Finance Act 1996

86 Application of accounting methods. U.K.

(1) This section has effect, subject to the following provisions of this Chapter, for the determination of which of the alternative authorised accounting methods that are available by virtue of section 85 above is to be used as respects the loan relationships of a company.

(2) Different methods may be used as respects different relationships or, as respects the same relationship, for different accounting periods or for different parts of the same accounting period.

(3) If a basis of accounting which is or equates with an authorised accounting method is used as respects any loan relationship of a company in a company’s statutory accounts, then the method which is to be used for the purposes of this Chapter as respects that relationship for the accounting period, or part of a period, for which that basis is used in those accounts shall be—

(a) where the basis used in those accounts is an authorised accounting method, that method; and

(b) where it is not, the authorised accounting method with which it equates.

(4) For any period or part of a period for which the authorised accounting method to be used as respects a loan relationship of a company is not determined under subsection (3) above, an authorised accruals basis of accounting shall be used for the purposes of this Chapter as respects that loan relationship.

(5) For the purposes of this section (but subject to subsection (6) below)—

(a) a basis of accounting equates with an authorised accruals basis of accounting if it purports to allocate payments under a loan relationship to accounting periods according to when they are taken to accrue; and

(b) a basis of accounting equates with an authorised mark to market basis of accounting if (without equating with an authorised accruals basis of accounting) it purports in respect of a loan relationship—

(i) to produce credits or debits computed by reference to the determination, as at different times in an accounting period, of a fair value; and

(ii) to produce credits or debits relating to payments under that relationship according to when they become due and payable.

(6) An accounting method which purports to make any such allocation of payments under a loan relationship as is mentioned in subsection (5)(a) above shall be taken for the purposes of this section to equate with an authorised mark to market basis of accounting (rather than with an authorised accruals basis of accounting) if—

(a) it purports to bring that relationship into account in each accounting period at a value which would be a fair value if the valuation were made on the basis that interest under the relationship were to be disregarded to the extent that it has already accrued; and

(b) the credits and debits produced in the case of that relationship by that method (when it is properly applied) correspond, for all practical purposes, to the credits and debits produced in the case of that relationship, and for the same accounting period, by an authorised mark to market basis of accounting.

(7) In this section “fair value” has the same meaning as in section 85 above.

(8) In this section “statutory accounts”, in relation to a company, means—

(a) any accounts relating to that company that are drawn up in accordance with any requirements of the M1 Companies Act 1985 or the M2 Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 that apply in relation to that company;

(b) any accounts relating to that company that are drawn up in accordance with any requirements of regulations under section 70 of the M3 Friendly Societies Act 1992 that apply in relation to that company;

(c) any accounts relating to that company which are accounts to which Part I of Schedule 21C to the M4 Companies Act 1985 or Part I of Schedule 21D to that Act (companies with UK branches) applies;

(d) in the case of a company which—

(i) is not subject to any such requirements as are mentioned in paragraphs (a) or (b) above, and

(ii) is a company in whose case there are no accounts for the period in question that fall within paragraph (c) above,

any accounts relating to the company drawn up in accordance with requirements imposed in relation to that company under the law of its home State; and

(e) in the case of a company which—

(i) is not subject to any such requirements as are mentioned in paragraphs (a), (b) or (d) above, and

(ii) is a company in whose case there are no accounts for the period in question that fall within paragraph (c) above,

the accounts relating to the company that most closely correspond to the accounts which, in the case of a company formed and registered under the Companies Act 1985, are required under that Act.

(9) For the purposes of subsection (8) above the home State of a company is the country or territory under whose law the company is incorporated.

Marginal Citations

M1 1985 c. 6.

M2 S.I. 1986/1032 (N.I.6).

M3 1992 c. 40.

M4 1985 c. 6.