Guidance

Make a qualifying asset holding company notification to HMRC

Tell HMRC if a company wants to enter the qualifying asset holding company (QAHC) regime, make an information return or make other notifications.

Investors in a qualifying asset holding company (QAHC) will get a similar tax outcome to that from investing in the underlying assets of the company. A QAHC notification will be taxed on profits relating to the activities it performs.

When involved in a QAHC, you’ll need to:

  • make an entry notification — before a company can enter the regime
  • make an information return — an annual requirement that is separate to the company tax return

You may also need to tell us if other events occur, such as breaches of eligibility criteria.

To enter the regime a company must meet certain eligibility criteria.

If you are not sure that your company meets the required conditions, you can check further information on eligibility criteria.

If you are still not sure, you can contact us.

You may wish to submit a non-statutory clearance application.

The following notice has force of law.


HMRC requires that notifications and the QAHC information return should be made electronically, using the link provided on this page. If any of the notifications detailed on this page are made by any other means, then they will not be accepted by HMRC as valid.

If you choose to enter the QAHC regime

You must meet all required eligibility criteria.

To make an entry notification you’ll need the following information:

  • company name
  • unique taxpayer reference (UTR) of the company (if you have one)
  • date of entry — this must be after the date that you make the entry notification
  • a declaration that the company will meet all the required eligibility conditions at date of entry — you’ll need a different declaration if you do not meet the ownership condition

If the company is not UK resident when making the notification, you’ll need the:

  • territory of current residence
  • company registration number
  • date the company intends to become UK resident — this must be no earlier than the date of entry

If you do not meet the ownership condition

You’ll need to make a different declaration as part of your entry notification. You must declare that the company:

  • will meet all the required eligibility criteria at date of entry, except for the ownership condition
  • reasonably expects to meet the ownership condition within the first 2 years of the date of entry

You can check further information on eligibility criteria.

Preparing to make a QAHC information return

At the end of each accounting period, you must make a notification with the following information from the QAHC:

  • name of company
  • unique taxpayer reference (UTR) of the company
  • the name, address and UTR of the person who has provided investment management services to the company during the accounting period — if a partnership provided the services, state the partnership information rather than any particular partner’s information
  • an estimate of the total market value of the assets of the company’s ring fence business at the end of that accounting period
  • the total gross proceeds from disposals of assets from the ring fence business during the accounting period
  • the amounts of any payments made by the company on the redemption, repayment or purchase of its own shares

This notification is separate and in addition to the company tax return that a company is required to make.

Penalties

If you do not make the information return by the due date, your company is liable to a fixed penalty of £300. The due date is the filing date for the company tax return for the relevant accounting period.

Other notifications you might need to make

After entering the QAHC regime for the first time you’ll need to continue to make notifications for other circumstances, these are where:

  • the ownership condition has been breached within the first 2 years
  • there is no longer the likelihood of meeting the ownership condition within the first 2 years
  • one of the eligibility conditions has been breached and company has exited the regime
  • the activity condition has been breached and you wish the company to enter a cure period
  • the ownership condition has been breached and you wish the company to enter a cure period
  • the ownership condition has been breached and you wish the company to enter a wind-down period
  • the company has entered a wind-down period and subsequently acquires assets or raises capital
  • you wish the company to voluntarily exit the regime

You can check the notes for completing notifications for the qualifying asset holding company (QAHC) regime for more information on what you’ll need to do.

Make a notification

You can use this form to make an entry notification and any of the other notifications that are required as a QAHC.

When you make a notification you will be asked to sign in using either your Government Gateway user ID and password. If you do not have one, you can create this when you use the service. You can also use your email address to enter the service.

Start now

You cannot send more than one type of notification at once. If you need to make more than one notification you will go back into the service again.

What happens next

You’ll get confirmation that you have made you have made a notification.

Contact us

If you are still unsure how to complete your notification or you have any other QAHC related queries, you can email: qahc@hmrc.gov.uk or Telephone: 0300 051 5900.

You can also write to us at:

Wealthy and Mid-Size Business Compliance
HM Revenue and Customs
BX9 1QW

Published 7 March 2022
Last updated 7 July 2023 + show all updates
  1. The section headed 'If you choose to enter the QAHC regime' has been updated to explain that you only need to tell us your UTR number if you have one.

  2. You can now use the form link under 'Make a noftification' to make all notification types.

  3. First published.