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Double taxation relief meaning

What does Double taxation relief mean?
In practice, double taxation relief is the mechanism used to prevent the same income, gain or taxable event being taxed by two jurisdictions. It is usually granted under a double tax treaty (double taxation agreement, DTA) and, where no treaty applies, under unilateral relief in domestic law. In the UK, the Taxation (International and Other Provisions) Act 2010 provides the framework for giving effect to DTAs and for foreign tax credit relief; in Ireland, comparable rules are contained in the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. Key features include: (1) the credit method—granting a credit for foreign tax against UK or Irish tax on the same item, limited to the domestic liability; and (2) the exemption method—excluding specified income from domestic tax. DTAs also allocate taxing rights, cap withholding tax rates and contain residence tie-breakers. Relief generally requires a claim and evidence of foreign tax paid, is subject to time limits and anti-avoidance restrictions, and applies to individuals and corporates. Administration is by HMRC (UK) and Revenue (Ireland). Usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. See also unilateral relief.
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NEWS
UK Private Client update: trusts, Court of Protection, tax and HMRC changes, Companies House overseas entities removal, mediation Practice Direction, devolved and Jersey developments (25 April 2024)

In this issue: Trusts Court of Protection UK taxes for Private Client HMRC Manuals updates Insolvency—Private Client Charity and philanthropy Contentious trusts and estates Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland International Question of the week Daily and weekly news alerts LexTalk®Private Client: a Lexis®PSL community New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Latest Q&A Useful information Trusts Companies House publishes guidance on removal of overseas entities from register Companies House has issued guidance setting out the process for taking an overseas entity off the Register of Overseas Entities. It applies where the entity no longer holds registered title to UK land or property acquired on or after 1 January 1999 in England and Wales, 8 December 2014 in Scotland, and 5 September 2022 in Northern Ireland. The guidance confirms the entity must have disposed of all UK property or land, and the transfer of ownership...

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NEWS
Irish Court of Appeal: US-owned Irish subsidiaries denied US–Ireland treaty benefits and s.411 TCA 1997 group relief; fiscally transparent US parent not ‘liable to tax’

Court of Appeal judgment – 27 May 2025 Because Susquehanna International Securities Ltd and two affiliates sit beneath a disregarded Delaware vehicle that bears no tax liability, the Court of Appeal (27 May 2025) held they fall outside the scope of the US–Ireland double-taxation treaty. Consequently, the Susquehanna entities cannot invoke the treaty’s equal treatment clause to claim an Irish tax relief reserved for residents of the European Economic Area, the court ruled. The companies had sought to rely on Section 411 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, which permits tax relief to be surrendered within companies, the judgment noted. The court stated: ‘The central issue between the parties is whether it is material that the taxpayers’ parent is treated as fiscally transparent for the purposes of US tax law’...

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NEWS
UK tax briefing: Finance Bill 2026 amendments, advance certainty service, NICs reforms, tribunal decisions, corporate transparency, devolution changes and UK-Peru treaty—29 January 2026

In this issue: Budgets and Finance Bills Taxes management and litigation Business structures Anti-avoidance Employment taxes Devolution International Individuals and income tax Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Budgets and Finance Bills National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill in the House of Lords The National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill has passed through the House of Commons and is now being scrutinised by the House of Lords. See: LNB News 23/01/2026 8. Further changes to Finance Bill 2026; Public Bill Committee timetable On 23 January 2026, the UK government introduced additional amendments to Finance Bill 2026 (FB 2026) for the Public Bill Committee to examine: clause 13 (enterprise management incentives) and clause 225 (tax adviser registration). The Committee has also released its schedule, with proceedings due to conclude no later than 26 February 2026. See: Tax—Finance...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK HMRC Private Client Manuals: consolidated tracker of updates 2021–24 (CGT, IHT, SDLT, residence, international, cryptoassets, trusts, TRS, shares) [Archived]

This Practice Note consolidates the HMRC Manuals tracker that featured weekly in the Private Client highlights from January 2021 to December 2024, arranged by HMRC Manual in reverse chronological order. It captures many of the key amendments to the HMRC Manuals set out below that will interest Private Client practitioners. For the combined tracker from January 2025 onwards, see Practice Note: Consolidated HMRC Manuals tracker 2025–26–Private Client. Avoidance Handling Process Manual Pages amended • Date of change • Comments Added: AHP1000, AHP1200, AHP1300, AHP1400, AHP1450, AHP2000, AHP2100, AHP2200, AHP2300, AHP3000, AHP3100, AHP3200, AHP3300, AHP3400, AHP3500, AHP4000, AHP4100, AHP4200, AHP4300, AHP4350, AHP4400, AHP4500, AHP4550 and AHP4570 Date: 29 September 2023 Summary: This new manual sets out HMRC’s method for managing tax avoidance risks across all taxes and HMRC directorates, aiming for consistency and effectiveness. The overview sections describe what HMRC regards as tax avoidance, as distinct from lawful tax planning. They also outline the role of iTAPE, a specialist network within HMRC that leads...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK corporation tax on foreign profits for UK-resident companies: treaty and unilateral credits, limits and unrelieved foreign tax, deduction option, permanent establishment attribution, foreign branch exemption, and loss utilisation

Many UK-resident companies are expected to operate solely within the UK, with their entire customer base and supplier network located here, so that all profits and gains arise from UK activity undertaken domestically within national borders. Nevertheless, this is not universal; for a sizeable proportion of UK companies, overall profits also comprise non-UK amounts earned from activities outside the UK...

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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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