TPC30070 - Losses: example: losses applied to new programme
Part 15A Chapter 2 Corporation Tax Act 2009 (CTA 2009)
A Television Production Company (TPC) produces Programme 1 which qualifies for Television Tax Relief (TTR). The company draws up accounts to 31 December.
The separate trade for the purposes of Part 15A CTA 2009 commences on 3 July 2013 and the programme is completed on 10 February 2014. The company draws up accounts to 31 December. The accounting periods are therefore:
- 3 July to 31 December 2013
- Year ended 31 December 2014
- Year ended 31 December 2015
The company ceases its television programme trade in respect of Programme 1 on 15 August 2014 when it sells the rights to Programme 1 outright.
On 17 March 2014, the TPC commences a new television programme trade in relation to Programme 2 which also qualifies for TTR.
The computations show:
| Period ended 31 December 2013 | Programme 1 - £ | Programme 2 - £ | Other - £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income from the programme | 100,000 | - | - |
| Costs of the programme | (850,000) | - | - |
| Television tax relief - additional deduction | (400,000) | - | - |
| Profit/(loss) on programme | (1,150,000) | - | - |
| Other income - non-trade loan relationship | - | - | 10,000 |
The computation shows a trading loss of £1,150,000 on Programme 1. The TPC chooses not to surrender any part of this trading loss for the Television Tax Credit (TTC). In reality, a TPC would be unlikely to make this choice, which is intended to illustrate the computational principle.
As this is a production accounting period, the loss is restricted and cannot be offset against other income. The interest income (the non-trade loan relationship income) is therefore taxable.
| Period ended 31 December 2014 | Programme 1 - £ | Programme 2 - £ | Other - £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income from the programme | 500,000 | 800,000 | - |
| Costs of the programme | (150,000) | (400,000) | - |
| Television tax relief - additional deduction | (100,000) | (3000,000) | - |
| Profit/(loss) on programme | 250,000 | 100,000 | - |
| Other income - non-trade loan relationship | - | - | 20,000 |
The computation shows a profit of £250,000 on Programme 1 and a profit of £100,000 on Programme 2.
This is the completion period in respect of Programme 1. It is also the cessation period of the trade.
The brought forward loss of £1,150,000 reduces the profit of Programme 1 to nil. This leaves an unutilised loss of £900,000 of which:
- £150,000 is attributable to TTR, and
- £750,000 is not attributable to TTR.
As this is a completion period, the company can utilise the profits not attributable to TTR against other profits and carry them back to the previous period. They therefore utilise losses as follows:
| - | Amount of loss |
|---|---|
| Set against other profits of the same accounting period | £120,000 |
| Carried back against profits of the previous period | £10,000 |
| Surrendered as group relief | £200,000 |
| Total | £330,000 |
This is the maximum amount that can be relieved. It leaves nil total taxable profits in both periods.
This leaves unutilised losses as follows:
- £150,000 is attributable to TTR, and
- £420,000 is not attributable to TTR.
By claiming terminal loss relief under the TTR rules, the losses are transferred to the trade of Programme 2. This trade will therefore treat the full £570,000 losses as brought forward losses in the next accounting period.
| Period ended 31 December 2015 | Programme 1 - Ceased | Programme 2 - £ | Other - £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income from the programme | - | 1,000,000 | - |
| Costs of the programme | - | (400,000) | - |
| TTR - additional deduction | - | (200,000) | - |
| Loss on programme | - | 400,000 | - |
| Other income - non-trade loan relationship | - | - | 50,000 |
The computation for this period shows a trading profit of £400,000 for Programme 2. The losses deemed to be brought forward of £570,000 are utilised against this profit first.
The profit is reduced to nil and there are £170,000 of losses deemed to be brought forward for Programme 2 at the beginning of the next period.
These losses can only be used against the profits of the trade of Programme 2. This is because the legislation states that, in a pre-completion period, the losses must be treated as trading losses carried forward under S45 Corporation Tax Act 2010.
The following table shows how the losses from Programme 1 are used in the various accounting periods:
| - | TTR - Programme 1 - £ | non-TTR - Programme 1 - £ | non-TTR - Programme 2 - £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| APE 31/12/2013 | - | - | - |
| Production period loss | 400,000 | 750,000 | - |
| Losses carried forward into completion period | 400,000 | 750,000 | |
| APE 31/12/2014 | - | - | - |
| Losses brought forward | 400,000 | 750,000 | - |
| Set of against Programme 1 profit | (250,000) | - | - |
| Set off against NTLR | - | (20,000) | - |
| Carried back against NTLR of previous period | - | (10,000) | - |
| Surrendered as group relief | - | (200,000) | - |
| Losses carried forward under terminal loss relief rules | 400,000 | 750,000 | - |
| APE 31/12/2015 | - | - | - |
| Losses brought forward | - | - | 570,000 |
| Utilised against profits of Programme 2 | - | - | (400,000) |
| Losses carried forward | - | - | 170,000 |