COVID-19 support grants paid to companies must be included on company tax returns

HMRC has warned that businesses must declare any coronavirus (COVID-19) support grants or payments on their company tax returns and stated that the grants and payments are taxable.

The deadline for filing company tax returns is 12 months after the end of the accounting period.

The deadline to pay corporation tax will depend on any taxable profits and when the end of the accounting period occurs. It is generally nine months after the end of the accounting period unless profits exceed £1.5 million.

Grants to be included as taxable income include:

• Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate
• Coronavirus Business Support Grants (also known as local authority grants or business rate grants)
• Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) grant
• Eat Out to Help Out payment.

If a company received any of these payments, they will need to do both of the following on their CT600 tax return:

• include it as income when calculating their taxable profits in line with the relevant accounting standards
• report it separately on their company tax return using the CJRS and Eat Out to Help Out boxes.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's Director General for Customer Services, said:

'We want to make sure companies are getting their tax returns right, first time, including any COVID-19 support payment declarations. Support and guidance is available on GOV.UK.'

Internet link: HMRC press release  GOV.UK