Part 3Income tax, corporation tax and capital gains tax

Chapter 3Construction industry scheme

Deductions on account of tax from contract payments to sub-contractors

60Contract payments

1

In this Chapter “contract payment” means any payment which is made under a construction contract and is so made by the contractor (see section 57(3)) to—

a

the sub-contractor,

b

a person nominated by the sub-contractor or the contractor, or

c

a person nominated by a person who is a sub-contractor under another such contract relating to all or any of the construction operations.

2

But a payment made under a construction contract is not a contract payment if any of the following exceptions applies in relation to it.

3

This exception applies if the payment is treated as earnings from an employment by virtue of Chapter 7 of Part 2 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (c. 1) (agency workers).

4

This exception applies if the person to whom the payment is made or, in the case of a payment made to a nominee, each of the following persons—

a

the nominee,

b

the person who nominated him, and

c

the person for whose labour (or, where that person is a company, for whose employees' or officers' labour) the payment is made,

is registered for gross payment when the payment is made.

But this is subject to subsections (5) and (6).

5

Where a person is registered for gross payment as a partner in a firm (see section 64), subsection (4) applies only in relation to payments made under contracts under which—

a

the firm is a sub-contractor, or

b

where a person has nominated the firm to receive payments, the person who has nominated the firm is a sub-contractor.

6

Where a person is registered for gross payment otherwise than as a partner in a firm but he is or becomes a partner in a firm, subsection (4) does not apply in relation to payments made under contracts under which—

a

the firm is a sub-contractor, or

b

where a person has nominated the firm to receive payments, the person who has nominated the firm is a sub-contractor.

7

This exception applies if such conditions as may be prescribed in regulations made by the Board of Inland Revenue for the purposes of this subsection are satisfied; and those conditions may relate to any one or more of the following—

a

the payment,

b

the person making it, and

c

the person receiving it.

8

For the purposes of this Chapter a payment (including a payment by way of loan) that has the effect of discharging an obligation under a contract relating to construction operations is to be taken to be made under the contract; and if—

a

the obligation is to make a payment to a person (“A”) within paragraph (a) to (c) of subsection (1), but

b

the payment discharging that obligation is made to a person (“B”) not within those paragraphs,

the payment is for those purposes to be taken to be made to A.