Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003

Chapter 2 Tax on employment income

6 Nature of charge to tax on employment income

(1) The charge to tax on employment income under this Part is a charge to tax on—

(a) general earnings, and

(b) specific employment income.

The meaning of “employment income”, “general earnings” and “specific employment income” is given in section 7.

(2) The amount of general earnings or specific employment income which is charged to tax in a particular tax year is set out in section 9.

(3) The rules in Chapters 4 and 5 of this Part, which are concerned with—

(a) the residence and domicile of an employee in a tax year, and

(b) the tax year in which amounts are received or remitted to the United Kingdom,

apply for the purposes of the charge to tax on general earnings but not that on specific employment income.

(4) The person who is liable for any tax charged on employment income is set out in section 13.

(5) Employment income is not charged to tax under this Part if it is within the charge to tax under Case I of Schedule D by virtue of section 314(1) of ICTA (divers and diving supervisors).

7 Meaning of “employment income”, “general earnings” and “specific employment income”

(1) This section gives the meaning for the purposes of the Tax Acts of “employment income”, “general earnings” and “specific employment income”.

(2) “Employment income” means—

(a) earnings within Chapter 1 of Part 3,

(b) any amount treated as earnings (see subsection (5)), or

(c) any amount which counts as employment income (see subsection (6)).

(3) “General earnings” means—

(a) earnings within Chapter 1 of Part 3, or

(b) any amount treated as earnings (see subsection (5)),

excluding in each case any exempt income.

(4) “Specific employment income” means any amount which counts as employment income (see subsection (6)), excluding any exempt income.

(5) Subsection (2)(b) or (3)(b) refers to any amount treated as earnings under—

(a) Chapters 7 and 8 of this Part (application of provisions to agency workers and workers under arrangements made by intermediaries),

(b) Chapters 2 to 11 of Part 3 (the benefits code),

(c) Chapter 12 of Part 3 (payments treated as earnings), or

(d) section 262 of CAA 2001 (balancing charges to be given effect by treating them as earnings).

(6) Subsection (2)(c) or (4) refers to any amount which counts as employment income by virtue of—

(a) Part 6 (income which is not earnings or share-related),

(b) Part 7 (share-related income and exemptions), or

(c) any other enactment.

8 Meaning of “exempt income”

For the purposes of the employment income Parts, an amount of employment income within paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of section 7(2) is “exempt income” if, as a result of any exemption in Part 4 or elsewhere, no liability to income tax arises in respect of it as such an amount.