The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 'Basic Financial Instruments' and Section 12 'Other Financial Instruments Issues' of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the company's statement of financial position when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Basic financial assets
Basic financial assets, which include debtors, and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Derecognition of financial assets
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 substatially 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 asest has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirely to an unrelated third party.
Classification of financial liabilities and equity
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all its liabilities.
Basic Financial liabilities
Basic financial liabilities, including trade and other payables, are intially recognised at transaction price unelss the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measure at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Derecognition of financial liabilities
Financial liabilities are derecognised when, and only when, the company's contractual obligations are discharged, cancelled, or they expire.
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash at bank and on hand, deposits with banks and other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less and bank overdrafts. In the statement of financial position, bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings or current liabilities when applicable.
Equity Instruments
Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of the direct issue costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.
Impairment of financial assets
Financial assets, other than those held at fair value through profit and loss, are assessd for indicators of impairment at each reporting date.
Financial assets are impaired when there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. The impairment loss is recognised in the income statement.