Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, section 69

Trustees of settlements

Part III Individuals, partnerships, trusts and collective investment schemes etc

[F260 (1)For the purposes of this Act the trustees of a settlement shall, unless the context otherwise requires, together be treated as if they were a single person (distinct from the persons who are trustees of the settlement from time to time).

(2)The deemed person referred to in subsection (1) shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as resident F261... in the United Kingdom at any time when a condition in subsection (2A) or (2B) is satisfied.

(2A)Condition 1 is that all the trustees are resident in the United Kingdom.

(2B)Condition 2 is that—

(a)at least one trustee is resident in the United Kingdom,

(b)at least one is not resident in the United Kingdom, and

(c)a settlor in relation to the settlement was resident F262... F263... in the United Kingdom at a time which is a relevant time in relation to him.

(2C) In subsection (2B)(c) “relevant time” in relation to a settlor—

(a)means, where the settlement arose on the settlor's death (whether by will, intestacy or otherwise), the time immediately before his death, and

(b)in any other case, means a time when the settlor made the settlement (or was treated for the purposes of this Act as making the settlement);

and, in the case of a transfer of property from Settlement 1 to Settlement 2 in relation to which section 68B applies, “relevant time” in relation to a settlor of the transferred property in respect of Settlement 2 includes any time which, immediately before the time of the disposal by the trustees of Settlement 1, was a relevant time in relation to that settlor in respect of Settlement 1.

[F264 (2CA)In relation to a settlement—

(a)that arose before 6 April 2025 on the settlor’s death, or

(b)that the settlor made (or was treated for the purposes of this Act as making) before 6 April 2025,

subsection (2B)(c) has effect as if after “resident” there were inserted “or domiciled”. F264]

(2D)A trustee who is not resident in the United Kingdom shall be treated for the purposes of subsections (2A) and (2B) as if he were resident in the United Kingdom at any time when he acts as trustee in the course of a business which he carries on in the United Kingdom through a branch, agency or permanent establishment there.

[F265 (2DA)A trustee who is resident in the United Kingdom for a tax year is to be treated for the purposes of subsections (2A) and (2B) as if he or she were not resident in the United Kingdom for that year if—

(a)the trustee is an individual,

(b)the individual becomes or ceases to be a trustee of the settlement during the tax year,

(c)that year is a split year as respects the individual, and

(d)in that year, the only period when the individual is a trustee of the settlement falls wholly within the overseas part of the year.

(2DB)Subsection (2DA) is subject to subsection (2D) and, accordingly, an individual who is treated under subsection (2DA) as not resident is, in spite of that, to be regarded as resident whenever the individual acts as mentioned in subsection (2D).F265]

(2E)If the deemed person referred to in subsection (1) is not treated for the purposes of this Act as resident [F266 in the United Kingdom, then for the purposes of this Act it is treated as being not resident in the United KingdomF266] .F260]

[F267 (2F)Section 835BA of ITA 2007 (deemed domicile) applies for the purposes of subsection [F268 (2CA)F268] .F267]

(3)M4For the purposes of this section, and of sections 71(1) and 72(1), where part of the property comprised in a settlement is vested in one trustee or set of trustees and part in another (and in particular where settled land within the meaning of the Settled Land Act 1925 is vested in the tenant for life and investments representing capital money are vested in the trustees of the settlement), they shall be treated as together constituting and, in so far as they act separately, as acting on behalf of a single body of trustees.

(4)If tax assessed on the trustees, or any one trustee, of a settlement in respect of a chargeable gain accruing to the trustees is not paid within 6 months from the date when it becomes payable by the trustees or trustee, and before or after the expiration of that period of 6 months the asset in respect of which the chargeable gain accrued, or any part of the proceeds of sale of that asset, is transferred by the trustees to a person who as against the trustees is absolutely entitled to it, that person may at any time within 2 years from the time when the tax became payable be assessed and charged (in the name of the trustees) to an amount of capital gains tax not exceeding tax chargeable on an amount equal to the amount of the chargeable gain and, where part only of the asset or of the proceeds was transferred, not exceeding a proportionate part of that amount.

Definitions used in section 69 17

trustee

(7A) In this section, sections 86A to 96 and Schedule 4C “trustee”, in relation to a settlement in relation to which there would be no trustees apart from this subsection, means any person in whom the settled property or its management is for the time being vested (and a person who is treated as a trustee of the settlement by virtue of this subsection shall be treated as a trustee of the settlement for the purposes of section 69).

Defined in s.97(7A) · see it in the full Act

(b) “trustee”, in relation to a settlement in relation to which there would be no trustees apart from this paragraph, means any person in whom the settled property or its management is for the time being vested.

Defined in s.286(3ZA) · see it in the full Act
settlement

(a) “settlement” has the same meaning as in section 620 of ITTOIA 2005, and

Defined in s.286(3ZA) · see it in the full Act

“settlement” has the meaning given by section 620 of ITTOIA 2005, and

Defined in s.97(7) · see it in the full Act
the residents

(b) if 2 or more of them are then resident ... in the United Kingdom (“the residents”) it shall be treated as being as many equal capital payments as there are residents and each of them shall be treated as receiving one of the payments.

Defined in s.96(4) · see it in the full Act
resident

“resident” means resident in accordance with the statutory residence test in Part 1 of Schedule 45 to the Finance Act 2013 ;

Defined in s.288(1) · see it in the full Act
settlor

12 The provisions of paragraphs 7 and 8(1), (3), (6) and (7) of Schedule 5 (meaning of “settlor”) apply for the purposes of this Schedule as they apply for the purposes of section 86 .

Defined in Sch.4A para.12 · see it in the full Act
the relevant time

(2) In this paragraph “the relevant time”, in relation to a group of companies, and in relation to each of the elections referred to in paragraph 4(8) above, is the first occasion after 19th March 1968 when any company which is then a member of a group disposes of quoted securities of a kind covered by that election, and for the purposes of paragraph 4(11) above that occasion is, in relation to the group, “the first relevant disposal".

Defined in Sch.2 para.5(2) · see it in the full Act

10 (1) For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule, the current use value of an interest in land shall be ascertained in accordance with the following provisions of this Part, and in this Part the time as at which current use value is to be ascertained is referred to as “the relevant time”.

Defined in Sch.2 para.10(1) · see it in the full Act

(b) but for this paragraph, the election would, as a result of paragraph 20, have ceased to have effect from a particular time for all purposes of this Part of this Schedule (“the relevant time”),

Defined in Sch.5AAA para.28(1) · see it in the full Act

(b) but for this paragraph, the election would, as a result of paragraph 20, have ceased to have effect from a particular time (“the relevant time”) for all purposes of this Part of this Schedule, and

Defined in Sch.5AAA para.30(1) · see it in the full Act
property

(6) Sub-paragraphs (4) and (5) above apply for the purposes of paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (1) above as they apply for the purposes of paragraph (a), reading “income” for “property".

Defined in Sch.5 para.2(6) · see it in the full Act

(a) the reference to “assets” were a reference to “property”, and

Defined in Sch.4ZA para.22(2) · see it in the full Act
permanent establishment

“permanent establishment”, in relation to a company, is to be read in accordance with Chapter 2 of Part 24 of CTA 2010;

Defined in s.288(1) · see it in the full Act
tax year

(1ZA) In this Act and other enactments relating to capital gains tax “tax year” means a year beginning on 6 April and ending on the following 5 April; and “the tax year 2008-09” means the tax year beginning on 6 April 2008 (and any corresponding expression in which two years are similarly mentioned is to be read in the same way).

Defined in s.288(1ZA) · see it in the full Act
the individual

13C (1) The receipt of the replacement value by the original supplier shall be disregarded for the purposes of paragraph 13B above, as it applies in relation to the shares, to the extent to which that receipt has previously been set (under that paragraph) against any receipts of value which are, in consequence, disregarded for the purposes of paragraph 13 above as that paragraph applies in relation to those shares or any other shares subscribed for by the individual in question (“the individual”).

Defined in Sch.5B para.13C(1) · see it in the full Act
split year

“split year”, as respects an individual, means a tax year that, as respects that individual, is a split year within the meaning of Part 3 of Schedule 45 to the Finance Act 2013 (statutory residence test: split year treatment);

Defined in s.288(1) · see it in the full Act
the overseas part

(1ZB) A reference in this Act to “the overseas part” or “the UK part” of a split year is to be read in accordance with Part 3 of Schedule 45 to the Finance Act 2013 (statutory residence test: split year treatment).

Defined in s.288(1ZB) · see it in the full Act
ITA 2007

“ITA 2007” means the Income Tax Act 2007 ;

Defined in s.288(1) · see it in the full Act
land

“land” includes messuages, tenements, and hereditaments, houses and buildings of any tenure;

Defined in s.288(1) · see it in the full Act

(b) “land” includes buildings.

Defined in Sch.2 para.9(5) · see it in the full Act
tax

and for the purposes of this definition “tax” means capital gains tax, corporation tax or income tax.

Defined in s.16A(2) · see it in the full Act
assets

(a) the reference to “assets” were a reference to “property”, and

Defined in Sch.4ZA para.22(2) · see it in the full Act
asset

In this sub-paragraph “asset” includes part of an asset.

Defined in Sch.8B para.6(1) · see it in the full Act

Cases considering section 69 5

Geoffrey Richard Haworth & Ors v The Commissioners for HMRC

[2025] EWCA Civ 822 · 1 July 2025Defines

Treats trustees as a single continuing body distinct from changing trustees and provides the domestic residence rule for that body. The Court refers to this statutory construct when considering whether trust POEM can extend beyond the current trustees. (see paras [9], [71]-[73]) Provides the statutory basis for treating trustees as one continuing body for the purposes of the Act. The Court considers, but does not finally rely on, that statutory treatment in explaining the broader trust-focused approach to POEM. (see paras [71]-[73])

HM Revenue and Customs v Smallwood & Anor

[2010] EWCA Civ 778 · 8 July 2010

The majority applied the statutory treatment of settlement trustees as a single and continuing body. Consequently, the relevant place of effective management was that of the trust body, not merely that of the corporate trustee holding office when the shares were sold (see paras [69]-[73]).

Geoffrey Richard Haworth & Ors v The Commissioners for HMRC

[2024] UKUT 58 (TCC) · 4 March 2024Defines

The Tribunal treated trustees as a single and continuing body. That statutory treatment supported the conclusion that the treaty inquiry was directed to the trust over the relevant fiscal period, not solely to a particular temporary trustee at disposal (see paras [16]; [112]-[117]).

What each judgment says about section 69 is in the case-law panel in the full Act.

Amendments and notes

10 notes from legislation.gov.uk

Amendments

  1. F260S. 69(1)-(2E) substituted for s. 69(1)(2) (with effect in accordance with Sch. 12 para. 2(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2006 (c. 25), Sch. 12 para. 2(1)
  2. F261Words in s. 69(2) omitted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 46 para. 112 of the amending Act) by virtue of Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 46 para. 82(2)
  3. F262Words in s. 69(2B)(c) omitted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 46 para. 112 of the amending Act) by virtue of Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 46 para. 82(3)
  4. F263Words in s. 69(2B)(c) omitted (for the tax year 2025-26 and subsequent tax years) by virtue of Finance Act 2025 (c. 8), s. 40(4), Sch. 9 para. 12(2)
  5. F264S. 69(2CA) inserted (for the tax year 2025-26 and subsequent tax years) by Finance Act 2025 (c. 8), s. 40(4), Sch. 9 para. 12(3)
  6. F265S. 69(2DA)(2DB) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 45 para. 153(2) of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 45 para. 102
  7. F266Words in s. 69(2E) substituted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 46 para. 112 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 46 para. 82(4)
  8. F267S. 69(2F) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 8 para. 6(2) of the amending Act) by Finance (No. 2) Act 2017 (c. 32), Sch. 8 para. 6(1)
  9. F268Word in s. 69(2F) substituted (for the tax year 2025-26 and subsequent tax years) by Finance Act 2025 (c. 8), s. 40(4), Sch. 9 para. 12(4)

Marginal citations

  1. M41925 c. 18.