Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 section 16

Meaning of earnings "for" a tax year

Section 16 explains how to determine which tax year general earnings belong to, particularly when earnings relate to a period that may span more than one tax year.

• General earnings are treated as being "for" the period in which they are earned or to which they otherwise relate.
• If that period falls entirely within a single tax year, the earnings are simply treated as earnings "for" that tax year.
• If the period spans two or more tax years, the earnings must be split between those years on a just and reasonable basis.
• This section does not override any provision in Part 3 of the Act that specifically assigns deemed earnings to a particular tax year.