BIPRU 3.5 Simplified method of calculating risk weights
This section (BIPRU 3.5) sets out a simplified approach to calculating risk weights. This approach is only relevant to an exposure class for which risk weights are determined by the ratings of a nominated ECAI or an export credit agency. For other exposure classes a firm should use the normal approach under the standardised approach.
The approach in this section is only likely to be relevant for a limited licence firm or a limited activity firm that has only incidental credit exposures and for whom it would be prohibitively costly to establish the systems needed to include the credit assessments of ECAIs and export credit agencies in its regulatory capital calculations. However the approach may be used by other firms if appropriate. A firm should notify the FSA if it adopts the approach in this section.
Rather than risk weighting exposures individually, a firm eligible to apply the simplified approach should apply a single risk weight to all exposures in each exposure class. The simplified risk weight for exposures in a particular class will be the risk weighting for unrated entities for each exposure class in which the external credit assessments influence risk weights.
The table in BIPRU 3.5.5 G has a summary of the risk weights that a firm should use if it uses the simplified method of calculating risk weights referred to in BIPRU 3.5.1 G.
Table : Simplified method of calculating risk weights
This table belongs to BIPRU 3.5.4 G.
Exposure class |
Exposure sub-class |
Risk weights |
Comments |
Central government |
Exposures to United Kingdom government or Bank of England in sterling |
0% |
|
Exposures to United Kingdom government or Bank of England in the currency of another EEA State |
0% |
See Note 2. |
|
Exposures to EEA State's central government or central bank in currency of that state |
0% |
||
Exposures to EEA State's central government or central bank in the currency of another EEA State |
0% |
See Notes 2 and 3. |
|
Exposures to central governments or central banks of certain countries outside the EEA in currency of that country |
See next column |
The risk weight is whatever it is under local law. See BIPRU 3.4.6 R for precise details. |
|
Exposures to European Central Bank |
0% |
||
Other exposures |
100% |
||
Regional/local governments |
Exposures to the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly in sterling |
0% |
|
Exposures to the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly in the currency of another EEA State |
0% |
See Note 2. |
|
Exposures to EEA States' equivalent regional/local governments in currency of that state |
0% |
See BIPRU 3.4.17 R for details of type of local/regional government covered. |
|
Exposures to EEA States' equivalent regional/local governments in the currency of another EEA State |
0% |
See BIPRU 3.4.17 R for details of type of local/regional government covered. See Notes 2 and 3. |
|
Exposures to local or regional governments of certain countries outside the EEA in currency of that country |
0% |
See BIPRU 3.4.19 R for details of type of local/regional government covered. See Note 1. |
|
Exposures to United Kingdom or EEA States' local/regional government in currency of that state if the exposure has original effective maturity of 3 months or less |
20% |
||
Exposures to United Kingdom or EEA States' local/regional government in the currency of another EEA State if the exposure has original effective maturity of 3 months or less |
20% |
See Note 2. See Note 3 for local/regional government of an EEA State other than the United Kingdom |
|
Exposures to local or regional governments of countries outside the EEA in currency of that country if the exposure has original effective maturity of 3 months or less |
20% |
See Note 1. |
|
Other exposures |
100% |
||
Exposures to a PSE of the United Kingdom or of an EEA State if that PSE is guaranteed by its central government and if the exposure is be in currency of that PSE's state. |
0% |
BIPRU 3.4.24 R describes the United Kingdom PSEs covered and BIPRU 3.4.25 R describes the EEA PSEs covered. |
|
Exposures to PSE of a country outside the EEA if that PSE is guaranteed by the country's central government and if the exposure is in currency of that country. |
0% |
See BIPRU 3.4.26 R and Note 1. |
|
Exposures to a PSE of the United Kingdom or of an EEA State in currency of that state if the exposure has original effective maturity of 3 months or less |
20% |
||
Exposures to a PSEof the United Kingdom or of an EEA State in the currency of another EEA State if the exposure has original effective maturity of 3 months or less |
20% |
See Notes 2 and 3. |
|
Exposures to PSE of a country outside the EEA in currency of that country if the exposure has original effective maturity of 3 months or less |
20% |
See Note 1. |
|
Other exposures |
100% |
||
Exposures to multilateral development banks listed in paragraph (1) of the Glossary definition |
0% |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. |
|
Other exposures |
Various |
Treated as an institution |
|
European Community, the International Monetary Fund and the Bank for International Settlements |
0% |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. |
|
Exposures to United Kingdom institution in sterling with original effective maturity of three months or less |
20% |
||
Exposures to United Kingdom institution in the currency of another EEA State with original effective maturity of three months or less |
20% |
See Note 2. |
|
Exposures to institution whose head office is in another EEA State in the currency of that state with original effective maturity of three months or less |
20% |
||
Exposures to institution whose head office is in another EEA State in the currency of another EEA State with original effective maturity of three months or less |
20% |
See Notes 2 and 3. |
|
Exposures to institution with a head office in a country outside the EEA in the currency of that country with original effective maturity of three months or less |
20% |
See Note 1. |
|
Exposures to United Kingdom institution in sterling with original effective maturity of over three months |
50% |
||
Exposures to United Kingdom institution in the currency of another EEA State with original effective maturity of over three months |
50% |
See Note 2. |
|
Exposures to an EEA institution with a head office in another EEA State in the currency of that state with original effective maturity of over months |
50% |
||
Exposures to an EEA institution with a head office in another EEA State in the currency of another EEA State with original effective maturity of over months |
50% |
See Notes 2 and 3. |
|
Exposures to institution with a head office in a country outside the EEA in the currency of that country with original effective maturity of over months |
50% |
See Note 1. |
|
Other exposures |
100% |
||
100% |
|||
75% |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. |
||
Mortgages on residential or commercial property |
Various |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. |
|
Past due items |
Various |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. |
|
High risk items |
150% |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. |
|
Various |
Risk weights are based on the risk weight of issuer as described in BIPRU 3.4.110 R. The risk weight of the issuer for this purpose should be calculated under the simplified approach. |
||
Generally 1250%. May look through to underlying exposures if BIPRU 9 allows. |
Use the BIPRU 9 rules for unrated exposures under the standardised approach |
||
Short term exposures with rating |
See BIPRU 3.4.112 R. Not applicable as uses ECAI ratings. |
||
May look through to underlying under BIPRU 3.4.123 R |
Various |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. May use simplified approach to underlying if simplified approach applies to underlying. |
|
May use average risk weight under BIPRU 3.4.124 R |
Various |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. May use simplified approach to underlyings if simplified approach applies to underlying. |
|
High risk under BIPRU 3.4.118 R |
150% |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. |
|
Others |
100% |
||
Other items under BIPRU 3.2.9 R (16) |
Various |
Simplified approach does not apply. Normal rules apply. |
|
Note 1: The risk weight should not be lower than the risk weight that applies for national currency exposures of the central government of the third country in question under BIPRU 3.5. That means that this risk weight only applies if the third country is one of those to which BIPRU 3.4.6 R (Preferential risk weight for exposures of the central government of countries outside the EEA that apply equivalent prudential standards) applies. |
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Note 2: This is a transitional measure. It lasts until 31 December 2012. |
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Note 3: The risk weight should not be lower than the risk weight that applies for exposures of the central government of the EEA State in question in the currency of another EEA State under BIPRU 3.5. |
|||
If an exposure is guaranteed and if under BIPRU 5 the firm may treat the exposure as being to the guarantor, the simplified approach may be used for the guarantor. The key provisions are BIPRU 5.7.23 R to BIPRU 5.7.25 R.
If an exposure is collateralised and if under BIPRU 5 the firm may recognise the collateral, the simplified approach may be used to determine the risk weight to be applied to the collateralised exposure. The key provisions are BIPRU 5.4.18 R to BIPRU 5.4.21 R.
If a firm does not nominate one or more eligible ECAIs as referred to in BIPRU 3.6.4 R the firm must not use the financial collateral comprehensive method.