Explanatory Notes

Capital Allowances Act 2001

2001 CHAPTER 2

22nd March 2001

Commentary on Sections

Glossary

Part 2: Plant and machinery allowances
Chapter 4: First-year qualifying expenditure
Section 39: First-year allowances available for certain types of qualifying expenditure only

216.This section is based in part on section 22(1) of CAA 1990. But it is mainly drafted to introduce this Chapter. It sets out the different kinds of first-year qualifying expenditure so readers can see quickly if they are likely to have expenditure which qualifies.

217.The three types of expenditure in this section cover the overwhelming majority of practical circumstances. But a very small minority may also have first-year qualifying expenditure as a result of additional VAT liabilities. See section 236. It is also possible for entitlement to first-year allowances to arise in respect of additional VAT liabilities:

218.Additional VAT for those periods is likely to be a practical issue for very few people indeed in the chargeable periods covered by the Act. The provisions are only capable of having effect until the end of the period for VAT adjustments (5 or 10 years). So the necessary provisions are in paragraphs 46 to 51 of Schedule 3 to the Act.