53(1)For the purposes of this Part and Part 7 a person [F1(“P”)] is not to be regarded as having failed to do anything required to be done within a particular period of time if—U.K.
(a)[F2P] had a reasonable excuse for not doing it within that period, and
(b)if the excuse ceased to exist, [F2P] did it without unreasonable delay after the excuse ceased to exist.
(2)Where sub-paragraph (1)(b) applies, any further time limit running from the end of the period concerned is instead to run from the time when the thing in question was actually done.
[F3(3)For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1)—
(a)an insufficiency of funds is not a reasonable excuse, unless attributable to events outside P's control, and
(b)where P relies on any other person to do anything, that is not a reasonable excuse unless P took reasonable care to avoid the failure.]
Textual Amendments
F1Word in Sch. 5 para. 53(1) inserted (6.4.2014) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), Sch. 8 paras. 219(2)(a), 222
F2Word in Sch. 5 para. 53(1)(a)(b) substituted (6.4.2014) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), Sch. 8 paras. 219(2)(b), 222
F3Sch. 5 para. 53(3) inserted (6.4.2014) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), Sch. 8 paras. 219(3), 222 (with Sch. 8 para. 225)