The average number of persons, including directors, employed by the company during the year was as follows:
Primebase Investments Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 73 Cornhill, London, EC3V 3QQ.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 105 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable to the Micro-Entities Regime' and the requirements of the Companies Act 2014.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Turnover is recognised at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business, and is shown net of VAT and other sales related taxes. The fair value of consideration takes into account trade discounts, settlement discounts and volume rebates.
When cash inflows are deferred and represent a financing arrangement, the fair value of the consideration is the present value of the future receipts. The difference between the fair value of the consideration and the nominal amount received is recognised as interest income.
Revenue from the sale of goods is recognised when the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods have passed to the buyer (usually on dispatch of the goods), the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the entity and the costs incurred or to be incurred in respect of the transaction can be measured reliably.
Revenue from contracts for the provision of professional services is recognised by reference to the stage of completion when the stage of completion, costs incurred and costs to complete can be estimated reliably. The stage of completion is calculated by comparing costs incurred, mainly in relation to contractual hourly staff rates and materials, as a proportion of total costs. Where the outcome cannot be estimated reliably, revenue is recognised only to the extent of the expenses recognised that are recoverable.
Investment property, which is property held to earn rentals and/or for capital appreciation, is initially recognised at cost, which includes the purchase cost and any directly attributable expenditure. Subsequently it is measured at cost net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
Financial assets and liabilities are recognised only when the company becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. They are recognised initially at cost, which is measured at the transaction price including material transaction costs. Financial assets and liabilities are offset when the company currently has a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and intends either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Transaction costs not immediately recognised in profit or loss are recognised in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the term of the contract.
For transactions where settlement is deferred beyond normal credit terms, total interest income or expense is allocated on a straight-line basis over the term of the contract. Otherwise, it is allocated at a constant rate (normally the contractual rate of interest) on the carrying amount of the financial asset or liability excluding transaction costs not yet recognised in profit or loss.
Investments in preference shares or ordinary shares and investments in subsidiaries and associates and interests in jointly controlled entities are subsequently measured at cost less impairment.
Derivatives are subsequently measured at cost adjusted for amounts recognised in profit or loss over the term of the instruments and any impairment loss.
Other financial instruments are subsequently measured at cost adjusted for the allocation of interest, the amortisation of any transaction costs included in the cost of the instruments and any impairment loss.
Financial assets are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date and any impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss. If in a subsequent period the amount of an impairment loss decreases and the decrease can be related to an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed to the extent of this decrease, and is recognised in profit or loss.
Financial assets are considered to be impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the expected future cash flows have been materially affected. The impairment loss is calculated as the difference between the carrying amount of the asset and its fair value. For investments, fair value is calculated as the best estimate of the asset’s selling price less costs. For other assets apart from derivatives, fair value is calculated as the present value of the estimated net cash flows.
Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the company transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled. Any gain or loss on derecognition is included in profit or loss.
Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.
The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the profit and loss account because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.
The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets. Such benefits include paid annual leave and paid sick leave; profit-sharing and bonuses; and non-monetary benefits such as medical care, housing, cars and free or subsidised goods or services for current employees.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received. Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due. When contributions are not expected to be settled wholly within 12 months after the end of the reporting period in which the employees render the related service, the liability recognised is measured at the present value of the contributions payable.
The cost of providing benefits under defined benefit plans is determined separately for each plan, and is based on actuarial advice. Amounts paid in the period are recognised in profit and loss after adjusting for outstanding contributions payable, including the funding of any deficit.
When contributions are not expected to be settled wholly within 12 months after the end of the reporting period in which the employees render the related service, the liability recognised is measured at the present value of the contributions payable. The unwinding of the related discount is recognised as an interest expense in profit or loss in the period in which it arises.