Finance Act 2008

Benefit crystallisation event 3

7 (1) Paragraph 10 (benefit crystallisation event 3: excepted circumstances) is amended as follows.

(2) The existing provision becomes sub-paragraph (1).

(3) For paragraph (b) of that sub-paragraph substitute—

“(b) that the individual is one of a class of at least 20 pensioner members of the pension scheme, and all the scheme pensions being paid under the pension scheme to pensioner members of that class are at that time increased at the same rate.”

(4) After that sub-paragraph insert—

“(2) A class may consist of all the pensioner members of the pension scheme.

(3) Sub-paragraph (4) applies where—

(a) the annual rate of the individual’s pension is increased in excepted circumstances (“the excepted increase”),

(b) before the end of the period of 12 months beginning with the date of the excepted increase, the annual rate of the individual’s pension is increased in circumstances which would (apart from that sub-paragraph) be excepted circumstances (“the subsequent increase”), and

(c) the class by virtue of which sub-paragraph (1)(b) is satisfied on the subsequent increase (“the new class”) is not the class by virtue of which it was satisfied on the excepted increase.

(4) If the purpose, or one of the main purposes, of the individual’s being included in the new class is to increase the annual rate of the individual’s pension without benefit crystallisation event 3 occurring, the subsequent increase is not in excepted circumstances.”