Corporation Tax Act 2009 Explanatory Notes

Section 45: Payments for wayleaves

195.This section applies if a trader receives rent from a wayleave granted in respect of land on which a trade is carried on. It is based on section 120 of ICTA. The corresponding rule for income tax is in section 22 of ITTOIA.

196.Rent received in respect of a wayleave is normally taxed as property income either by Chapter 2 of Part 4 of this Act (property businesses) or by section 277 (charge to tax on rent receivable for a UK electric-line wayleave). But if the rent is received in respect of land on which a trader carries on a trade and the trader receives no other rent in respect of the same land the rent, and any associated expenses, can be included in the calculation of the trade profits. See Change 6 in Annex 1. This change enacts a non-statutory practice, and also makes changes to both practice and the law. It reproduces Change 5 in ITTOIA and so brings the income and corporation tax codes back into line.

197.Subsection (4) defines “rent”. Section 120 of ICTA uses the definition of “rent” in section 119(3) of ICTA (rent etc. payable in connection with mines, quarries and similar concerns). Section 119 of ICTA is rewritten in Chapter 7 of Part 4 of this Act. The definition of rent in that Chapter and in this section must be the same. See the commentary on section 271 of this Act for a fuller description of the rewrite of the word “rent” in Chapter 7 of Part 4 of this Act.

198.Subsection (5) defines “wayleave”. Section 120 of ICTA uses the word “easement” as defined in section 119(3) of ICTA to describe the nature of the right for which the rent is paid. This section uses “wayleave” as that is how most of the payments covered by this section are usually described in practice. The definition of “easement” in section 119(3) of ICTA gives that word a meaning that is much wider than its usual legal meaning. See the comments of Uthwatt J at pages 329 and 330 of Mosley v George Wimpey & Co Ltd (1945), 27 TC 314 CA.

199.The definition of “wayleave” preserves the generality of the words in section 119(3) of ICTA and includes a reference to the Scottish equivalent, “servitude”.

200.The definition has no territorial limitation. So the section covers services other than UK electric-line wayleaves.

201.The section does not rewrite the reference to “profession or vocation” in Schedule D Case II. See Change 2 in Annex 1.

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