Section 240 Amount of chargeI1C1
United Kingdom
The scheme sanction charge for any tax year is a charge at the rate of 40% in respect of the scheme chargeable payment, or the aggregate of the scheme chargeable payments, made by the pension scheme in the tax year.
But if—
the scheme chargeable payment is an unauthorised payment, or any of the scheme chargeable payments are unauthorised payments, and
tax charged in relation to that payment, or any of those payments, under section 208 (unauthorised payments charge) has been paid,
a deduction is to be made from the amount of tax that would otherwise be chargeable for the tax year by virtue of subsection (1).
The amount of the deduction is the lesser of—
25% of the amount of the scheme chargeable payment, or of the aggregate amount of such of the scheme chargeable payments as are tax-paid, and
the amount of the tax which has been paid under section 208 in relation to the scheme chargeable payment, or in relation to such of the scheme chargeable payments as are tax-paid.
The Treasury—
may by order amend subsection (1) so as to vary the rate of the scheme sanction charge, and
may by order amend subsection (3)(a) so as to vary the percentage mentioned there.
An order under subsection (3A) may make provision for there to be different rates or percentages in different circumstances.
A scheme chargeable payment is “tax-paid” if the whole or any part of the tax chargeable in relation to it under section 208 has been paid.
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
S. 240(3A)(3B) inserted (with effect in accordance with Sch. 2 para. 25 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2009 (c. 10), Sch. 2 para. 16
Modifications
- C1
S. 240 modified (24.4.2025 for the tax year 2023-24 and subsequent tax years) by The Public Service Pension Schemes (Rectification of Unlawful Discrimination) (Tax) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/419), regs. 1(2)(3), 5(2)
Commencement
- I1
Ss. 160-274, 281, Schs. 30-35 in force at 6.4.2006 but any power to make an order or regulations under those provisions may be exercised at any time after Royal Assent, see s. 284
Notes on Part 4
Modifications
- C1
Pt. 4 modified (N.I.) (1.4.2006) by The Firemens Pension Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. 2006/210), arts. 1(2), 103
- C2
Pt. 4 modified (6.4.2006) by The Pension Protection Fund (Tax) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/575), regs. 1, 9, 10
- C3
Pt. 4 modified (6.4.2006) by The Pension Protection Fund (Tax) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/575), regs. 1, 12
- C4
Pt. 4 modified (6.4.2006) by The Pension Protection Fund (Tax) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/575), regs. 1, 13(5)
- C5
Pt. 4 modified (6.4.2006) by The Pension Protection Fund (Tax) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/575), regs. 1, 26
- C6
Pt. 4 modified (31.12.2007) by Police and Justice Act 2006 (c. 48), s. 53(1), Sch. 3 para. 7; S.I. 2007/3203, art. 3(b)
- C7
Pt. 4 modified (1.7.2008) (N.I.) (with effect in accordance with reg. 1 of the amending Rule) by The Health and Social Care (Pension Scheme) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. 2008/256), regs. 1, 124(1) (with regs. 134, 258)
- C8
Pt. 4 modified by The Taxation of Pension Schemes (Transitional Provisions) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/572), reg. 5A (as inserted (6.4.2006) by S.I. 2008/2990, arts. 1(1), 3)
- C9
Pt. 4 applied (21.7.2009) by Finance Act 2009 (c. 10), Sch. 35 para. 18
- C10
Pt. 4 modified (19.7.2011) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 18 para. 14(3)
- C11
Pt. 4 applied (with modifications) (with application in accordance with Sch. 22 para. 1 of the amending Act) by Finance Act 2013 (c. 29), Sch. 22 para. 1(2)
- C12
Pt. 4 modified (17.7.2014) by Finance Act 2014 (c. 26), Sch. 6 para. 1(2)(3)
- C13
Pt. 4: power to amend conferred (17.12.2014) by Taxation of Pensions Act 2014 (c. 30), s. 4(3)
- C14
Pt. 4 modified (15.9.2016) by Finance Act 2016 (c. 24), Sch. 4 para. 1
- C15
Pt. 4 modified (15.9.2016) by Finance Act 2016 (c. 24), Sch. 4 para. 9(2)
- C16
Pt. 4 modified (with effect in relation to the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The MPs’, Senedd and Assembly Pension Schemes (Tax) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/52), regs. 1(2)(3), 6
- C17
Pt. 4 modified (14.7.2026 for the tax year 2014-15 and subsequent tax years) by The Public Service Pension Schemes (Rectification of Unlawful Discrimination) (Tax) Regulations 2026 (S.I. 2026/673), regs. 1(2), 10
Notes on Chapter 5
Modifications
- C1
Pt. 4 applied (21.7.2009) by Finance Act 2009 (c. 10), Sch. 35 para. 18
- C2
Pt. 4 modified (19.7.2011) by Finance Act 2011 (c. 11), Sch. 18 para. 14(3)
- C3
Pt. 4 modified (with effect in relation to the tax year 2024-25 and subsequent tax years) by The MPs’, Senedd and Assembly Pension Schemes (Tax) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 2025/52), regs. 1(2)(3), 6