Companies Act 2006

403 Group accounts: applicable accounting framework U.K.

[F1 (1) The group accounts of a parent company whose securities are, on its balance sheet date, admitted to trading on a UK regulated market must be prepared in accordance with UK-adopted international accounting standards (“IAS group accounts”).]

(2) The group accounts of other companies may be prepared—

(a) in accordance with section 404 (“Companies Act group accounts”), or

(b) in accordance with [F2 UK-adopted international accounting standards] (“IAS group accounts”).

This is subject to the following provisions of this section.

(3) The group accounts of a parent company that is a charity must be Companies Act group accounts.

(4) After the first financial year in which the directors of a parent company prepare IAS group accounts (“the first IAS year”), all subsequent group accounts of the company must be prepared in accordance with [F3 UK-adopted international accounting standards] unless there is a relevant change of circumstance. [F4 This is subject to subsection (5A).]

(5) There is a relevant change of circumstance if, at any time during or after the first IAS year—

(a) the company becomes a subsidiary undertaking of another undertaking that does not prepare IAS group accounts,

(b) the company ceases to be a company with securities admitted to trading on a [F5 UK regulated market], or

(c) a parent undertaking of the company ceases to be an undertaking with securities admitted to trading on a [F6 UK regulated market].

[F7 (5A) After a financial year in which the directors of a parent company prepare IAS group accounts for the company, the directors may change to preparing Companies Act group accounts for a reason other than a relevant change of circumstance provided they have not changed to Companies Act group accounts in the period of five years preceding the first day of that financial year.

(5B) In calculating the five year period for the purpose of subsection (5A), no account should be taken of a change due to a relevant change of circumstance.]

(6) If, having changed to preparing Companies Act group accounts F8 . . . , the directors again prepare IAS group accounts for the company, subsections (4) and (5) apply again as if the first financial year for which such accounts are again prepared were the first IAS year.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 403(1) substituted (31.12.2020 with effect in relation to financial years beginning on or after IP completion day) by The International Accounting Standards and European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/685), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. 1 para. 10(a) (with reg. 1(4)-(8), Sch. 1 para. 64) (as amended by S.I. 2020/335, regs. 1, 3, 4 and S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 22, 25(b)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F2 Words in s. 403(2)(b) substituted (31.12.2020 with effect in relation to financial years beginning on or after IP completion day) by The International Accounting Standards and European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/685), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. 1 para. 10(b) (with reg. 1(4)-(8), Sch. 1 para. 64) (as amended by S.I. 2020/335, regs. 1, 3, 4 and S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 22, 25(b)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F3 Words in s. 403(4) substituted (31.12.2020 with effect in relation to financial years beginning on or after IP completion day) by The International Accounting Standards and European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/685), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. 1 para. 10(b) (with reg. 1(4)-(8), Sch. 1 para. 64) (as amended by S.I. 2020/335, regs. 1, 3, 4 and S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 22, 25(b)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F4 Words in s. 403(4) inserted (1.10.2012 with application in accordance with reg. 2 of the amending S.I.) by The Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit Exemptions and Change of Accounting Framework) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2301), regs. 1, 15

F5 Words in s. 403(5)(b) substituted (31.12.2020 with effect in relation to financial years beginning on or after IP completion day) by The Accounts and Reports (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/145), regs. 1(2)(b), 2, Sch. 2 para. 11(a) (with reg. 7(2)) (as amended by S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 10, 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F6 Words in s. 403(5)(c) substituted (31.12.2020 with effect in relation to financial years beginning on or after IP completion day) by The Accounts and Reports (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/145), regs. 1(2)(b), 2, Sch. 2 para. 11(b) (with reg. 7(2)) (as amended by S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 10, 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F7 S. 403(5A)(5B) inserted (1.10.2012 with application in accordance with reg. 2 of the amending S.I.) by The Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit Exemptions and Change of Accounting Framework) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2301), regs. 1, 16

F8 Words in s. 403(6) omitted (1.10.2012 with application in accordance with reg. 2 of the amending S.I.) by virtue of The Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit Exemptions and Change of Accounting Framework) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2301), regs. 1, 17

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pts. 1-39 modified (31.12.2020) by Regulation (EC) No. 2157/2001, Art. AAA1(3) (as inserted by The European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1298), regs. 1, 97 (with regs. 140-145) (as amended by S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 5(a)-(f)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1))

C2 Ss. 402-406 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1801), reg. 38 (with Sch. 8)

C3 Ss. 402-406 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by The Overseas Companies Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/1801), reg. 53 (with Sch. 8)

C4 Ss. 380-414 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2009) by S.I. 2009/2436, regs. 3-5, Sch 1 para. 10 (with reg. 7, Sch. 2) (and the said Sch. 1 para. 10 is amended (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Unregistered Companies (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1972), regs. 1(2), 2(2)(a))

C5 Ss. 398-408 applied (with modifications) (1.10.2008) by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1911), reg. 10 (as amended (with effect in accordance with reg. 2(2)-(5) of the amending S.I.) by The Limited Liability Partnerships, Partnerships and Groups (Accounts and Audit) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/575), regs. 2(1), 9); (with effect in accordance with reg. 2(5)(b) of the amending S.I.) by The Statutory Auditors Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1164), reg. 1(2)(3), Sch. 3 para. 3 (with reg. 2(6)(7)); (31.12.2020) by The International Accounting Standards and European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/685), reg. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 58(4) (with reg. 1(3)-(8), Sch. 1 para. 65) (as amended by S.I. 2020/335, regs. 1, 3, 4 and S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 22, 25(c)); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1); and (31.12.2020 with effect in relation to financial years beginning on or after IP completion day) by The Accounts and Reports (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/145), regs. 1(2)(b), 2, Sch. 3 para. 16 (with reg. 7(2)) (as amended by S.I. 2020/523, regs. 1(2), 10, 11); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1))