Who can claim capital allowances for personal security under section 33 of the Capital Allowances Act 2001?

Individuals or partnerships made up entirely of individuals can claim capital allowances on security expenditure under section 33. The claimant must carry on a qualifying activity — a trade, UK property business, overseas property business, or profession or vocation — and face a special threat to their personal physical security arising wholly or mainly from that activity.

What qualifies as a security asset under Capital Allowances Act 2001 section 33?

A security asset is any asset that improves personal physical security, including equipment, structures such as walls, and items fixed to land. However, the definition specifically excludes cars, ships, aircraft, dwellings, and the grounds of dwellings. The asset must be provided with the sole object of meeting a special threat to personal security.

How is mixed-use security expenditure treated under section 33?

If a security asset has only an incidental non-security use, that incidental use is disregarded and full relief applies. However, where an asset serves a significant non-security purpose alongside its security function, only the proportion of expenditure attributable to the security purpose qualifies for capital allowances under section 33.

Does protecting family members prevent a claim under section 33 of the Capital Allowances Act 2001?

No. If a security asset also happens to improve the security of members of the individual's family or household, this does not prevent the relief from applying. The key requirement is that the individual's sole object in incurring the expenditure is to meet a special threat to their own personal physical security arising from their qualifying activity.

Capital Allowances Act 2001 section 33

Personal security

Section 33 allows individuals and partnerships of individuals to claim capital allowances on expenditure for security assets that protect against special threats arising from their business activities.

Capital allowances are available for expenditure on security assets by individuals or partnerships carrying on a qualifying activity, where a special threat to personal physical security arises wholly or mainly from that activity.
A "security asset" includes equipment, structures such as walls, and assets fixed to land — but excludes cars, ships, aircraft, dwellings, and the grounds of dwellings.
If a security asset also has an incidental non-security use, that incidental use is disregarded; however, if the asset has a significant non-security purpose, only the proportion of expenditure relating to security qualifies.
Qualifying activities for this purpose are a trade, a UK property business, an overseas property business, or a profession or vocation.

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