UK GAAP

Since 2005 listed groups in the UK have been required to prepare their consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs). Almost all other groups and companies have a choice. They can choose to follow IFRSs or UK GAAP. 

For periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015, FRSs 100101 and 102 came into force, bringing with them a number of new options for all UK entities and groups. These Standards replaced old UK GAAP.

In addition to the above three Standards, two additional Standards were in force from 1 January 2015 - FRS 103 Insurance Contracts which contains specific accounting requirements for entities that have insurance contracts (including reinsurance contracts) and are applying FRS 102 and FRS 104 Interim Financial Reporting, which is intended for use in the preparation of interim financial reports by those entities that apply FRS 102FRS 105 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the Micro Entities Regime is a financial reporting standard applicable to entities able to apply the micro entities regime. 

Companies who operate within specialised industries or sectors will also apply the requirements of their specific Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) in conjunction with the Financial Reporting Standards.  Most of the various SORP-issuing bodies have revised their SORPs in the light of FRS 102.

As the UK GAAP regime has now been in place for a number of years, preparation of either parent company or subsidiary accounts under either FRS 101 or FRS 102 should now have become a routine exercise. 

Amendments have been made to FRS 102 in relation to phase 2 of the interest rate benchmark reform and also in relation to accounting for temporary rent concessions for operating leases occurring as a direct consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic extending beyond 30 June 2021 (for which an amendment was also made to FRS 105). Amendments to FRS 101, FRS 102, FRS 104 and FRS 105 have also been made to reflect changes in company law following the UK's exit from the European Union and to FRS 101 as a result of the 2020/21 annual review of the standard.

The news articles and publications below - organised chronologically - provide a comprehensive collection of resources on the UK GAAP framework.

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Related Resources

ICAEW webinar on financial reporting changes for small companies and micro-entities

29 Sep, 2014

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) will be hosting a webinar on 21 October 2014 on the planned financial reporting changes for small companies and micro-entities in light of the implementation of the EU Accounting Directive (“the Directive”).

FRC publishes XBRL taxonomies for IFRS, FRS 101 and FRS 102

15 Sep, 2014

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has today published three finalised XBRL tagging conventions (taxonomies) which support XBRL reporting under EU-adopted IFRSs and the new UK GAAP standards.

Need to Know - BIS and FRC consult on changes to law and accounting standards as a result of the UK implementation of the EU Accounting Directive

15 Sep, 2014

This newsletter summarises the proposed changes to be made to UK law and accounting standards as a result of the implementation of the EU Accounting Directive ("the Directive") in the UK. The Directive consolidates existing legislation on financial reporting and aims to reduce the regulatory burden on smaller companies.

FRC consults on changes to UK Financial Reporting Standards as a result of the implementation of the EU Accounting Directive in the UK and Republic of Ireland

01 Sep, 2014

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has today issued a consultation of proposed changes to UK Financial Reporting Standards as a result of the implementation of the EU Accounting Directive (“the Directive”) in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Comments are invited until 30 November 2014.

FRC issues revised versions of FRS 101 and FRS 102

22 Aug, 2014

The FRC has today issued revised editions of FRS 101 and FRS 102, incorporating recently published amendments.

FRC proposes clarification of pensions accounting under FRS 102

20 Aug, 2014

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has today published Financial Reporting Exposure Draft (FRED) 55 'Draft Amendments to FRS 102 – Pension Obligations'. The draft amendments seek to clarify issues relating to accounting for defined benefit pension plans under FRS 102. Comments are invited by the FRC by 21 November 2014.

ICAEW to hold a discussion forum on the proposed changes to small company reporting

14 Aug, 2014

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) is to hold a half day discussion forum on 15 September 2014 to discuss changes to small company reporting as a result of the new EU Accounting Directive (“the new Accounting Directive”) and amendments to UK accounting standards as a result; including the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (FRSSE).

Accounting Roundup — August 2014

05 Aug, 2014

This accounting roundup covering the period April through to July 2014, pulls together the headlines for all the latest developments in accounting, providing links to a wealth of further information and resources. In this edition you can find out more on IFRS, UK GAAP and other developments, plus Deloitte publications, interviews, recordings and comment letters. A table of IFRSs effective for 30 June 2014 year-ends is also included.

Stay Tuned Online — IFRS and UK GAAP update July 2014

04 Aug, 2014

The following topics are covered in the July 2014 webcast: 1 - Narrative reporting developments and reminders for interims, 2 - New Corporate Governance Code proposals, 3 - New’ UK GAAP and IFRS developments, 4 - IFRS 9 Financial Instruments developments and 5 - IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers.

Stay Tuned Online — IFRS and UK GAAP update

04 Aug, 2014

The Deloitte London IFRS Centre of Excellence is running a series of hour-long Internet-based financial reporting updates, aimed at helping finance teams keep up to speed with IFRSs and other financial reporting issues. The July 2014 webcast is now available.

Charities Alert - Which SORP to apply?

31 Jul, 2014

This publication from Deloitte examines the choice small charities ('small' as per the Companies Act) will have from 2015, in deciding whether to report under FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard Applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland or the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities. The Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator have also prepared two separate statements of recommended practice, depending on which underlying standard is adopted.

Charities Alert - FRS 102 SORP

31 Jul, 2014

This publication from Deloitte examines the new statement of recommended practice (SORP) for charities reporting under FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The FRS 102 SORP replaces the existing SORP for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015. Key differences to the previous SORP are highlighted.

Need to know — FRC publishes final amendments to the financial instruments requirements of FRS 102

29 Jul, 2014

This publication from Deloitte discusses the amendments to FRS 102 published by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) following consultation on the proposals set out in both Financial Reporting Exposure Draft (FRED) 51 Draft amendments to FRS 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland: Hedge Accounting and FRED 54 Draft amendments to FRS 102 – Basic financial instruments.

CIPFA/LASAAC consults on new Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting

28 Jul, 2014

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the Local Authority (Scotland) Accounts Advisory Committee (LASAAC) are seeking comments on an exposure draft of the 2015/16 Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the UK (the Code) which would apply to accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2015 (“the exposure draft”). CIPFA and LASAAC are also seeking comments on a consultation to simplify and streamline the presentation of local authority financial statements.

FRC publishes amendments to FRS 102 in relation to hedge accounting and classification of financial instruments

23 Jul, 2014

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has today issued 'Amendments to FRS 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard Applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland': Basic financial instruments and Hedge accounting'.

FRC publishes amendments FRS 101 Reduced Disclosure Framework

23 Jul, 2014

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has today published amendments to Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 101 ‘Reduced Disclosure Framework’ available to UK subsidiary companies that wish to apply the recognition and measurement requirements of IFRSs in their financial statements.

ICAEW/ACCA comment letters published on new draft SORP for financial reports of pension schemes

22 Jul, 2014

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) have issued comment letters on the Pension Research Accountants Group (PRAG) and its SORP Working Party Exposure Draft (ED) setting out revised proposals for financial reporting by pension schemes in the UK. Both the ICAEW and ACCA identify areas that should be addressed before the final SORP is issued.

We comment on the new draft SORP for financial reports of pension schemes

17 Jul, 2014

We have published our comment letter on the Pension Research Accountants Group (PRAG) and its SORP Working Party Exposure Draft (ED) setting out revised proposals for financial reporting by pension schemes in the UK. Overall the SORP provides some useful guidance, however we have some concerns in relation to some of the proposals in the ED.

Deloitte comment letter on the new draft SORP for financial reports of pension schemes

17 Jul, 2014

We have published our comment letter on the Pension Research Accountants Group (PRAG) and its SORP Working Party Exposure Draft (ED) setting out revised proposals for financial reporting by pension schemes in the UK. Overall the SORP provides some useful guidance, however we have some concerns in relation to some of the proposals in the ED.

New SORPs issued for charity accounting and reporting

16 Jul, 2014

The Charity Commission for England and Wales (Charity Commission) and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) have today published two new Statements of Recommended Practice (SORPs) setting out a new framework for charity accounting and reporting.

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