Deeply discounted securities

A security is issued at a discount if the amount payable on redemption exceeds the issue price. The profits on disposal of deeply discounted securities are chargeable to income tax rather than capital gains tax. An income tax profit arises where the discount exceeds a specified proportion of the amount payable on redemption. Losses are not usually allowable.

The profit is classed as savings income for the income tax calculation, and so the savings income tax rates apply, including the starting rate for savings and the savings nil rate band. See the Taxation of savings income guidance note for details.

The current rules on deeply discounted securities (DDS) apply for transactions after 5 April 2005 and are explained in this guidance note. The provisions that applied for transactions before that time were substantially the same, however the securities were previously known as relevant discounted securities. See SAIM3010.

If the taxpayer holds DDS, it is likely that he does so within his investment portfolio run by a stockbroker. If this is the case, the broker should clearly identify the DDS within the portfolio and provide details of any profit made on these securities in the year-end tax pack.