Corporation Tax Act 2009

Chapter 7 Chargeable gains arising in relation to derivative contracts

Introduction

639 Overview of Chapter

(1) This Chapter makes provision about cases in which—

(a) credits and debits are not to be brought into account in accordance with section 574 (non-trading credits and debits to be brought into account under Part 5: loan relationships) (see sections 640 and 643 to 650), but

(b) instead profits arising to a company from its derivative contracts are chargeable to corporation tax as chargeable gains (see sections 641 to 650).

(2) This Chapter also makes provision about cases in which—

(a) credits and debits are not to be brought into account in accordance with section 573 (trading credits and debits to be brought into account under Part 3: trading income) or section 574 (non-trading credits and debits to be brought into account under Part 5: loan relationships) (see section 651), but

(b) instead provisions relating to corporation tax on chargeable gains apply in relation to derivative contracts (see sections 652 to 658).

Some credits and debits not to be brought into account under Part 5

640 Credits and debits not to be brought into account under Part 5

(1) If any of the provisions in subsection (2) applies to a derivative contract of a company for an accounting period, section 574 (non-trading credits and debits to be brought into account under Part 5: loan relationships) does not apply to the relevant credits and debits.

(2) The provisions are—

(a) section 643 (contracts relating to land or certain tangible movable property),

(b) section 645 (creditor relationships: embedded derivatives which are options),

(c) section 648 (creditor relationships: embedded derivatives which are exactly tracking contracts for differences), and

(d) section 650 (property based total return swaps).

(3) For the meaning of “relevant credits” and “relevant debits”, see section 659.

(4) For the treatment of the relevant credits and debits in the case of a derivative contract to which section 643, 645, 648 or 650 applies, see section 641 (derivative contracts to be taxed on a chargeable gains basis).

Some derivative contracts to be taxed on a chargeable gains basis

641 Derivative contracts to be taxed on a chargeable gains basis

(1) This section applies to a derivative contract of a company for an accounting period if any of the provisions in subsection (2) applies to the derivative contract for the period.

(2) The provisions are—

(a) section 643 (contracts relating to land or certain tangible movable property),

(b) section 645 (creditor relationships: embedded derivatives which are options),

(c) section 648 (creditor relationships: embedded derivatives which are exactly tracking contracts for differences), and

(d) section 650 (property based total return swaps).

(3) For the purposes of corporation tax on chargeable gains—

(a) if C exceeds D, a chargeable gain equal to the amount of the excess is treated as accruing to the company in the accounting period,

(b) if D exceeds C, an allowable loss equal to the amount of the excess is treated as accruing to the company in the accounting period.

(4) “C” means the sum of the relevant credits for the accounting period in respect of the derivative contract.

(5) “D” means the sum of the relevant debits for the accounting period in respect of the derivative contract.

(6) For a case in which this section does not apply, see section 642.

(7) See also section 663 (carry back of net losses on derivative contracts to which this section applies).

642 Exception from section 641

(1) Section 641 does not apply to a derivative contract to which section 645 applies if, on the assumptions in subsection (2), paragraph 2 of Schedule 7AC to TCGA 1992 (substantial shareholding exemptions: gain on disposal of asset related to shares not a chargeable gain) would apply to the gain mentioned in subsection (2)(d).

(2) Those assumptions are that—

(a) the rights and liabilities treated as comprised in the derivative contract were contained in a separate contract,

(b) that separate contract was an option,

(c) that option was disposed of at the end of the accounting period, and

(d) a gain accrued to the company on the disposal for the purposes of corporation tax on chargeable gains.

Derivative contracts to which sections 640 and 641 apply

643 Contracts relating to land or certain tangible movable property

(1) This section applies to a derivative contract of a company for an accounting period if conditions A, B and C are met.

(2) Condition A is that the underlying subject matter of the derivative contract consists of either or both of the following—

(a) land,

(b) tangible movable property, other than commodities which are tangible assets.

(3) Condition B is that the company is not a party to the derivative contract at any time in the accounting period for the purposes of a trade carried on by it.

(4) Condition C is that the company is not an excluded body.

(5) For the case where the underlying subject matter of a derivative contract also includes income from property within subsection (2)(a) or (b), see section 644.

644 Income to be left out of account in determining whether section 643 applies

(1) This section applies if the underlying subject matter of a derivative contract includes income from property within section 643(2)(a) or (b).

(2) If that income is subordinate income, it is left out of account in determining for the purposes of section 643 whether condition A is met.

(3) Income is “subordinate income” if it is—

(a) subordinate in relation to so much of the underlying subject matter of the derivative contract as consists of property within section 643(2)(a) or (b), or

(b) of small value in comparison with the value of the underlying subject matter as a whole.

(4) For the purposes of this section, whether part of the underlying subject matter of a derivative contract of a company is subordinate or of small value is to be determined by reference to the time when the company enters into or acquires the contract.

645 Creditor relationships: embedded derivatives which are options

(1) This section applies to a derivative contract of a company for an accounting period if each of conditions A to E is met.

(2) Condition A is that the derivative contract is a relevant contract to which the company is treated as a party under section 585(2) (loan relationships with embedded derivatives) because of a creditor relationship of the company.

(3) Condition B is that the derivative contract is treated as an option by section 585(3) (contract treated as option, future or contract for differences).

(4) Condition C is that the underlying subject matter of the derivative contract—

(a) is qualifying ordinary shares, or

(b) is mandatorily convertible preference shares.

(5) Condition D is that the company is not a party to the creditor relationship at any time in the accounting period for the purposes of a trade carried on by it.

(6) Condition E is that the company is not an excluded body.

(7) Where this section applies to a derivative contract, the asset representing the creditor relationship is treated for corporation tax purposes as not being a qualifying corporate bond.

(8) See also—

(a) section 647 (meaning of certain expressions in this section), and

(b) section 670 (treatment of net gains and losses on exercise of option).

646 Exclusions from section 645

(1) Section 645 does not apply to a derivative contract of a company for an accounting period if condition A or B is met in the period.

(2) Condition A is that the rights and liabilities which fall to be treated as comprised in the derivative contract are such that the extent to which shares may be acquired in accordance with them is to be determined using a cash value—

(a) which is specified in the contract for the asset representing the creditor relationship mentioned in section 645(2), or

(b) which is or will be ascertainable by reference to that contract.

(3) Condition B is that the rights and liabilities which fall to be treated as comprised in the derivative contract are such that—

(a) the company is entitled or obliged to receive a payment instead of the shares which are the underlying subject matter of the derivative contract, and

(b) the amount of that payment differs by more than an insignificant amount from the value of the shares which the company would be entitled to acquire in accordance with those rights and liabilities at the time it became entitled or obliged to receive the payment.

647 Meaning of certain expressions in section 645

(1) This section applies for the purposes of section 645.

(2) “Mandatorily convertible preference shares” means shares which—

(a) represent the creditor relationship mentioned in section 645(2),

(b) are not qualifying ordinary shares, and

(c) are issued upon terms which stipulate that they must be converted into, or exchanged for, qualifying ordinary shares by a relevant time.

(3) In subsection (2) “relevant time” means a time no more than 24 hours after the acquisition of the shares by a person who, immediately before that acquisition, had the creditor relationship.

(4) “Qualifying ordinary shares” means shares in a company which satisfy conditions A and B.

(5) Condition A is that the shares are all or part of the issued share capital (however described) of the company, other than—

(a) capital the holders of which have a right to a dividend at a fixed rate but have no other right to share in the profits of the company, or

(b) capital the holders of which have no right to a dividend of any description nor any other right to share in the profits of the company.

(6) Condition B is that the shares—

(a) are listed on a recognised stock exchange, or

(b) are shares in a holding company or a trading company.

(7) In subsection (6) “holding company” and “trading company” have the same meaning as in section 165 of TCGA 1992 (see section 165A of that Act).

648 Creditor relationships: embedded derivatives which are exactly tracking contracts for differences

(1) This section applies to a derivative contract of a company for an accounting period if each of conditions A to F is met.

(2) Condition A is that the derivative contract is a relevant contract to which the company is treated as a party under section 585(2) (loan relationships with embedded derivatives) because of a creditor relationship of the company.

(3) Condition B is that the derivative contract is treated as a contract for differences by section 585(3) (contract treated as option, future or contract for differences).

(4) Condition C is that the derivative contract is an exactly tracking contract.

(5) Condition D is that the underlying subject matter of the derivative contract is qualifying ordinary shares listed on a recognised stock exchange.

(6) Condition E is that the company is not a party to the creditor relationship at any time in the accounting period for the purposes of a trade carried on by it.

(7) Condition F is that the company is not an excluded body.

(8) Where this section applies to a derivative contract, the asset representing the creditor relationship is treated for corporation tax purposes as not being a qualifying corporate bond.

(9) See also section 672 (treatment of net gains and losses on disposal of certain embedded derivatives).

649 Meaning of certain expressions in section 648

(1) This section applies for the purposes of section 648.

(2) “Exactly tracking contract” means a contract where the amount which is to be paid to discharge the rights and liabilities which fall to be treated as comprised in the contract is equal to the amount found by applying R% to C, where—

• R% is the percentage change (if any) over the relevant period in—

  (a)

  the value of the assets which are the underlying subject matter of the contract, or

  (b)

  any index of the value of those assets, and

• C is the amount falling to be regarded in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice as the cost of the asset representing the creditor relationship mentioned in section 648(2) on the date when that asset came into existence.

(3) In subsection (2) “the relevant period” means—

(a) the period between—

(i) the date when the asset representing that creditor relationship came into existence, and

(ii) the date when the debtor relationship corresponding to that creditor relationship comes to an end, or

(b) any other period in which almost all of that period falls, and which differs from that period only for purposes connected with giving effect to a valuation in relation to rights or liabilities under that asset.

(4) “Qualifying ordinary shares” means shares in a company which are all or part of the issued share capital (however described) of the company, other than—

(a) capital the holders of which have a right to a dividend at a fixed rate but have no other right to share in the profits of the company, or

(b) capital the holders of which have no right to a dividend of any description nor any other right to share in the profits of the company.

650 Property based total return swaps

(1) This section applies to a derivative contract of a company for an accounting period if each of conditions A to F is met.

(2) Condition A is that the derivative contract is a contract for differences.

(3) Condition B is that one or more indices are specified in the contract.

(4) Condition C is that at least one index so specified (“the capital value index”) is an index of changes in the value of land.

(5) Condition D is that the underlying subject matter of the derivative contract also includes interest rates.

(6) Condition E is that the company is not a party to the derivative contract at any time in the accounting period for the purposes of a trade carried on by it.

(7) Condition F is that the company is not an excluded body.

Some credits and debits not to be brought into account under Part 3 or 5

651 Credits and debits not to be brought into account under Part 3 or Part 5

(1) If the provisions in subsection (2)(a) or (b) apply to a derivative contract for an accounting period, sections 573 (trading credits and debits to be brought into account under Part 3: trading income) and 574 (non-trading credits and debits to be brought into account under Part 5: loan relationships) do not apply to the relevant credits and debits.

(2) The provisions are—

(a) sections 653 to 655 (issuers of securities with embedded derivatives: deemed options), and

(b) section 658 (issuers of securities with embedded derivatives: deemed contracts for differences).

(3) For the cases in which sections 653 to 655 and section 658 apply, see sections 652 and 656 respectively.

(4) For the provision which applies where sections 653 to 655 or 658 apply, see those sections.

Issuers of securities with embedded derivatives: deemed options

652 Introduction to sections 653 to 655

(1) Sections 653 to 655 apply to a derivative contract of a company for an accounting period if each of conditions A to E is met.

(2) Condition A is that the derivative contract is a relevant contract to which the company is treated as a party under section 585(2) (loan relationships with embedded derivatives) because of a debtor relationship of the company.

(3) Condition B is that the derivative contract is treated as an option by section 585(3) (contract treated as option, future or contract for differences).

(4) Condition C is that the underlying subject matter of the derivative contract is shares.

(5) Condition D is that at the time when the company became a party to the debtor relationship—

(a) it was not carrying on a banking business or a business as a securities house, or

(b) if it was carrying on such a business, it did not become a party to the debtor relationship in the ordinary course of that business.

(6) Condition E is that the company is not an excluded body.

(7) In this section “option” is to be construed as if section 580(2) and (3) (meaning of “option”) were omitted.

653 Shares issued or transferred as a result of exercise of deemed option

(1) Subsections (2) and (3) apply if—

(a) the option mentioned in section 652(3) is exercised at any time in the accounting period, and

(b) shares are issued or transferred in fulfilment of the obligations under the option (“the relevant disposal”).

(2) Section 144(2) of TCGA 1992 (exercise of options) applies to the relevant disposal as if the carrying value of the option at the time the company became a party to the debtor relationship mentioned in section 652(2) were the consideration for the grant of the option.

(3) So far as it would otherwise apply, section 17(1) of TCGA 1992 (deemed market value consideration) does not apply to the relevant disposal.

654 Payment instead of disposal on exercise of deemed option

(1) Subsection (2) applies if—

(a) the option mentioned in section 652(3) is exercised at any time in the accounting period,

(b) no shares are issued or transferred in fulfilment of the obligations under the option, and

(c) an amount is paid in fulfilment of those obligations.

(2) If —

(a) CV exceeds X, a chargeable gain equal to the amount of the excess is treated as accruing to the company in the accounting period,

(b) X exceeds CV, an allowable loss equal to the amount of the excess is treated as accruing to the company in the accounting period.

(3) In this section—

• “CV” means—

  (a)

  if the company was a party to the debtor relationship mentioned in section 652(2) at the time it was created, the carrying value of the option at that time, or

  (b)

  if the company became a party to that relationship at a later time, the carrying value of the option at that time,

• “X” means the amount paid by the debtor in fulfilment of the obligations under the debtor relationship reduced (but not below nil) by the fair value of the host contract at the date on which the option is exercised, and

• “the host contract” means the loan relationship to which the company is treated as a party under section 415(2) (loan relationships with embedded derivatives) because of the debtor relationship.

655 Ceasing to be party to debtor relationship when deemed option not exercised

(1) Subsection (2) applies if the company ceases to be a party to the debtor relationship mentioned in section 652(2) at a time when the option mentioned in section 652(3) has not been exercised.

(2) The company is treated for the purposes of corporation tax on chargeable gains—

(a) as having acquired an asset for consideration of an amount equal to Y, and

(b) as having disposed of that asset for consideration of an amount equal to CV.

(3) In this section—

• “CV” has the same meaning as in section 654,

• “Y” means—

  (a)

  if the company ceases to be a party to the debtor relationship as a result of the redemption or repayment of the liability representing that relationship, the amount paid by the company, or

  (b)

  otherwise, the consideration given by the company on its ceasing to be a party to that relationship,

  in either case reduced (but not below nil) by the fair value of the host contract at the date on which it so ceases, and

• “the host contract” has the same meaning as in section 654.

Issuers of securities with embedded derivatives: deemed contracts for differences

656 Introduction to section 658

(1) Section 658 (chargeable gain or allowable loss treated as accruing) applies to a derivative contract of a company for an accounting period if each of conditions A to F is met.

(2) Condition A is that the derivative contract is a relevant contract to which the company is treated as a party under section 585(2) (loan relationships with embedded derivatives) because of a debtor relationship of the company.

(3) Condition B is that the derivative contract—

(a) is treated as a contract for differences by section 585(3) (contract treated as option, future or contract for differences), and

(b) is not within section 652.

(4) Condition C is that the derivative contract is an exactly tracking contract.

(5) Condition D is that the underlying subject matter of the derivative contract is shares.

(6) Condition E is that at the time when the company became a party to the debtor relationship—

(a) it was not carrying on a banking business or a business as a securities house, or

(b) if it was carrying on such a business, it did not become a party to the debtor relationship in the ordinary course of that business.

(7) Condition F is that the company is not an excluded body.

(8) For the meaning of “exactly tracking contract”, see section 657.

657 Meaning of “exactly tracking contract” in section 656

(1) This section applies for the purposes of section 656.

(2) “Exactly tracking contract” means a contract where the amount which is to be paid to discharge the rights and liabilities which fall to be treated as comprised in the contract is equal to the amount found by applying R% to C, where—

• R% is the percentage change (if any) over the relevant period in—

  (a)

  the value of the assets which are the underlying subject matter of the contract, or

  (b)

  any index of the value of those assets, and

• C is the amount falling to be regarded in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice as the proceeds of issue of the liability which represents the debtor relationship mentioned in section 656(2).

(3) In subsection (2) “the relevant period” means—

(a) the period between—

(i) the date when the liability representing that debtor relationship came into existence, and

(ii) the date when the creditor relationship corresponding to that debtor relationship comes to an end, or

(b) any other period in which almost all of that period falls, and which differs from that period only for purposes connected with giving effect to a valuation in relation to rights or liabilities under the liability representing that debtor relationship.

658 Chargeable gain or allowable loss treated as accruing

(1) Subsection (2) applies if—

(a) the debtor relationship mentioned in section 656(2) comes to an end, and

(b) an amount (“the discharge amount”) is paid to discharge all the company’s obligations under that relationship.

(2) For the purposes of corporation tax on chargeable gains, a chargeable gain or allowable loss equal to the amount mentioned in subsection (3) is treated as accruing to the company.

(3) That amount is the amount of the gain or loss (as the case may be) which would accrue on the assumptions in subsection (4).

(4) Those assumptions are that—

(a) the derivative contract is an asset of the company,

(b) there is a disposal of that asset at the time when the debtor relationship comes to an end,

(c) the consideration for the disposal of that asset is equal to the relevant amount, and

(d) the cost of the asset is equal to the discharge amount.

(5) In subsection (4) “the relevant amount” means—

(a) if the company was a party to the debtor relationship at the time it was created, the amount of the proceeds of issue of the security representing that relationship, or

(b) if the company became a party to the debtor relationship after that time, the amount of the carrying value of the host contract at that time.

(6) In this section “the host contract” means the loan relationship to which the company is treated as a party under section 415(2) (loan relationships with embedded derivatives) because of the debtor relationship.

Interpretation

659 Meaning of “relevant credits” and “relevant debits”

(1) This section applies for the purposes of this Chapter.

(2) In the case of a derivative contract which is not one to which section 650 (property based total return swaps) applies for an accounting period, the relevant credits and debits are the credits and debits which are given in relation to the derivative contract for the accounting period by section 595.

(3) In the case of a derivative contract to which section 650 applies for an accounting period, the relevant credits and debits are the credits and debits which—

(a) are given in relation to the derivative contract for the accounting period by section 595, and

(b) are within subsection (4).

(4) The credits and debits are those found for the period by applying R% to N, where—

• N is the amount which is the notional principal amount in the case of the derivative contract, and

• R% is the percentage change (if any) in the capital value index over the relevant period.

(5) In subsection (4) “the relevant period” means—

(a) the accounting period, if the company is a party to the derivative contract throughout that period,

(b) in any other case, any part of the accounting period throughout which the company is a party to the derivative contract.

(6) For the meaning of “the capital value index”, see section 650(4).