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Subsidiary company meaning

What does Subsidiary company mean?
In legal practice, a subsidiary company is a company controlled by another company (the holding or parent), typically because the parent controls a majority of voting rights or can appoint or remove most of the board. In the UK, “subsidiary” and “holding company” are defined in the Companies Act 2006, section 1159; a broader accounting concept of “subsidiary undertaking” appears in section 1162. In Ireland, the Companies Act 2014 adopts similar control tests for “subsidiary” and “holding company”, with a parallel “subsidiary undertaking” concept for financial reporting. Key features include: control through share voting rights, rights to appoint or remove a majority of directors, or control of voting rights under an agreement with other members; attribution of rights held by nominees or other subsidiaries to the parent; indirect subsidiaries (a subsidiary of a subsidiary); and the “wholly-owned subsidiary” category. Usage is consistent across England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (all applying the Companies Act 2006), and broadly aligned in Ireland. The status of a company as a subsidiary is significant for group company structuring, consolidated financial statements, group reorganisations, intra-group guarantees and security, distributions and related party/disclosure rules, and assessing merger and takeover thresholds. “Parent company” and “holding company” are used...
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View the related Checklists about Subsidiary company

CHECKLISTS
Flowchart: Prohibition on financial assistance by a public company (or its subsidiary) for acquisitions of its shares—section 678(1), Companies Act 2006

Section 678(1) of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) provides: When someone is purchasing, or planning to purchase, shares in a public company, it is unlawful for the company itself, or for any company that...

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View the related News about Subsidiary company

NEWS
HMRC v Sehgal: UK UT holds non-enforcement and indemnity release not ‘services’ under remittance rules; clarifies ITA 2007 s 809L Conditions A and B; remittance rules not anti-avoidance

HMRC v Sehgal and another [2024] UKUT 74 (TCC) The taxpayers were non-domiciled individuals resident in the UK who were taxed on the remittance basis. They disposed of their shareholdings in VGL to CLS, a Luxembourg-resident company. At completion, IRL—owned indirectly via a Jersey vehicle, SKS—owed £6m to a subsidiary of VGL. Under the share purchase agreement, the taxpayers agreed to indemnify that liability. Soon afterwards, it emerged the debt was irrecoverable, thereby triggering the indemnity. At the behest of CLS’s parent, a structured sequence followed: SKS purchased clothing stock from M, another company within the CLS group, for a sum mirroring the amount owed; at the same time, CLS and the taxpayers entered into a side letter confirming that this payment would reduce the outstanding debt to nil. Under these arrangements, the consideration for the clothing matched the £6m debt and, as recorded in the side letter, operated to eliminate the balance in full. The clothing, however, was worth merely £200,000 and was then gifted...

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NEWS
First-tier Tribunal in Powell v HMRC: novation of close company director’s loan is a release, triggering s415 ITTOIA dividend charge; s455 repayment claim not determinative

Powell v HMRC [2025] UKFTT 528 (TC) The taxpayer served as director and sole shareholder of T Ltd, a close company, and his director’s loan account with the company was overdrawn, giving rise to a charge on the company under section 455 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 (CTA 2010). In 2020, after a share‑for‑share exchange, T Ltd became a subsidiary of PHSW Ltd, where the taxpayer was also a director at the time. The taxpayer, T Ltd and PHSW Ltd then executed a novation of the outstanding loan account so that T Ltd’s rights were assigned to PHSW Ltd instead. T Ltd released the taxpayer from his obligations to it and PHSW Ltd acquired those rights, thereby becoming the taxpayer’s creditor in his place. The tax paid by T Ltd under CTA 2010, s 455 in respect of the loan was subsequently repaid to the company...

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NEWS
EU competition daily: AG proposes annulment of Commission’s UK CFC State aid decision; JCDecaux appeal dismissal urged; merger notifications; Air Freight cartel appeal hearings (11 April 2024)

State aid AG issues opinion recommending Court of Justice should set aside the General Court’s judgment and annul the Commission’s decision regarding tax breaks granted by the UK to certain multinational groups between 2013 and 2018 Advocate General Medina has delivered his opinion in the appeals in the following Joined Cases, arising from the Commission’s 2019 decision and the General Court’s judgment. C-555/22 P United Kingdom v Commission C-556/22 P ITV v Commission and Others C-564/22 P LSEGH (Luxembourg) and London Stock Exchange Group Holdings (Italy) v Commission and Others The appeals contest the General Court’s judgment in Joined Cases T-363/19 and T-456/19, which dismissed an action for annulment against the Commission’s decision of 2 April 2019 (SA.44896). In that decision, the Commission found that, during 2013–2018, the UK had provided unlawful State aid to certain multinational groups via tax advantages. Advocate General Medina proposes that the Court of Justice overturn the General Court’s judgment and annul the Commission’s 2019...

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View the related Practice Notes about Subsidiary company

PRACTICE NOTES
UK tax-advantaged Share Incentive Plans: qualifying companies, group eligibility, ordinary share capital and listing/control requirements, restrictions and disqualifying events

The company establishing a SIP The company setting up a share incentive plan (SIP) does not need to be the same entity whose shares are allocated. However, both: the shares to be granted, and the connection between the SIP-establishing entity and the company whose shares are issued must satisfy the relevant legislative conditions. A SIP can be created either: solely for employees of the company that establishes it; or for those employees and for employees of other companies it controls (a group plan)—see Constituent companies below. In a group where the parent company’s shares are to be awarded, there are two options: the parent company may establish the SIP and extend it to the appropriate subsidiaries; or each subsidiary may establish its own SIP, provided the other statutory requirements concerning the shares under award are met—see Requirements for the shares. The advantage of each subsidiary operating its...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK LLP accounts: individual and group reporting requirements, content and exemptions under the Companies Act 2006 and Regulations

The Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006) provides comprehensive rules governing how a company prepares its annual accounts. Through the Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008, SI 2008/1911 (the 2008 Regulations), selected elements are extended to limited liability partnerships (LLPs), with suitable adaptations. The Limited Liability Partnerships, Partnerships and Groups (Accounts and Audit) Regulations 2016, SI 2016/575 (the 2016 Regulations) introduced a range of amendments to the accounting framework for LLPs and qualifying partnerships. Further alterations affecting LLPs and other bodies were made by the Statutory Auditors Regulations 2017, SI 2017/1164. In most cases, the changes take effect for LLPs with financial years commencing on or after 17 June 2016; however, the stricter conditions on the small LLPs’ exemption from preparing group accounts apply to periods starting on or after 1 January 2017. This Practice Note, read alongside Practice Note: LLP Accounts—an outline of the statutory framework, distils the key obligations contained within these statutory provisions...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK corporate tax: subsidiary versus permanent establishment for non-UK companies—financing, loss relief, VAT grouping and disposals (Finance Act 2026 updates)

Stop Press: Section 49 and Schedule 7 of the Finance Act 2026 revise the UK’s domestic rules on UK permanent establishments of non-UK companies, applying to accounting periods (for corporation tax) and tax years (for income tax) that start on or after 1 January 2026. The measures update both the definition of a UK permanent establishment and the methodology for attributing profits to a UK permanent establishment, each intended to align more closely with the OECD Model Tax Convention. They also adjust how the investment manager exemption operates. For further details, see News Analysis: Budget 2025—Tax analysis — International. A non-UK resident company trading in the UK may either incorporate a UK subsidiary or trade through a permanent establishment (PE), commonly a branch. This Practice Note sets out the key UK tax considerations relevant to that choice, while recognising that tax is only one of several matters to be weighed...

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View the related Precedents about Subsidiary company

PRECEDENTS
Sanctions compliance definitions, seller warranties, due diligence and notification undertakings for pro-buyer share purchase agreement (corporate seller, conditional, long form)

Insert the following definitions as new definitions into clause 1 of Precedent: Share purchase agreement—pro-buyer—corporate seller—conditional—long form: 1 Definitions and interpretation Sanctioned Activity: activity subject to a Sanctioning Body’s sanctions. Sanctioning Body: United Kingdom, United States of America, European Union, and any other authority administering sanctions. Sanctioned Entity: any person or entity that is, or is owned or controlled (directly or indirectly) by one that is, sanctioned or on a designated list of a Sanctioning Body; ‘owned or controlled directly or indirectly’ has the meaning in Sanctions Laws. Sanctions Laws: all law on a Sanctioned Activity binding either Party or the Agreement’s performance. Sanctions Policy: the Seller’s sanctions policy in Appendix [insert Appendix number], as updated and notified to the Buyer. is not a Sanctioned Entity; has not been notified of any Sanctioned Activity investigation; is unaware of Business circumstances likely to prompt such investigation; shall comply with Sanctions Laws and the Sanctions Policy; ...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent: directors’ witness statement supporting application for investment bank special administration order (IBSAR 2011; Insolvency Act 1986) — England and Wales

Applicant: [ NAME OF WITNESS ] First witness statement; Dated: [ insert ] — Exhibit: [ XX1 ] — Court ref. no: [ INSERT COURT REF. NUMBER ] [ IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE ] Business and Property Courts [ of England and Wales ] [ in [ INSERT LOCATION ] ] [ Company & Insolvency List (ChD) ] Or [ in the County Court at [ INSERT LOCATION ] ] [ Business and Property Courts List ] Or [ in the High Court of Justice ] [ Chancery Division ] In the matter of [ INVESTMENT BANK NAME ]; in the matter of the Investment Bank Special Administration Regulations 2011; and in the matter of the Insolvency Act 1986 WITNESS STATEMENT OF [ WITNESS NAME ] I, [ witness name ], being a director [ and chairperson ] of [ investment bank name ] of [ investment bank address ], state as follows: I serve as [...

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PRECEDENTS
Ordinary resolution approving subsidiary quasi-loan to holding company director or connected person, and any related guarantee, security or arrangement under Companies Act 2006 ss 198 and 203

ORDINARY RESOLUTION [ That approval be given, in accordance with section 198 of the Companies Act 2006, for a quasi-loan in the sum of [ insert amount of quasi-loan ], to be advanced by [ insert name of subsidiary company ] to [ insert name of director ], a director of the Company. OR That the [ guarantee OR security ] to be provided by [ insert name of subsidiary company ] in relation to a quasi-loan of [ insert amount of quasi-loan ] by [ insert name of person who has given or is giving the quasi-loan ] to [ insert name of director ], a director of the Company, be authorised pursuant to section 198 of the Companies Act 2006. OR That the [ insert details of arrangement falling within the definition of ‘related arrangement’ in section 203(1) CA 2006 ] be authorised in accordance with section 203 of the Companies Act 2006. ]...

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View the related Q&As about Subsidiary company

Q&As
Representative of an Overseas Business: Is a Holding Company a Genuine Commercial Enterprise for Entry Clearance?

Practice Note: Applying under the Representative of an Overseas Business category Please see Practice Note: Applying under the Representative of an Overseas Business category, which sets out the eligibility criteria and process (including application form and fee details) for submitting an initial application or seeking an extension under the UK immigration route for Representatives of an Overseas Business. The note explains the eligibility criteria for Sole Representatives of an Overseas Business...

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View the related UK Parliament Acts about Subsidiary company

UK PARLIAMENT ACTS
1159 Meaning of “subsidiary” etc

(1)     A company is a “subsidiary” of another company, its “holding company”, if that other company— (a)     holds a majority of the voting rights in it, or(b)     is a member of it and has the right to appoint or remove a majority of its board of directors, or(c)     is a member of it and controls alone, pursuant to an agreement with other members, a majority of the voting rights in it,or if it is a subsidiary of a company that is itself a subsidiary of that other company.(2)

UK PARLIAMENT ACTS
SCHEDULE 6 Meaning of “Subsidiary” etc: Supplementary Provisions

The provisions of this Part of this Schedule explain expressions used in section 1159 (meaning of “subsidiary” etc) and otherwise supplement that section.