BIM75435 - Trading losses: types of relief: relief against chargeable gains: examples

A trader returns the following income, losses etc for 2001-02.

Example 1Example 2Example 3
Assessable income£40,000£30,000£30,000
Trading losses current year£50,000£50,000£92,000
Chargeable gains£100,000£100,000£100,000
CG Allowable losses current year£45,000£45,000£45,000
CG Allowable losses brought forward£40,000£40,000£3,000
CG Annual exempt amount£5,500£5,500£5,500


Claims are made under

  • ICTA88/S380 (1)(a) in respect of the current year trading losses
  • FA91/S72 (1).

No relief is otherwise allowed in respect of the trading losses.

Example 1

Relevant amount not limited by reference to maximum amount

Step 1The trading loss (FA91/S72 (1))= £50,000
Step 2The ‘relevant amount’ (FA91/S72 (2)) = £50,000 - £40,000= £10,000
Step 3The ’maximum amount’ (FA91/S72 (4)) = £100,000 - (£45,000 + £40,000)= £15,000
Step 4The ’relevant amount’ is not limited by reference to the ‘maximum amount’ (FA91/S72 (3)) and trading losses of £10,000 are treated as allowable losses


The capital gains computation is:-

Chargeable gains£100,000
Allowable losses
current year£45,000
FA91/S72£10,000
brought forward£39,500*£94,500
£5,500
Annual exempt amount£5,500
nil


*Allowable losses brought forward restricted by virtue of TCGA92/S3 (5B). Allowable losses carried forward £500.

Example 2

Relevant amount limited by reference to maximum amount

Step 1The trading loss (FA91/S72 (1))= £50,000
Step 2The ’relevant amount’ (FA91/S72 (2)) = £50,000 - £30,000= £20,000
Step 3The ‘maximum amount‘(FA91/S72 (4)) = £100,000 - (£45,000 + £40,000)= £15,000
Step 4The ’relevant amount‘ is limited by reference to the ’maximum amount’ (FA91/S72 (3)) and trading losses of £15,000 are treated as allowable losses


The capital gains computation is:-

Chargeable gains£100,000
Allowable losses
current year£45,000
FA91/S72£15,000
brought forward£34,500*£94,500
£5,500
Annual exempt amount£5,500
nil


*Allowable losses brought forward restricted by virtue of TCGA92/S3 (5B). Allowable losses carried forward £5,500.

Example 3

Part of annual exempt amount ineffective

Step 1The ‘trading loss' (FA91/S72 (1))= £92,000
Step 2The ’relevant amount‘ (FA91/S72 (2)) = £92,000 - £30,000= £62,000
Step 3The ’maximum amount‘ (FA91/S72 (4)) = £100,000 - (£45,000 + £3,000)= £52,000
Step 4The ’relevant amount’ is limited by reference to the ’maximum amount‘ (FA91/S72 (3)) and trading losses of £52,000 are treated as allowable losses


The capital gains computation is:-

Chargeable gains£100,000
Allowable losses
current year£45,000
FA91/S72£52,000£97,000
£3,000
Annual exempt amount£3,000
nil


Allowable losses brought forward £3,000 are carried forward unused. Part of the annual exempt amount, £2,500 (that is, £5,500 - £3,000), is ineffective. This situation can occur only where the allowable losses brought forward fall short of the annual exempt amount.