Section 57 Pre-trading expenses

(1) This section applies if a person incurs expenses for the purposes of a trade before (but not more than 7 years before) the date on which the person starts to carry on the trade (“the start date”).

(2) If, in calculating the profits of the trade—

(a) no deduction would otherwise be allowed for the expenses, but

(b) a deduction would be allowed for them if they were incurred on the start date,

the expenses are treated as if they were incurred on the start date (and therefore a deduction is allowed for them).