Tax facts

It is almost inevitable that taxes will have to rise to help meet the potential £391 billion bill the Government has racked up in supporting the British economy through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) published a report[1] in November 2020 outlining the policy design and principles underpinning Capital Gains Tax (CGT).

The OTS acknowledged the consultation has been produced in a shorter timeframe and this hints that change to CGT will be on the cards as the Government looks to counteract the escalating deficit caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Raising revenues
In July 2020, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, asked the OTS to carry out a review of CGT. Mr Sunak asked for a review of its use in ‘the acquisition and disposal of property’ and ‘the practical operation of principal private residence relief’. This suggests that reform could be on the cards.

Above an annual exemption of £12,300 (2020/21), CGT is charged on gains at 10% for basic rate taxpayers and 20% for higher and additional rate taxpayers. This rises to 18% and 28% respectively where the gains relate to residential property. Income Tax is charged at a basic rate of 20%, rising to 40% and 45% for higher and additional rate taxpayers.

According to the OTS, 97% of CGT tax revenue is paid by over 35s, with most people caught by the tax in their 50s and 60s. It means that raising additional revenues can be positioned as a tax on those with the broadest shoulders.

Conditions associated with Capital Gains Tax include the following:
You can carry forward losses from previous years
Capital Gains Tax arises on disposal of an asset – normally on sale, but gifts, insurance claims or compensation for losses can be chargeable disposals
The value of the gain is normally the amount you receive, but gifts and certain sales may be valued at the open market value
Capital Gains Tax is not normally payable on death