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Capital distribution meaning

What does Capital distribution mean?
Capital distribution describes payments made by a private equity (or other closed‑ended) fund to its investors (limited partners), representing realised proceeds of investments (for example, from disposals or refinancings) net of expenses, liabilities and any reserves. In fund documents, “distribution” is often used generically; “capital distribution” denotes payments from capital realisations, not income. It is a descriptive, contractual term rather than a statutory one, and usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Once a limited partner has received back its contributed capital (and, if agreed, management fees and fund expenses), subsequent distributions are profit and are allocated under the distribution waterfall (typically: return of capital, preferred return/hurdle, catch‑up and carried interest to the general partner/manager). The limited partnership agreement or comparable constitutional document sets the timing and priority of distributions, and commonly addresses recycling or recallability of capital, tax withholdings, escrows, set‑off and clawback. In company law, “capital distribution” can also refer to a return of capital to shareholders (for example, by reduction of capital or share buy‑back), which is governed by capital maintenance rules under the Companies Act 2006 and Irish companies legislation. That company‑law concept is distinct from fund distributions.
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View the related News about Capital distribution

NEWS
UK competition: CAT sets aside CMA prochlorperazine pay-for-delay infringement decision; CMA refers veterinary services market; Subsidy Advice Unit issues Green Volt advice; upcoming dates

Antitrust CAT upholds appeal and sets aside CMA’s infringement decision regarding supply of prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets The CAT has delivered its judgment in (1) Advanz Pharma Corp. Limited and others, (2) Cinven Capital Management (V) General Partners Limited and others, (3) Lexon (UK) Limited and another and (4) Alliance Pharmaceuticals Limited and another v CMA, arising from an appeal brought against the CMA’s decision dated 3 February 2022, which levied fines exceeding £35m on Alliance, Focus, Lexon and Medreich for infringing Chapter I of the Chapter Competition Act by coordinating not to compete in the UK supply of 3mg buccal tablets. According to the CMA, Alliance and Lexon had concluded a ‘pay for delay’ arrangement concerning the tablets (the Market Exclusion Agreement (MEA)), whose object was to restrict competition. Under that arrangement, Lexon agreed it would refrain from competing with Alliance in supplying tablets that Medreich manufactured for Lexon, in exchange for compensation from Alliance. The mechanism for this understanding was said to be distribution agreements that Alliance...

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NEWS
UK, EU and international financial services weekly regulatory roundup: prudential, conduct, markets, derivatives, payments, ESG, crypto and enforcement—key FCA, PRA, BoE, ESMA actions—week of 4 December 2025

In this issue: UK, EU and international regulators and bodies Authorisation, approval and supervision Prudential requirements Financial crime and sanctions Consumer protection Complaints, compensation and claims management Investigations, enforcement and discipline Regulation of capital markets Dispute resolution for financial services lawyers Regulation of derivatives Sustainable finance and ESG Banks and mutuals UK MiFID II EU MiFID II Consumer credit Regulation of insurance Payment services and systems Fintech and cryptoassets LexTalk®Financial Services: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary UK, EU and international regulators and bodies FCA publishes Handbook Notice No 135 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued Handbook Notice No 134, outlining amendments to the FCA Handbook and related materials approved by the FCA board on 27 November 2025. See: LNB News 28/11/2025 48. ESMA sets out planned consultations for...

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NEWS
Weekly restructuring and insolvency highlights: sanctions in bankruptcy; administrator appointment defects; register of members; proof of debt; receivership payments; CPR Practice Direction update; director ban; funding and Part 26A notes

In this issue: Key R&I law developments Corporate insolvency procedures Creditors’ involvement Property insolvency Directors and insolvency Insolvency litigation Restructuring Daily and weekly news alerts New content Key R&I law developments Navigating UK sanctions in bankruptcy proceedings—the Hellard decision (Hellard V OJSC Rossiysky Kredit Bank) The High Court issued guidance to the trustees in bankruptcy of a Russian individual on issues arising under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. Given the potential for serious criminal and civil penalties, any action taken in an insolvency that touches on actual or suspected sanctioned parties is a high‑risk area for officeholders. The court confirmed that trustees would not breach UK sanctions by permitting sanctioned entities to engage in the bankruptcy process, prior to any distribution, as creditors—this expressly covers voting in creditors’ decision procedures and taking part in, and voting on, the creditors’ committee. See News Analysis: Navigating UK sanctions in bankruptcy proceedings—the...

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View the related Practice Notes about Capital distribution

PRACTICE NOTES
Post-death variations of Wills and intestacy: Q&A on formalities, parties, timing, trusts, minors, anti-avoidance, and IHT/CGT/SDLT under English and Welsh law

Variation of Will or intestacy after death—Q&As An instrument of variation can be used to alter how a deceased person’s estate is distributed under a Will or on intestacy. It is commonly executed by deed. To secure effectiveness—typically to obtain favourable inheritance tax (IHT) and capital gains tax (CGT) treatment under section 142 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 (IHTA 1984) and section 62(6) of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (TCGA 1992)—certain formalities must be met. These include that the deed is in writing, contains the requisite statement applying the statutory provisions, is not made for any extraneous consideration, and is signed by all relevant parties, including the deceased’s personal representatives (PRs) where additional tax would otherwise arise. For guidance on deeds of variation, see Practice Note: Variation of Will or intestacy after death. See also Practice Note: Post-death rearrangements. Compliance with these requirements will usually deliver the intended IHT and CGT position. The formalities for execution of variation should be followed accordingly. Precedent deed of variation...

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PRACTICE NOTES
2022 appeal round-up and tracker: key civil litigation decisions and forthcoming Supreme Court cases (England and Wales)

Practice Note This Practice Note consists of two strands created to help dispute resolution practitioners remain up to date with developments in case law that affect their field, or which influence civil litigation procedure more generally: selected forthcoming appeals to the Supreme Court are highlighted below; see Key forthcoming appeals to the Supreme Court—2022 summaries of significant appeal decisions in England and Wales (ie rulings of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and, where appropriate, certain judgments of the Competition Appeal Tribunal, Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, Court of Justice of the European Union), and ECtHR, which we have covered; see: Key forthcoming appeal cases—2022 You can navigate this content using the table of contents in the left-hand margin. Alternatively, search this tracker using [CTRL]+[F]. This material is not intended to be a comprehensive register of every appeal or major decision relevant to dispute resolution practitioners. Key forthcoming appeals to the Supreme Court—2022 Tort and negligence ...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK Private Client New Starter Guide: Wills, Probate, Trusts, Tax, LPAs, Court of Protection, Digital Assets, Charities, Family Businesses, Contentious Estates and Key Resources

This starter guide offers an overview of the Private Client practice area. It is designed for trainee solicitors, paralegals, and anyone new to Private Client work. It concentrates on core topics within Private Client law and signposts additional Lexis+® UK resources and materials that deliver more comprehensive detail. Newcomers to Private Client will also find the Overviews within each subtopic of the Private Client module helpful. These Overviews introduce each subtopic and link to pertinent content within it, aiding navigation of the area. For instance, see: Will drafting—overview and Inheritance tax (IHT)—overview. If something is not covered here, try browsing our Private Client topic tree or using the search bar to locate further Private Client content. The guide also includes links to help you get the most from the Private Client materials, including how to subscribe to email alerts and how to contact the LexisAsk team. Key topics in Private Client Private Client lawyers commonly handle: Wills Probate Trusts Powers of...

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PRECEDENTS
Employee Shareholder Shares: s 205A ERA 1996 Written Statement Template (Great Britain) – Archived; ESS tax reliefs removed from 1 December 2016

Archived: The ability to offer tax-favoured employee shareholder shares or ESS (commonly used in private equity company arrangements) has now been removed In the Autumn Statement 2016, the government confirmed that certain ESS-related tax reliefs would be withdrawn. The changes remove: The income tax and NICs relief applying to the first £2,000 of employee shareholder shares an individual receives The capital gains tax exemption in respect of all, or a portion, of ESS shares The provision ensuring that, when a company purchases employee shareholder shares from an employee shareholder, the consideration is not treated as a distribution in the shareholder’s hands The withdrawal of these reliefs applies to any employer shareholder agreements entered into on or after 1 December 2016. However, an individual who had obtained independent advice about entering an employer shareholder agreement before 23 November 2016 could still complete the agreement before 1 December 2016 and retain the beneficial income and CGT tax advantages...

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PRECEDENTS
Private fund limited partnership agreement (PFLLP) precedent with capital and loan commitments, carried interest waterfall, general partner powers, transfers and removal (England and Wales)

This limited partnership Agreement is entered into on [ insert day and month ] 20[ insert year ] Parties [ insert name of general partner ] of [ insert address ] (the General Partner); and Each of the persons named in Schedule 1, Part B. BACKGROUND The Limited Partnership is registered as a limited partnership and designated as a private fund limited partnership in England under the LPA 1907 with number LP [ insert number ]. The General Partner has agreed to act as the general partner of the Limited Partnership and to manage the business of the Limited Partnership, and the Limited Partners have agreed to make Contributions to the Limited Partnership on the terms set out below. The General Partner and the Limited Partners intend that the Limited Partnership will carry on the Business and agree to regulate the affairs of the Limited Partnership on the terms set out below. ...

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PRECEDENTS
Archived advice letter: Becoming an employee shareholder (ESS) in Great Britain — statutory rights waived, eligibility requirements, and tax implications post-abolition of ESS tax reliefs (1 December 2016)

Archived: This Precedent is for illustrative purposes only as it reflects the position up to 1 December 2016. The facility to issue tax‑favoured employee shareholder shares (ESS), frequently seen in private equity company arrangements, has now been withdrawn. In the Autumn Statement 2016, the government confirmed that the following ESS-related reliefs would be abolished: the income tax and NICs relief applying to the first £2,000 of employee shareholder shares allotted to an individual the capital gains tax exemption covering some or all of the ESS shares the rule ensuring that, where a company buys back employee shareholder shares from an employee shareholder, the price paid is not treated as a distribution in the shareholder’s hands These withdrawals apply to any employer shareholder agreements entered into on or after 1 December 2016. Nonetheless, any person who obtained independent advice about entering into an employer shareholder agreement before 23 November 2016 could still complete the agreement before 1 December 2016 and retain the...

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Q&As
Trust corporations: Public Trustee Rules s30(1)(b)(iv) capital breach, paid-up share capital, share capital distribution, operational rules

This Q&A assumes that the trust corporation is a company incorporated and registered in the UK under the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) CA 2006 sets the framework for how a company formed under that Act allots and issues its shares. The exact process varies by the nature of the company proposing the allotment and factors such as whether it has a single share class or several classes already in issue. For further detail, see the sub-topic: Allotment, issue and pre-emption—overview, with particular reference to the Practice Note: Allotment and issue of shares—introductory points. For guidance on the consequences of breaching the CA 2006 provisions on allotting and issuing shares, consult Practice Note: Allotment and issue of shares—penalties...

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