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Registration number: 07646718

Prepared for the registrar

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Annual Report and Unaudited Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Contents

Company Information

1

Balance Sheet

2

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements

3 to 11

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Company Information

Directors

T W Barnacle

A R Baskerville

J L Bell

P A Bell

G W L Fellowes

J F Harrison-James

S S Leach

R Price

G McLachlan

S Taylor

A W G Bell

L K Leach

C L Baskerville

D J Scott

L E Wiggins

Registered office

Langford Mill
Charfield Road
Kingswood
Wotton-Under-Edge
Gloucestershire
GL12 8RL

Accountants

Hazlewoods LLP
Windsor House
Bayshill Road
Cheltenham
GL50 3AT

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

(Registration number: 07646718)
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024

Note

2024
£

2023
£

Fixed assets

 

Intangible assets

4

200,000

280,000

Tangible assets

5

156,027

195,741

 

356,027

475,741

Current assets

 

Debtors

6

4,817,750

4,261,394

Cash at bank and in hand

 

1,919,191

1,570,584

 

6,736,941

5,831,978

Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

7

(1,611,661)

(1,389,570)

Net current assets

 

5,125,280

4,442,408

Total assets less current liabilities

 

5,481,307

4,918,149

Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year

7

(81,235)

(237,593)

Deferred tax liabilities

8

38,820

38,820

Net assets

 

5,438,892

4,719,376

Capital and reserves

 

Called up share capital

79

79

Capital redemption reserve

21

21

Profit and loss account

5,438,792

4,719,276

Shareholders' funds

 

5,438,892

4,719,376

For the financial year ending 31 March 2024 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors' responsibilities:

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476; and

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

These financial statements have been delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime and the option not to file the Profit and Loss Account has been taken.

Approved and authorised by the Board on 29 August 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
 


J L Bell
Director


S S Leach
Director

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

 

1

General information

The company is a private company limited by share capital, incorporated in England and Wales.

The address of its registered office is:
Langford Mill
Charfield Road
Kingswood
Wotton-Under-Edge
Gloucestershire
GL12 8RL

 

2

Accounting policies

Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.

Statement of compliance

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102 Section 1A smaller entities - 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006 (as applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime).

Basis of preparation

These financial statements have been prepared using the historical cost convention except for, where disclosed in these accounting policies, certain items that are shown at fair value.

The presentational currency of the financial statements is Pounds Sterling, being the functional currency of the primary economic environment in which the company operates. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest Pound.

Going concern

After reviewing the company's forecasts and projections, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The company therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements.

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods.
 

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Key sources of estimation uncertainty

Amounts recoverable on contracts - The process of assessing amounts recoverable on contracts requires various estimates and judgements to be made. Fee earners are required to record time spent on client assignments and this is used as the basis for the amounts recoverable on contracts and work in progress estimates. A year end report of time on all assignments is circulated to fee earners to identify likely recoverable amounts. The carrying amount is £2,745,711 (2023 -£2,551,411).

Bad debt provision - Due to the nature of the business, there are high levels of trade receivables at the year end and, therefore, a risk that some of these balances may be irrecoverable. A bad debt review is carried out, where debts are assessed and provided against when the recoverability of these balances is considered to be uncertain. The carrying amount is £42,417 (2023 -£53,746).

Revenue recognition

Fee income represents the fair value of services provided during the year on client assignments. Fair value reflects the amounts expected to be recoverable from clients based on time spent, skills provided and expenses incurred, and exclude VAT. Income is recognised as contract activity progresses and the right to consideration is secured, except where the final outcome cannot be assessed with reasonable certainty.

Income in respect of contingent fee assignments is recognised in the period when the contingent event occurs and collectability of the fee is assured.

Unbilled income on individual client assignments is included as amounts recoverable on contracts within debtors.

Tax

The tax expense for the period comprises current and deferred tax. Tax is recognised in the profit and loss account, except that a charge attributable to an item of income or expense recognised as other comprehensive income is also recognised directly in other comprehensive income.

The current income tax charge is calculated on the basis of tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date in the countries where the company operates and generates taxable income.

Deferred income tax is recognised on temporary differences arising between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their carrying amounts in the financial statements and on unused tax losses or tax credits in the company. Deferred income tax is determined using tax rates and laws that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting date.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets are reviewed at each reporting date and a valuation allowance is set up against deferred tax assets so that the net carrying amount equals the highest amount that is more likely than not to be recovered based on current or future taxable profit.

Tangible assets

Tangible assets are stated in the statement of financial position at cost, less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.

The cost of tangible assets includes directly attributable incremental costs incurred in their acquisition and installation.

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Depreciation

Depreciation is charged so as to write off the cost of assets, other than land and properties under construction over their estimated useful lives, as follows:

Asset class

Depreciation method and rate

Leasehold improvements

10% straight line

Computer equipment

33% straight line

Furniture and fittings

20% straight line

Goodwill

Goodwill is amortised over its useful life.

Intangible assets

Goodwill arising on the acquisition of an entity represents the excess of the cost of acquisition over the company’s interest in the net fair value of the identifiable assets, liabilities and contingent liabilities of the entity recognised at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is initially recognised as an asset at cost and is subsequently measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses. Goodwill is held in the currency of the acquired entity and revalued to the closing rate at each reporting period date.

Negative goodwill arising on an acquisition is recognised on the face of the balance sheet on the acquisition date and subsequently the excess up to the fair value of non-monetary assets acquired is recognised in profit or loss in the periods in which the non-monetary assets are recovered.

Amortisation

Amortisation is provided on intangible assets so as to write off the cost, less any estimated residual value, over their useful life as follows:

Asset class

Amortisation method and rate

Goodwill

15 years straight line

Trade debtors

Trade debtors are amounts due from clients for services performed in the ordinary course of business.

Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. All trade debtors are repayable within one year and hence are included at the undiscounted cost of cash expected to be received. A provision for the impairment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the company will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the debtors.

Trade creditors

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if the company does not have an unconditional right, at the end of the reporting period, to defer settlement of the creditor for at least twelve months after the reporting date. If there is an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve months after the reporting date, they are presented as non-current liabilities.

Trade creditors are recognised initially at the transaction price and all are repayable within one year and hence are included at the undiscounted amount of cash expected to be paid.

Borrowings

Interest-bearing borrowings are initially recorded at fair value, net of transaction costs. Interest-bearing borrowings are subsequently carried at amortised cost, with the difference between the proceeds, net of transaction costs, and the amount due on redemption being recognised as a charge to the profit and loss account over the period of the relevant borrowing.

Interest expense is recognised on the basis of the effective interest method and is included in interest payable and similar charges.

Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the company has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date.

Leases

Leases in which substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are retained by the lessor are classified as operating leases. Payments made under operating leases are charged to profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Share capital

Ordinary shares are classified as equity. Equity instruments are measured at the fair value of the cash or other resources received or receivable, net of the direct costs of issuing the equity instruments. If payment is deferred and the time value of money is material, the initial measurement is on a present value basis.

Dividends

Dividend distribution to the company’s shareholders is recognised as a liability in the financial statements in the reporting period in which the dividends are declared.

Defined contribution pension obligation

A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the company has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods.

Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised as employee benefit expense when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment.

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

Financial instruments


Classification
Financial instruments are classified and accounted for according to the substance of the contractual arrangement, as financial assets, financial liabilities or equity instruments. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities. Where shares are issued, any component that creates a financial liability of the company is presented as a liability on the balance sheet. The corresponding dividends relating to the liability component are charged as interest expenses in the profit and loss account.

 Recognition and measurement
All financial assets and liabilities are initially measured at transaction price (including transaction costs), except for those financial assets classified as at fair value through profit or loss, which are initially measured at fair value (which is normally the transaction price excluding transaction costs), unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction. If an arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, the financial asset or financial liability is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.

 Impairment
Assets, other than those measured at fair value, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each balance sheet date. If there is objective evidence of impairment, an impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss as described below.

A non financial asset is impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after initial recognition, the estimated recoverable value of the asset has been reduced. The recoverable amount of an asset is the higher of its fair value less costs to sell and its value in use.

The recoverable amount of goodwill is derived from measurement of the present value of the future cash flows of the cash-generating units ('CGUs') of which the goodwill is a part. Any impairment loss in respect of a CGU is allocated first to the goodwill attached to that CGU, and then to other assets within that CGU on a pro-rata basis.

Where indicators exist for a decrease in impairment loss, the prior impairment loss is tested to determine reversal. An impairment loss is reversed on an individual impaired asset to the extent that the revised recoverable value does not lead to a revised carrying amount higher than the carrying value had no impairment been recognised. Where a reversal of impairment occurs in respect of a CGU, the reversal is applied first to the assets (other than goodwill) of the CGU on a pro-rata basis and then to any goodwill allocated to that CGU.

For financial assets carried at amortised cost, the amount of an impairment is the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the present value of estimated future cash flows, discounted at the financial asset’s original effective interest rate.

For financial assets carried at cost less impairment, the impairment loss is the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the best estimate of the amount that would be received for the asset if it were to be sold at the reporting date.

Where indicators exist for a decrease in impairment loss, and the decrease can be related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the prior impairment loss is tested to determine reversal. An impairment loss is reversed on an individual impaired financial asset to the extent that the revised recoverable value does not lead to a revised carrying amount higher than the carrying value had no impairment been recognised.

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

 

3

Staff numbers

The average number of persons employed by the company (including directors) during the year, was 43 (2023 - 39).

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

 

4

Intangible assets

Goodwill
 £

Cost

At 1 April 2023 and at 31 March 2024

1,200,000

Amortisation

At 1 April 2023

920,000

Amortisation charge

80,000

At 31 March 2024

1,000,000

Carrying amount

At 31 March 2024

200,000

At 31 March 2023

280,000

 

5

Tangible assets

Furniture and fittings
 £

Leasehold improvements
 £

Computer equipment
 £

Total
£

Cost

At 1 April 2023

114,292

411,916

146,219

672,427

Additions

-

-

23,121

23,121

At 31 March 2024

114,292

411,916

169,340

695,548

Depreciation

At 1 April 2023

97,178

249,753

129,755

476,686

Charge for the year

4,154

41,192

17,489

62,835

At 31 March 2024

101,332

290,945

147,244

539,521

Carrying amount

At 31 March 2024

12,960

120,971

22,096

156,027

At 31 March 2023

17,114

162,163

16,464

195,741

 

6

Debtors

2024
 £

2023
 £

Trade debtors

1,592,133

1,081,861

Other debtors

177,979

369,244

Prepayments

301,927

258,878

Amounts recoverable on contracts

2,745,711

2,551,411

 

4,817,750

4,261,394

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

 

7

Creditors

Note

2024
 £

2023
 £

Due within one year

 

Loans and borrowings

9

710,206

613,043

Trade creditors

 

74,653

117,857

Social security and other taxes

 

430,079

293,237

Outstanding defined contribution pension costs

 

4,747

-

Other creditors

 

6,190

9,538

Accrued expenses

 

79,728

123,136

Corporation tax liability

306,058

232,759

 

1,611,661

1,389,570

Note

2024
£

2023
£

Due after one year

 

Loans and borrowings

9

81,235

237,593

 

8

Deferred tax

Deferred tax assets and liabilities

2023

Asset
£

38,820

38,820

 

9

Loans and borrowings

2024
£

2023
£

Current loans and borrowings

Bank borrowings

395,603

396,677

Other borrowings

314,603

216,366

710,206

613,043

2024
£

2023
£

Non-current loans and borrowings

Bank borrowings

81,235

237,593

 

10

Financial commitments, guarantees and contingencies

Amounts not provided for in the balance sheet

The total amount of financial commitments not included in the balance sheet is £248,701 (2023 - £105,203).

 

Loxley Solicitors Limited

Notes to the Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2024

 

11

Related party transactions

Summary of transactions with other related parties

The company leases its offices, one of the buildings is owned by three of the directors, the other is owned by two of the directors. The total amount invoiced in the year was £87,333 and there was £nil outstanding at year end.