CTM06830 - Corporation Tax: loss buying: restriction of group relief for carried-forward losses: claimant company previously owned by a consortium

CTA10/S676CC

Consortium conditions 1 and 2

When, immediately before a change in ownership of a company,

  • the transferred company, C, was owned by a consortium, and
  • as a result, company C and another company, X, met either consortium condition 1 or consortium condition 2 (CTA10/S188CF-CG),

then s676CC controls the amount of relief company C can claim from company X as group relief for carried-forward losses (CTA10/PART5A).

In practice, this will only apply in circumstances where the change in ownership does not effectively sever the relationship between companies C and X for the purposes of Part 5A.

The precise way in which s676CC operates depends on which of the two consortium conditions was met.

Companies previously met consortium condition 1

Broadly, consortium condition 1 is met if the claimant company is owned by a consortium and the surrendering company is a member of that consortium.

Where companies C and X met this condition immediately before the change in ownership of C, then following the change, s676CC(1)-(4) restrict the amount of relief C can claim from X under Part 5A.

The restriction applies only to profits of the first five years following the end of the accounting period of the transferred company in which the change in ownership occurred. The amount of relief C can claim against profits arising after this time is not affected by s676CC.

Relief is only restricted so far as it relates to losses incurred before the change in ownership and carried forward under one of the provisions specified in CTA10/PART14/CH2C (CTA10/S676CH).

The extent of the restriction depends on the relationship between companies C and X at the time immediately before the change in ownership of company C. This gives the maximum amount of relief that C can obtain for restricted losses claimed from X in any particular claim period, up to the fifth anniversary of the end of the accounting period of the transferred company in which the change in ownership occurred.

The maximum amount is the amount of relief that would be available for a claim based on consortium condition 1, where the ownership proportion (CTA10/S188DH-DI) was equal to the lowest of four proportions.

Note, however, that this is a maximum, and that claims based on consortium condition 1 or consortium condition 2 are subject to further limitations at CTA10/PART5A/CH4. These include limitations specific to claims based on consortium condition 1 or 2, found at CTA10/S188DH-DL.

The claim should use the lowest of the four following ownership proportions:

A. The proportion of the ordinary share capital of the transferred company, company C, that was beneficially owned by the surrendering company, company X, immediately before the change in ownership,

B. The proportion of any profits available for distribution to equity holders of company C to which the company X was beneficially entitled at that time,

C. The proportion of any assets of company C available for distribution to such equity holders on a winding up to which company X would be beneficially entitled (as determined at that time), and

D. The proportion of the voting power in company C that was directly possessed by company X at that time.

For example:

  • Company C is owned by a consortium.
  • For this reason, companies C and X meet consortium condition 1.
  • There is a change in ownership in company C.
  • Immediately before the change, the lowest of proportions A to D was A, the proportion of ordinary share capital in company C that was owned by company X. This is 15%.
  • Following the change in ownership, companies C and X meet the group relief group condition (CTA10/S188CE, S188FB, CTA10/PART5/CH5).
  • In a subsequent period that falls within the five years following the change, company C wishes to claim losses from company X under Part 5A. The losses in question were incurred before the change in ownership, and are restricted under s676CC.
  • The amount of relief that company C would have been able to claim immediately before the change in ownership from company X in a claim based on consortium condition 1, using a 15% ownership proportion, is £5 million.

In the period in question, the maximum amount that company C may be able to claim from company X, in respect of restricted losses incurred before the change in ownership, is therefore £5 million. However, this will be subject to limitations set out in Part 5A, Chapter 4.

Companies previously met consortium condition 2

Broadly, consortium condition 2 is met if;

  • a claimant company, company C, is owned by a consortium,
  • another company, the link company, is a member of that consortium, and
  • the surrendering company Y, is a member of the same group of companies as the link company.

Where companies C and Y met this condition immediately before a change in ownership of company C, s676CC(5)-(8) control the amount of relief that C can claim from Y under Part 5A, in respect of restricted losses incurred by Y before the change.

These provisions operate in largely the same way as s676CC(1)-(4), above.

However, the maximum amount is determined with reference to the link company’s ownership proportion, rather than that of company Y.

For example:

  • Company C is owned by a consortium of which Company X is a member.
  • A link company, L, is a member of the consortium.
  • Company Y is a member of the same group as company L.
  • For this reason, companies C and Y meet consortium condition 2.
  • There is a change in ownership in company C.
  • Immediately before the change, the lowest of proportions {A to D} was A, the proportion of ordinary share capital in company C that was owned by company L, the link company. This is 30%.
  • Following the change in ownership, companies C and Y meet the group condition.
  • In a subsequent period that falls within the five years following the change, company C wishes to claim losses from company Y under Part 5A. The losses in question were incurred before the change in ownership, and are restricted under s676CC.

The amount of relief that company C would have been able to obtain from company Y immediately before the change in ownership in a claim based on consortium condition 2, using a 30% ownership proportion, is £7 million.

In this subsequent period, the maximum amount that company C can claim from company Y, in respect of restricted losses incurred before the change in ownership, is therefore £7 million.

However, as above, note that claims based on consortium condition 1 or consortium condition 2 are subject to further limitations at Part 5A, Chapter 4. These include limitations specific to claims based consortium condition 1 or 2, found at s188DH-DL.

Apportionment

Companies may need to apportion amounts in order to determine the amounts of losses restricted and profits affected. They should do so following the method set out in legislation for each of the following two periods:

  • the accounting period in which the change in ownership occurs (CTM06725),and
  • the accounting period that includes the fifth anniversary of the end of the accounting period of the transferred company in which the change in ownership occurred (CTM06730).