Bennett Griffin LLP is a limited liability partnership incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is:
1 Liverpool Gardens
Worthing
England
BN11 1TF
The limited liability partnership's principal activities are disclosed in the Members' Report.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice "Accounting by Limited Liability Partnerships" issued in December 2021, together with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 as applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime. The disclosure requirements of section 1A of FRS 102 have been applied other than where additional disclosure is required to show a true and fair view.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the limited liability partnership. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
Revenue is recognised to the extent that the limited liability partnership obtains the right to consideration in exchange for its performance. Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration received, excluding discounts, rebates, VAT and other sales tax or duty.
The SORP recognised that the basis of calculating profits for allocation may differ from the profits reflected through the financial statements prepared in compliance with recommended practice, given the established need to seek to focus profit allocation on ensuring equity between different generations and populations of members.
Members' fixed shares of profits (excluding discretionary fixed share bonuses) and interest earned on members' balances are automatically allocated and, are treated as members' remuneration charged as an expense to the profit and loss account in arriving at profit available for discretionary division among members.
Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of acquisition of unincorporated businesses over the fair value of net assets acquired. It is initially recognised as an asset at cost and is subsequently measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and accumulated impairment losses. Goodwill is considered to have a finite useful life and is amortised on a systematic basis over its expected life, which is 3 years.
For the purposes of impairment testing, goodwill is allocated to the cash-generating units expected to benefit from the acquisition. Cash-generating units to which goodwill has been allocated are tested for impairment at least annually, or more frequently when there is an indication that the unit may be impaired. If the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit is less than the carrying amount of the unit, the impairment loss is allocated first to reduce the carrying amount of any goodwill allocated to the unit and then to the other assets of the unit pro-rata on the basis of the carrying amount of each asset in the unit.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the profit and loss account.
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.
The taxation payable on the partnership's profits is the personal liability of the members, although payment of such liabilities is administered by the partnership on behalf of its members. Consequently, neither partnership taxation nor related deferred taxation is accounted for in these financial statements. Sums set aside in respect of member's tax obligations are included in the balance sheet within loans and other debts due to members, or are set against amounts due from members as appropriate.
Provisions are recognised when the limited liability partnership has an obligation at the reporting date as a result of a past event, it is probable that the limited liability partnership will be required to settle that obligation and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation.
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.
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 limited liability partnership is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the LLP 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 benefit contribution plans are recognised as an employee benefit expense when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment.
Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leased asset are consumed.
In the application of the limited liability partnership’s accounting policies, the members are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount 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 where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
The average number of persons (excluding members) employed by the partnership during the year was:
Within long and short term creditors are bank loans and overdrafts due to Royal Bank of Scotland plc of £50,000 (2024: £80,000), which are secured by a Government guarantee.
In the event of a winding up the amounts included in "Loans and other debts due to members" will rank equally with unsecured creditors.
No restrictions or limitations exist on the ability of the members to reduce the amount of ‘Members’ other interests’.
The total amount of financial commitments not included within the balance sheet is £161,957 (2024: £257,266).
The members have personal guarantees over bank loans totalling £50,000 (2024: £50,000).