-paragraph applies, the arm’s length provision for the purposes of paragraph 6(2)(a) above in relation to the lending company’s claim, additional amounts shall be brought into account as credits corresponding to the debits that fall to be brought into account by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) above in relation to the guarantor company.

(7)If, in a case where this sub-paragraph applies,—

(a)the lending company makes its claim under paragraph 6 above before the guarantor company makes its claim under sub-paragraph (2) above, and

(b)the computation on which the lending company’s claim is based does not comply with sub-paragraph (6) above,

the guarantor company’s claim shall be disallowed.

(8)A claim under sub-paragraph (2) above may be made by—

(a)the guarantor company,

(b)where there are two or more guarantor companies, those companies acting together, or

(c)the issuing company,

but any claim made by the issuing company shall be taken to be made on behalf of the guarantor company or companies.

(9)Sub-paragraphs (3) to (6) of paragraph 6 above (claims and time limits) shall apply in relation to a claim under sub-paragraph (2) above made by or on behalf of any person or persons as they apply in relation to a claim under that paragraph made by the disadvantaged person, but taking references in those sub-paragraphs—

(a)to the advantaged person, as references to the issuing company, and

(b)to the disadvantaged person, as references to the guarantor company or companies.

(10)The following provisions of paragraph 1A above also apply for the purposes of this paragraph—

(a)sub-paragraph (7) (construction of references to a guarantee);

(b)sub-paragraph (9) (meaning of security);

(c)sub-paragraph (10) (extended meaning of security).

(11)In this paragraph “the Taxes Acts” has the meaning given in section 118(1) of the Management Act..

(4)After paragraph 6D insert—

Certain interest not to be regarded as chargeable under Case III of Schedule D

6EWhere—

(a)interest is paid by any person under the actual provision,

(b)paragraph 1(2) above applies in relation to the actual provision,

(c)the amount of interest that would have been payable under the arm’s length provision is less than the amount of interest paid under the actual provision (or there would not have been any interest payable),

(d)the person receiving the interest makes a claim under paragraph 6 above or a paragraph 6C claim,

the interest paid under the actual provision, to the extent that it exceeds the amount of interest that would have been payable under the arm’s length provision, shall not be regarded as chargeable under Case III of Schedule D..

(5)In paragraph 14(1) (general interpretation) insert the following definition at the appropriate place—

“paragraph 6C claim” has the meaning given by paragraph 6C(2) above;.