CFM95850 - Interest restriction: tax-EBITDA: Double Taxation Relief
TIOPA10/S409
Where income is not or only partially subject to UK taxation as a result of double taxation relief, the amount on which corporation tax has not been payable is excluded from the calculation of tax-EBITDA.
When income arises in a foreign jurisdiction to a UK resident, and that income is taxable in the foreign jurisdiction, the UK may grant its resident double taxation relief for the foreign tax by crediting the foreign tax against the UK tax charged on the income. This may be given in accordance with the terms of a double taxation agreement between the UK and the foreign country in question, or it may be given unilaterally under the UK tax provisions.
The amount of foreign tax that can be credited against UK corporation tax is typically capped at the amount of the UK corporation tax that would arise on the profits chargeable in the foreign country.
Further guidance on Double Taxation Relief can be found at INTM160000+.
Effect for tax-EBITDA purposes
The inclusion of income which is, due to the receipt of double taxation relief, in effect not subject to UK taxation, or only partly so, would inflate the tax-EBITDA above the amount of income that is actually liable to corporation tax.
Consequently, TIOPA10/S409 has the effect of reducing the tax鈥揈BITDA by the amount of foreign tax actually credited in the UK, divided by the rate of corporation tax applicable to that income. This sum gives the implicit amount of profits on which corporation tax has not been payable.
Example
If 拢100,000 is the foreign tax suffered on income of 拢1 million, the amount of profits on which corporation tax would, in effect, be charged has reduced by 拢100,000 divided by 19% (i.e. reversing the normal calculation to arrive at the profits which would correspond to that amount of corporation tax).
The reduction based on 拢100,000 represents corporation tax at 19% on profits of 拢526,316. This has the effect of grossing up the foreign tax amount to give a figure for the amount of profits which are covered by the foreign tax and therefore not actually taxed in the UK.
Normal calculation (before Corporate Interest Restriction):
- Gross income - 拢1,000,000
-
Foreign tax - 10% = 拢100,000
- Gross Income 拢1,000,000
- Corporation tax (before DTR) - 19% = 拢190,000
- Double tax relief = - 拢100,000
- Net corporation tax liability - 拢90,000
Calculation for tax-EBITDA under Corporate Interest Restriction:
- Taxable profits - 拢1,000,000
- Reduced by profits effectively sheltered by DTR - 拢100,000 divided by 0.19 = -拢526,316
- Amount remaining - 拢473,684
So only the 拢473,684 would be included in tax-EBITDA, not the full 拢1 million.
It does not matter what type of income the foreign tax relates to, so long as it is a type included in tax-EBITDA, since this calculation operates purely by reference to the amount of credit relief given.
Interaction with TIOPA10/S388
Where an amount that would otherwise be tax-interest income is treated as 鈥渘otional untaxed income鈥 by S388, Ss388, 406, 407 and 409 interact in such a way that the amount will also be 鈥渘otional untaxed income鈥 under S409 and therefore not included in tax-EBITDA.
For detail and an example, see CFM95680.