Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

[F1 109A Relief for post-cessation expenditure. U.K.

(1) Where in connection with a trade, profession or vocation formerly carried on by him which has been permanently discontinued a person makes, within seven years of the discontinuance, a payment to which this section applies, he may, by notice given within twelve months from the 31st January next following the year of assessment in which the payment is made, claim relief from income tax on an amount of his income for that year equal to the amount of the payment.

(2) This section applies to payments made wholly and exclusively—

(a) in remedying defective work done, goods supplied or services rendered in the course of the former trade, profession or vocation or by way of damages (whether awarded or agreed) in respect of any such defective work, goods or services; or

(b) in defraying the expenses of legal or other professional services in connection with any claim that work done, goods supplied or services rendered in the course of the former trade, profession or vocation was or were defective;

(c) in insuring against any liabilities arising out of any such claim or against the incurring of such expenses; or

(d) for the purpose of collecting a debt taken into account in computing the [F2 profits] of the former trade, profession or vocation.

(3) Where a payment of any of the above descriptions is made in circumstances such that relief under this section is available, the following shall be treated as sums to which section 103 applies (whether or not they would be so treated apart from this subsection)—

(a) in the case of a payment within paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (2) above, any sum received, by way of the proceeds of insurance or otherwise, for the purpose of enabling the payment to be made or by means of which it is reimbursed,

(b) in the case of a payment within paragraph (c) of that subsection, any sum (not falling within paragraph (a) above) received by way of refund of premium or otherwise in connection with the insurance, and

(c) in the case of a payment within paragraph (d) of that subsection, any sum received to meet the costs of collecting the debt;

and no deduction shall be made under section 105 in respect of any such sums.

Where such a sum is received in a year of assessment earlier than that in which the related payment is made, it shall be treated as having been received in that later year and not in the earlier year; and any such adjustment shall be made, by way of modification of any assessment or discharge or repayment of tax, as is required to give effect to this subsection.

(4) Where a trade, profession or vocation carried on by a person has been permanently discontinued and subsequently an unpaid debt which was taken into account in computing the [F2 profits] of that trade, profession or vocation and to the benefit of which he is entitled][F3 is released in whole or in part as part of a relevant arrangement or compromise (within the meaning of section 74), he shall be treated as making a payment to which this section applies of—

(a) an amount equal to the amount released, or

(b) if he was entitled to only part of the benefit of the debt, an amount equal to an appropriate proportion of that amount.]

If any sum is subsequently received by him in payment of a debt for which relief has been given by virtue of this subsection, the sum shall be treated as one to which section 103 applies; and no deduction shall be made under section 105 in respect of any such sum.

[F4 (4A) Where a trade, profession or vocation carried on by a person has been permanently discontinued and subsequently an unpaid debt which was taken into account in computing the [F2 profits] of that trade, profession or vocation and to the benefit of which he is entitled, proves to be bad, then if—

(a) in making a claim for a year of assessment under subsection (1) above he gives notice that the debt was bad in any part of that year, and

(b) he has not given such a notice in respect of that debt in the making of any other such claim,

he shall be treated as making in that year a payment to which this section applies of an amount equal to the amount of the debt or, if he was entitled to only part of the benefit of the debt, to an appropriate proportion of that amount.

If any sum is subsequently received by him in payment of a debt for which relief has been given by virtue of this subsection, the sum shall be treated as one to which section 103 applies; and no deduction shall be made under section 105 in respect of any sum.]

(5) Where in the case of a trade, profession or vocation which has subsequently been permanently discontinued a deduction was made in computing the profits or losses of the trade, profession or vocation in respect of an expense not actually paid (an “unpaid expense”), then—

(a) if relief under this section in connection with that trade, profession or vocation is claimed in respect of any year of assessment, the amount of the relief shall be reduced by the amount of any unpaid expenses at the end of that year;

(b) for the purposes of the application of paragraph (a) above in relation to a subsequent year of assessment, any amount by which relief under this section has been reduced by virtue of that paragraph shall be treated as having been paid in respect of the expense in question; and

(c) if subsequently any amount is in fact paid in respect of an expense in respect of which a reduction has been made under paragraph (a), that amount (or, if less, the amount of the reduction) shall be treated as a payment to which this section applies.

(6) Relief shall not be given under this section in respect of an amount for which relief has been given or is available under any other provision of the Income Tax Acts.

In applying this subsection relief available under section 105 shall be treated as given in respect of other amounts before any amount in respect of which relief is available under this section.

(7) This section does not apply for the purposes of corporation tax.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 109A and preceding cross-heading inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 90(7) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1995 (c. 4), s. 90(1)

F2 Words in s. 109A(2)(d)(4)(4A) substituted (31.7.1998) by Finance Act 1998 (c. 36), s. 46(3)(a)(b), Sch. 7 para. 1

F3 Words in s. 109A(4) substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 134(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1996 (c. 8), Sch. 20 para. 5(1)

F4 S. 109A(4A) inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 134(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 1996 (c. 8), Sch. 20 para. 5(2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 109A(1) modified (with application as stated in s. 90(7) of the modifying Act) by Finance Act 1995 (c. 4), s. 90(2)