Explanatory Notes

Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003

2003 CHAPTER 1

6th March 2003

Commentary on Sections

Omitted material

Schedule 3: Approved Saye Option Schemes

Overview

Part 3: Eligibility of individuals to participate in scheme
Paragraph 10: The employment requirement

3271.This paragraph derives from paragraph 26(3) of Schedule 9 to ICTA and provides that the individual must be a director or an employee of the scheme organiser (or a constituent company in a group scheme) at the time of participation in the scheme. The effect of ESC B27, which is now codified in paragraph 46 of this Schedule, is that employment in jointly owned companies as defined there can also qualify.

3272.There are exceptions to this rule. Paragraphs 19 and 21(1)(e) and (f) of Schedule 9 to ICTA are applied so that rights under the scheme may be exercised after changes have occurred which would otherwise mean the requirement was not met. No reference is made in the source legislation to paragraph 18 of Schedule 9 to ICTA. This paragraph which is rewritten as paragraph 32 of this Schedule, allows the option to be exercised up to one year after the option holder dies.

3273.It is the practice to treat schemes as if paragraph 18 of Schedule 9 to ICTA did not infringe the requirement. The scope of the disregard is made clear in sub-paragraph (2) by stating that this requirement is not infringed by a provision required or authorised by this Schedule. See Note 68 in Annex 2.