Part 5

Group relief
Chapter 6

Equity holders and profits or assets available for distribution

Company's entitlement to profits or assets available for distribution: basic provisions

Proportion of assets available for distribution to which company is entitled
166
1
This section applies for the purpose of determining the proportion to which a company (“company A”) would, at any time, be beneficially entitled of any assets available for distribution to the equity holders of another company (“company B”) on a winding up.
2
The proportion is the proportion to which company A would, at that time, be beneficially entitled if company B were to be wound up and on that winding up (“the notional winding up”) the value of assets available for distribution to company B's equity holders were equal to—
a
the assets amount minus the liabilities amount, or
b
if the assets amount does not exceed the liabilities amount or if company B's balance sheet is prepared to a date other than the end of the relevant accounting period (see section 168), £100.
3
The “assets amount” is the amount of company B's assets as shown in its balance sheet as at the end of the relevant accounting period.
4
The “liabilities amount” is the amount of company B's liabilities as shown in that balance sheet but excluding liabilities to equity holders as such.
5
If, on the notional winding up, an equity holder would be entitled as such to an amount of assets which (apart from this subsection) would not be a distribution of assets, the equity holder is nevertheless treated as entitled to the amount on the distribution of assets on the notional winding up.
6
Subsection (7) applies if—
a
an equity holder (“E”) of company B provided new consideration for any shares or securities in company B in relation to which E is an equity holder,
b
company B makes a loan to E or any person connected with E or acquires shares or securities in E or any person so connected, and
c
in making that loan or acquiring those shares or securities, company B applies, directly or indirectly, an amount (“the returned amount”) corresponding to the whole or any part of the new consideration.
7
The following amounts are to be reduced by the returned amount—
a
the assets amount, and
b
the amount of assets to which E is beneficially entitled on the notional winding up.
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with effect in accordance with s. 381(1) of the amending Act) by Taxation (International and Other Provisions) Act 2010 (c. 8), ss. 241(6), 381(1) (with Sch. 9 paras. 1-9, 22)
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with effect in accordance with s. 381(1) of the amending Act) by Taxation (International and Other Provisions) Act 2010 (c. 8), ss. 345(7), 381(1) (with Sch. 9 paras. 1-9, 22, 31)
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with modifications) by Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (c. 12), s. 170(8) (as substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 1184(1) of the amending Act) by 2010 c. 4, s. 1184(1), Sch. 1 para. 242(4) (with Sch. 2))
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with modifications) by Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (c. 12), s. 252(10) (as substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 1184(1) of the amending Act) by 2010 c. 4, s. 1184(1), Sch. 1 para. 252 (with Sch. 2))
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with modifications) by Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (c. 12), Sch. 7AC para. 8(2) (as substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 1184(1) of the amending Act) by 2010 c. 4, s. 1184(1), Sch. 1 para. 269(3) (with Sch. 2))
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with modifications) by Finance Act 2009 (c. 4), s. 772(1)(2) (as substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 1184(1) of the amending Act) by 2010 c. 4, s. 1184(1), Sch. 1 para. 646 (with Sch. 2))
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied by Capital Allowances Act 2001 (c. 2), ss. 212G(5), 212H(2) (as inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 4 para. 5, 6 of the amending Act) by 2010 c. 13, Sch. 4 para. 2)
Pt. 5 applied (with effect in accordance with s. 148 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2012 (c. 14), s. 125 (with s. 147, Sch. 17)
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with modifications) by 2007 c. 3, s. 257BF(3)(4) (as inserted (17.7.2012) by Finance Act 2012 (c. 14), Sch. 6 para. 1)
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied by 2010 c. 8, s. 345(7)-(10) (as substituted (with effect in accordance with s. 39(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), s. 39(2))
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied by 2007 c. 3, s. 257MV(8) (as inserted (17.7.2014) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), Sch. 11 para. 1)
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied by 1992 c. 12, s. 236T(2) (as inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 37 paras. 2, 3 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), Sch. 37 para. 1)
S. 166 modified by 2007 c. 3, s. 257MV(9) (as inserted (17.7.2014) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), Sch. 11 para. 1)
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (26.3.2015) by Finance Act 2015 (c. 11), Sch. 16 para. 7(5)
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with modifications) (S.) (1.4.2015) by Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Scotland) Act 2013 (asp 11), s. 70(2), Sch. 10 paras. 47, 48, Sch. 11 paras. 40, 41 (with s. 69); S.S.I. 2015/108, art. 2
Pt. 5 excluded (with effect in accordance with Sch. 18 para. 63 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2016 (c. 24), Sch. 18 para. 20(5)
Pt. 5 modified by 2009 c. 4, s. 1218ZDB(2) (as inserted (for specified purposes and with effect in accordance with Sch. 6 paras. 20, 21(1)(a) of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2017 (c. 32), Sch. 6 para. 1 (with Sch. 6 para. 21(3)))
Pt. 5 modified (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Risk Transformation (Tax) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1271), regs. 1(1), 10, 11
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (E.W.) (1.4.2018) by Land Transaction Tax and Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes (Wales) Act 2017 (anaw 1), s. 81(2)(3), Sch. 16 para. 3(7)(8); S.I. 2018/34, art. 3
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with modifications) by 1992 c. 12, s. 169S(3D)(3E) (as substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 16 para. 4(4) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2019 (c. 1), Sch. 16 para. 2(4)
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied in part (with effect in accordance with s. 51 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2022 (c. 3), s. 50(2)(3)
Pt. 5 applied (with modifications) (24.2.2022) by Finance Act 2022 (c. 3), Sch. 2 para. 47(4)
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (temp.) (with effect in accordance with Sch. 10 para. 43 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2022 (c. 3), Sch. 10 para. 6(2) (as amended (5.1.2023) by The Finance Act 2022, Schedule 10 (Public Interest Business Protection Tax) (Substitution of Date) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1321), regs. 1, 2(2))
Pt. 5 excluded (14.7.2022) by Energy (Oil and Gas) Profits Levy Act 2022 (c. 40), s. 1(5)(e) (with ss. 15(1), 16(1))
Pt. 5 Ch. 6 applied (with modifications) (11.7.2023) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2023 (c. 30), s. 307
S. 166 applied (24.2.2022) by Finance Act 2022 (c. 3), Sch. 2 para. 5(4) (as amended (11.7.2023) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2023 (c. 30), Sch. 4 para. 10)