Section 641: Wounds and disability pensions
2541.This section applies to wounds and disability pensions paid to members of the armed forces and civilians. It exempts the pensions from any charge to income tax. It derives from section 315 of ICTA.
2542.Paragraphs (a) to (d) of subsection (1) identify pensions paid to members of the armed forces. They are derived from section 315(2)(a) to (d) of ICTA. Section 315(2)(a) to (d) identifies the pensions in general terms. This avoids the need to identify each of the various schemes under which the pensions are paid. The section follows the pragmatic approach of section 315(2).
2543.The section uses the term “the armed forces of the Crown” rather than “the naval, military or air forces of the Crown”. The two terms have the same meaning. They cover all United Kingdom service personnel, including members of the regular forces, the reserve forces and the women’s services. The term has also been used in the rewrite of sections 197 and 316 of ICTA (sections 296 and 297).
2544.Paragraphs (e) and (f) of subsection (1) apply to pensions paid to civilians and members of the merchant navy who have been disabled as a result of war service. They are derived from section 315(2)(e) of ICTA. This Act does not rewrite the reference to the Injuries in War (Compensation) Act 1915 as there are no surviving beneficiaries of these schemes.
2545.Paragraph (g) of subsection (1) also applies to pensions paid to civilians and members of the merchant navy. This is new. It gives statutory effect to the practice of extending the exemption to pensions granted by schemes established under sections 3 to 5 of the Pensions (Navy, Army, Air Force and Mercantile Marine) Act 1939. See Change 141 in Annex 1.
2546.Subsection (2) prevents the exemption applying to any amount not attributable to disablement or disability. It derives from section 315(3) of ICTA.
