Finance Act 2005

Arrangements giving rise to alternative finance return

47 Alternative finance arrangements: alternative finance return

(1) Subject to subsection (3) and section 52, arrangements fall within this section if they are arrangements entered into between two persons under which—

(a) a person (“X”) purchases an asset and sells it, either immediately or in circumstances in which the conditions in subsection (2) are met, to the other person (“Y”),

(b) the amount payable by Y in respect of the sale (“the sale price”) is greater than the amount paid by X in respect of the purchase (“the purchase price”),

(c) all or part of the sale price is not required to be paid until a date later than that of the sale, and

(d) the difference between the sale price and the purchase price equates, in substance, to the return on an investment of money at interest.

(2) The conditions referred to in subsection (1)(a) are—

(a) that X is a financial institution, and

(b) that the asset referred to in that provision was purchased by X for the purpose of entering into arrangements falling within this section.

(3) Arrangements do not fall within this section unless at least one of the parties is a financial institution.

(4) For the purposes of this section “the effective return” is so much of the sale price as exceeds the purchase price.

(5) In this Chapter references to “alternative finance return” are to be read in accordance with subsections (6) and (7).

(6) If under arrangements falling within this section the whole of the sale price is paid on one day, that sale price is to be taken to include alternative finance return equal to the effective return.

(7) If under arrangements falling within this section the sale price is paid by instalments, each instalment is to be taken to include alternative finance return equal to the appropriate amount.

(8) The appropriate amount, in relation to any instalment, is an amount equal to the interest that would have been included in the instalment if—

(a) the effective return were the total interest payable on a loan by X to Y of an amount equal to the purchase price,

(b) the instalment were a part repayment of the principal with interest, and

(c) the loan were made on arm’s length terms and accounted for under generally accepted accounting practice.

48 Arrangements within section 47: foreign currency and non-residents

(1) If alternative finance return is paid in a currency other than sterling—

(a) by or to a person other than a company, and

(b) otherwise than for the purposes of a trade, profession or vocation or a property business,

then, as respects that person, the effective return for the purposes of section 47 and the appropriate amount for the purposes of subsection (7) of that section are to be calculated in the other currency and the amount of each payment of alternative finance return is to be translated into sterling at a spot rate of exchange for the day on which the payment is made.

(2) In section 148 of FA 2003 (meaning of “permanent establishment”) after subsection (5) insert—

“(5A) Where alternative finance return as defined by subsection (5) of section 47 of the Finance Act 2005 is paid to a company that is not resident in the United Kingdom, the company is not regarded as having a permanent establishment in the United Kingdom merely by virtue of anything done for the purposes of the arrangements falling within that section by the other party to the arrangements or by any other person acting for the company in relation to the arrangements.”

(3) In section 127 of FA 1995 (persons not treated as UK representatives) in subsection (1), at the end of paragraph (c) but before the “and” insert—

“(cc) where the income consists of alternative finance return, as defined by subsection (5) of section 47 of the Finance Act 2005, the other party to the arrangements falling within that section or any other person acting for the non-resident in relation to the arrangements;”.