Finance Act 2004

11 After Chapter 15 insert—

“Chapter 15A Lump sums under registered pension schemes

636A Exemption for certain lump sums under registered pension schemes

(1) No liability to income tax arises on a lump sum paid under a registered pension scheme if the lump sum is—

(a) a pension commencement lump sum,

(b) a serious ill-health lump sum,

(c) a refund of excess contributions lump sum,

(d) a defined benefits lump sum death benefit,

(e) an uncrystallised funds lump sum death benefit, or

(f) a transfer lump sum death benefit.

(2) But subsection (1) does not limit the operation of sections 214 to 226 of FA 2004 (lifetime allowance charge).

(3) A short service refund lump sum under a registered pension scheme is subject to income tax in accordance with section 205 of FA 2004 (charge to tax on scheme administrator in respect of such a lump sum) but not otherwise.

(4) A lump sum under a registered pension scheme which is—

(a) a pension protection lump sum death benefit,

(b) an annuity protection lump sum death benefit, or

(c) an unsecured pension fund lump sum death benefit,

is subject to income tax in accordance with section 206 of FA 2004 (charge to tax on scheme administrator in respect of such lump sum death benefits) but not otherwise.

(5) A lifetime allowance excess lump sum is chargeable to income tax in accordance with sections 214 to 226 of FA 2004 (lifetime allowance charge) but not otherwise.

(6) In this section—

• “lifetime allowance excess lump sum”,

• “pension commencement lump sum”,

• “refund of excess contributions lump sum”,

• “serious ill-health lump sum”, and

• “short service refund lump sum”,

have the same meaning as in section 166 of FA 2004 (see Part 1 of Schedule 29 to that Act).

(7) In this section—

• “annuity protection lump sum death benefit”,

• “defined benefits lump sum death benefit”,

• “pension protection lump sum death benefit”,

• “transfer lump sum death benefit”,

• “uncrystallised funds lump sum death benefit”, and

• “unsecured pension fund lump sum death benefit”,

have the same meaning as in section 168 of FA 2004 (see Part 2 of Schedule 29 to that Act).

636B Trivial commutation and winding-up lump sums

(1) This section applies if—

(a) a trivial commutation lump sum, or

(b) a winding-up lump sum,

is paid to a member of a registered pension scheme under the pension scheme.

(2) The member is to be treated as having taxable pension income for the tax year in which the payment is made equal to the amount of the lump sum.

(3) But if, immediately before the lump sum is paid, the member has not become entitled to any benefits under the pension scheme, the amount of the taxable pension income is 75% of the amount of the lump sum.

(4) In this section—

• “trivial commutation lump sum”, and

• “winding-up lump sum”,

have the same meaning as in section 166 of FA 2004 (see Part 1 of Schedule 29 to that Act).

636C Trivial commutation and winding-up lump sum death benefits

(1) This section applies if—

(a) a trivial commutation lump sum death benefit, or

(b) a winding-up lump sum death benefit,

is paid to a person under a registered pension scheme.

(2) The person is to be treated as having taxable pension income for the tax year in which the payment is made equal to the amount of the lump sum.

(3) In this section—

• “trivial commutation lump sum death benefit”, and

• “winding-up lump sum death benefit”,

have the same meaning as in section 168 of FA 2004 (see Part 2 of Schedule 29 to that Act).”