The Social Security (Contributions) Regulations 2001

[F1 Transfer of debt of managed service company U.K.

29C.— (1) This paragraph applies if—

(a) a managed service company has a relevant contributions debt, and

(b) an officer of Revenue and Customs is of the opinion that the relevant contributions debt or a part of the relevant contributions debt (the “specified amount”) is irrecoverable from the managed service company within a reasonable period.

(2) HM Revenue and Customs may make a direction authorising the recovery of the specified amount from the persons specified in section 688A(2) (managed service companies: recovery from other persons).

(3) Upon the making of a direction under sub-paragraph (2), the persons specified in section 688A(2) become jointly and severally liable for the relevant contributions debt, but subject to what follows.

(4) HM Revenue and Customs may not recover the specified amount from any person in accordance with a direction made under sub-paragraph (2) until they have served a notice (a “transfer notice”) on the person in question (the “transferee”).

(5) If an officer of Revenue and Customs is of the opinion that it is appropriate to do so, HM Revenue and Customs may accept an amount less than the specified amount (the “lower amount”) from a transferee; but this acceptance shall not prejudice the recovery of the specified amount from any other transferee.

(6) HM Revenue and Customs may not serve a transfer notice on a person mentioned in section 688A(2)(c), or on a paragraph (c) associate, if the relevant contributions debt is incurred before 6^th January 2008.

(7) HM Revenue and Customs may not serve a transfer notice on a person mentioned in section 688A(2)(c), or on a paragraph (c) associate, unless an officer of Revenue and Customs certifies that, in his opinion, it is impracticable to recover the specified amount from persons mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 688A(2) and from paragraph (b) associates.

(8) In determining, for the purposes of sub-paragraph (7), whether it is impracticable to recover the specified amount from the persons mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 688A(2) and from paragraph (b) associates the officer of Revenue and Customs may have regard to all managed service companies in relation to which a person is a person mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) of section 688A(2) or a paragraph (b) associate.

(9) In determining which of the persons mentioned in section 688A(2)(c) and which of the paragraph (c) associates are to be served with transfer notices and the amount of those notices, HM Revenue and Customs must have regard to the degree and extent to which those persons are persons who (directly or indirectly) have encouraged or been actively involved in the provision by the managed service company of the services of the individual mentioned in that provision.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 4 Pt. 3A inserted (6.8.2007) by The Social Security (Contributions) (Amendment No. 5) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2068), regs. 1, 2