Finance Act 2007

8 U.K. After section 103 insert—

“103A Meaning of “limited partner”

(1) In this Chapter “limited partner” means an individual who carries on a trade—

(a) as a limited partner in a limited partnership registered under the Limited Partnerships Act 1907,

(b) as a partner in a firm who in substance acts as a limited partner in relation to the trade (see subsection (2)), or

(c) while the condition mentioned in subsection (3) is met in relation to the individual.

(2) An individual in substance acts as a limited partner in relation to a trade if the individual—

(a) is not entitled to take part in the management of the trade, and

(b) is entitled to have any liabilities (or those beyond a certain limit) for debts or obligations incurred for the purposes of the trade met or reimbursed by some other person.

(3) The condition referred to in subsection (1)(c) is that—

(a) the individual carries on the trade jointly with other persons,

(b) under the law of a territory outside the United Kingdom, the individual is not entitled to take part in the management of the trade, and

(c) under that law, the individual is not liable beyond a certain limit for debts or obligations incurred for the purposes of the trade.

(4) In the case of an individual who is a limited partner as a result of subsection (1)(c), references in this Chapter to the individual's firm are to be read as references to the relationship between the individual and the other persons mentioned in subsection (3)(a).

103B Meaning of “non-active partner” etc

(1) For the purposes of this Chapter an individual carries on a trade as a non-active partner during a tax year if the individual—

(a) carries on the trade as a partner in a firm at a time during the year,

(b) does not carry on the trade as a limited partner at any time during the year, and

(c) does not devote a significant amount of time to the trade in the relevant period for the year.

(2) For the purposes of this Chapter an individual devotes a significant amount of time to a trade in the relevant period for a tax year if, in that period, the individual spends an average of at least 10 hours a week personally engaged in activities carried on for the purposes of the trade.

(3) For this purpose “the relevant period” means the basis period for the tax year (unless the basis period is shorter than 6 months).

(4) If the basis period for the tax year is shorter than 6 months, “the relevant period” means—

(a) the period of 6 months beginning with the date on which the individual first started to carry on the trade (if the basis period begins with that date), or

(b) the period of 6 months ending with the date on which the individual permanently ceased to carry on the trade (if the basis period ends with that date).

(5) If—

(a) any relief is given on the assumption that the individual devoted or will devote a significant amount of time to the trade in the relevant period for a tax year, but

(b) the individual in fact failed or fails to do so,

the relief is withdrawn by the making of an assessment to income tax under this section.”