Section 580: Pensions and annuities
2326.This section applies to pensions and annuities paid by an approved retirement benefits scheme.
2327.It derives from section 597 of ICTA.
2328.Paragraph (a) applies to pensions and annuities paid on retirement. It derives from section 597(1) of ICTA. The word “pension” in section 597(1) is subject to the interpretation rule in section 612(1) of ICTA that pension includes annuity. It also covers income drawdowns.
2329.Paragraph (b) derives from section 597(3) of ICTA, which deals with bought-out annuities. This paragraph applies to a number of annuities that are purchased through the operation of an approved retirement benefits scheme. For example, deferred annuities that satisfy the approval requirements in section 591(2)(g) of ICTA or annuities written on the winding-up of a scheme or to discharge a pension sharing order.
2330.It does not cover the case where a member of the scheme transfers the value of the benefits to an approved personal pension scheme and takes an annuity or income withdrawals from that scheme. Such an annuity or income withdrawal would be taxed by Chapter 8 of the pension income Part (Approved personal pension schemes).
2331.This section does not rewrite section 597(2) of ICTA. That provision is a transitional measure introduced when the basis of assessment switched from Schedule D Case III to Schedule E. It allows the Board to authorise the pension payer to continue to treat the annuity as if it were taxed under Schedule D Case III. This is to give the payer time to set up a PAYE scheme. This power is no longer needed.
2332.The section applies to all approved schemes as defined in section 586 including United Kingdom approved schemes operated by or on behalf of a foreign employer. There is no territorial restriction in section 597 of ICTA. So there is no territorial restriction on the operation of the section.
