The FRC has issued two Exposure Drafts proposing amendments to UK and Ireland accounting standards. Both reflect topical issues.
FRED 75 ‘Draft amendments to FRS 104 – Going Concern’ proposes to:
- clarify the requirement to assess the going concern basis of accounting; and
- require the disclosure of any related material uncertainties,
when preparing interim financial statements in accordance with FRS 104.
As FRS 104 already requires an assessment of the going concern basis of accounting, in order to include a statement that the same accounting policies are applied as compared to the most recent annual financial statements, this element of the proposals will not be a change for companies, and should be applied prior to these proposals being finalised. The disclosure of any related material uncertainties will enhance the information available to users of the interim financial statements.
FRED 76 ’Draft amendments to FRC 102 and FRS 105 – Covid-19-realted rent’ proposes explicit requirements for accounting for temporary rent concessions for operating leases occurring as a direct consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and within a limited timeframe. They shall be recognised over the period the concession is intended to compensate, reflecting the economic substance of the concessions and their temporary nature.
Both comment periods end on 1 September 2020. The proposals in FRED 75 are expected to apply to interim periods beginning on or after 1 January 2021, and the proposals in FRED 76 are expected to apply to accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2020. In both cases early application will be permitted.
