IPRU-INV 12.3 CALCULATION OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES

IPRU-INV 12.3.1RRP
  1. (1)

    A firm must at all times have available the amount and type of financial resources1 required by this chapter (see IPRU-INV 12.3.2R).

  2. (2)

    In arriving at its calculation of its financial resources1, a firm must deduct certain items (see IPRU-INV 12.3.3R).

IPRU-INV 12.3.2RRP

Table: Items which are eligible to contribute to the financial resources of a firm

Item

Additional explanation

1.

Share capital

This must be fully paid and may include:

(1)

ordinary share capital; or

(2)

preference share capital (excluding preference shares redeemable by shareholders within two years).

2.

Capital other than share capital (for example, the capital of a sole trader, partnership or limited liability partnership)

The capital of a sole trader is the net balance on the firm's capital account and current account. The capital of a partnership is the capital made up of the partners':

(1)

capital account, that is the account:

(a)

into which capital contributed by the partners is paid; and

(b)

from which, under the terms of the partnership agreement, an amount representing capital may be withdrawn by a partner only if:

( i) he ceases to be a partner and an equal amount is transferred to another such account by his former partners or any person replacing him as their partner; or

(ii) the partnership is otherwise dissolved or wound up; and

(2)

current accounts according to the most recent financial statement.

For the purpose of the calculation of financial resources1, in respect of a defined benefit occupational pension scheme:

(1)

a firm must derecognise any defined benefit asset;

(2)

a firm may substitute for a defined benefit liability the firm's deficit reduction amount, provided that the election is applied consistently in respect of any one financial year.

3.

Reserves (Note 1)

These are, subject to Note 1, the audited accumulated profits retained by the firm (after deduction of tax, dividends and proprietors' or partners' drawings) and other reserves created by appropriations of share premiums and similar realised appropriations. Reserves also include gifts of capital, for example, from a parent undertaking.

For the purposes of calculating financial resources1, a firm must make the following adjustments to its reserves, where appropriate:

(1)

a firm must deduct any unrealised gains or, where applicable, add back in any unrealised losses on debt instruments held, or formerly held, in the available-for-sale financial assets category;

(2)

a firm must deduct any unrealised gains or, where applicable, add back in any unrealised losses on cash flow hedges of financial instruments measured at cost or amortised cost;

(3)

in respect of a defined benefit occupational pension scheme:

(a)

a firm must derecognise any defined benefit asset;

(b)

a firm may substitute for a defined benefit liability the firm's deficit reduction amount, provided that the election is applied consistently in respect of any one financial year.

4.

Interim net profits (Note 1)

If a firm seeks to include interim net profits in the calculation of its financial resources1, the profits have, subject to Note 1, to be verified by the firm's external auditor, net of tax, anticipated dividends or proprietors' drawings and other appropriations.

5.

Revaluation reserves

6.

Subordinated loans/debt

Subordinated loans/debt must be included in financial resources1 on the basis of the provisions in this chapter that apply to subordinated loans/debt.

Note:

1

Reserves must be audited and interim net profits, general and collective provisions must be verified by the firm's external auditor unless the firm is exempt from the provisions of Part VII of the Companies Act 1985 (section 249A (Exemptions from audit)) or, where applicable, Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 (section 477 (Small companies: Conditions for exemption from audit)) relating to the audit of accounts.

IPRU-INV 12.3.3RRP

Table: Items which must be deducted in arriving at financial resources

1

Investments in own shares

2

Investments in subsidiaries (Note 1)

3

Intangible assets (Note 2)

4

Interim net losses (Note 3)

5

Excess of drawings over profits for a sole trader or a partnership (Note 3)

Notes

1. Investments in subsidiaries are the full balance sheet value.

2. Intangible assets are the full balance sheet value of goodwill, capitalised development costs, brand names, trademarks and similar rights and licences.

3. The interim net losses in row 4, and the excess of drawings in row 5, are in relation to the period following the date as at which the capital resources are being computed.

Subordinated loans/debt

IPRU-INV 12.3.4RRP

A subordinated loan/debt must not form part of the financial resources1 of the firm unless it meets the following conditions:

  1. (1)

    it has an original maturity of:

    1. (a)

      at least five years; or

    2. (b)

      it is subject to five years’ notice of repayment;

  2. (2)

    the claims of the subordinated creditors must rank behind those of all unsubordinated creditors;

  3. (3)

    the only events of default must be non-payment of any interest or principal under the debt agreement or the winding up of the firm and such event of default must not prejudice the subordination in (2);

  4. (4)

    the remedies available to the subordinated creditor in the event of non-payment or other default in respect of the subordinated loan/debt must be limited to petitioning for the winding up of the firm or proving the debt and claiming in the liquidation of the firm;

  5. (5)

    the subordinated loan/debt must not become due and payable before its stated final maturity date except on an event of default complying with (3);

  6. (6)

    the agreement and the debt are governed by the law of England and Wales, or of Scotland or of Northern Ireland;

  7. (7)

    to the fullest extent permitted under the rules of the relevant jurisdiction, creditors must waive their right to set off amounts they owe the firm against subordinated amounts owed to them by the firm;

  8. (8)

    the terms of the subordinated loan/debt must be set out in a written agreement that contains terms that provide for the conditions set out in this rule; and

  9. (9)

    the loan/debt must be unsecured and fully paid up.

IPRU-INV 12.3.5 RRP

When calculating its financial resources1, the firm must exclude any amount by which the aggregate amount of its subordinated loans/debts exceeds the amount calculated as follows:

a – b

where:

a

=

Items 1 -5 in the table of items which are eligible to contribute to a firm’s financial resources1 (see IPRU-INV 12.3.2R)

b

=

Items 1- 5 in the table of items which must be deducted from a firm’s financial resources1 (see IPRU-INV 12.3.3R)

IPRU-INV 12.3.6GRP

IPRU-INV 12.3.5R can be illustrated as follows:

1

    Share Capital

    £20,000

    Reserves

    £30,000

    Subordinated loans/debts

    £10,000

    Intangible Assets

    £10,000

    As subordinated loans/debts (£10,000) are less than the total of share capital + reserves – intangible assets (£40,000) the firm need not exclude any of its subordinated loans/debts pursuant to IPRU-INV 12.3.5R. Therefore, total financial resources1 will be £50,000.

    Share Capital

    £20,000

    Reserves

    £30,000

    Subordinated loans/debts

    £60,000

    Intangible Assets

    £10,000

    As subordinated loans/debts (£60,000) exceed the total of share capital + reserves – intangible assets (£40,000) by £20,000, the firm should exclude £20,000 of its subordinated loans/debts when calculating its financial resources1. Therefore, total financial resources1 will be £80,000.