Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988

544 Second and subsequent assignment of life policies and contracts

(1) In this section “assigned policy” means a policy of life assurance—

(a) which was issued in respect of an insurance made before 26th June 1982; and

(b) the rights conferred by which have been assigned for money or money’s worth before that date; and

(c) in relation to which an event occurring on or after that date would not, apart from this section, be a chargeable event.

(2) In this section “assigned contract” means a contract for a life annuity—

(a) which was made before 26th June 1982; and

(b) the rights conferred by which have been assigned for money or money’s worth before that date; and

(c) in relation to which an event occurring on or after that date would not, apart from this section, be a chargeable event.

(3) In any case where after 23rd August 1982—

(a) the rights conferred by an assigned policy or, as the case may be, an assigned contract are again assigned for money or money’s worth; or

(b) a payment is made by way of premium or as lump sum consideration under the policy or contract; or

(c) subject to subsections (5) and (7) below, a sum is lent by or by arrangement with the body issuing the policy or, as the case may be, the body with which the contract was made;

section 540(3) shall cease to apply to the policy or section 542(3) shall cease to apply to the contract, as the case may be.

(4) No account shall be taken for the purposes of subsection (3)(a) above of any assignment effected by way of security for a debt, or on the discharge of a debt secured by the rights concerned, or of an assignment between spouses living together.

(5) Subsection (3)(c) above does not apply unless—

(a) the policy was issued in respect of an insurance made after 26th March 1974 or, as the case may be, the contract was entered into after that date; and

(b) the sum concerned is lent to or at the direction of the individual who, in accordance with subsection (6) below, is at the time of the loan the chargeable individual.

(6) The individual who is at any time the chargeable individual for the purposes of subsection (5)(b) above shall be determined as follows—

(a) if at the time the rights conferred by the policy or contract are vested in an individual as beneficial owner or are held on trusts created by an individual (including such trusts as are referred to in section 547(1)(a)), that individual is the chargeable individual; and

(b) if at that time those rights are held as security for a debt owed by an individual, that individual is the chargeable individual.

(7) Subsection (3)(c) above does not apply in relation to a policy if—

(a) it is a qualifying policy; and

(b) either interest at a commercial rate is payable on the sum lent or the sum is lent to a full-time employee of the body issuing the policy for the purpose of assisting him in the purchase or improvement of a dwelling-house to be used as his only or main residence.

(8) Where section 540(3) or 542(3) ceases to apply to an assigned policy or assigned contract by virtue of paragraph (c) of subsection (3) above, the lending of the sum concerned shall be regarded for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts (other than that paragraph) as taking place immediately after the time at which section 540(3) or, as the case may be, 542(3) ceases so to apply.