EUROPEAN_SETTLED_ESTATES_ - Accounts

The directors of the company have elected not to include a copy of the income statement within the financial statements.true

For the financial year ended 31 March 2023 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The member has not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

European Settled Estates Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 30 St George Street, London, W1S 2FH.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance 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 company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost convention, except for non-current investments (see note 1.4). The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

Atruet the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable net of value added tax and represents interest receivable on loans.

Interests in subsidiaries and associates are measured at fair value with gains and losses passing through profit or loss. See note 3.

An associate is an entity, being neither a subsidiary nor a joint venture, in which the company holds a long-term interest and where the company has significant influence. The company considers that it has significant influence where it has the power to participate in the financial and operating decisions of the associate.

A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the company. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.

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 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.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include trade and other receivables 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.

Trade receivables, loans and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market are classified as 'loans and receivables'. Loans and receivables are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less any impairment.

Interest is recognised by applying the effective interest rate, except for short-term receivables when the recognition of interest would be immaterial.

Financial assets, other than those held at fair value through the statement of income, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.

Financial assets are impaired where 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. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in the statement of income.

If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in the statement of income.

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 substantially 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 asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.

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 of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including trade and other payables, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares that are classified as debt, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade payables are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.

The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the income statement because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was 3 (2022: 3).

The fixed asset investment brought forward was previously valued under the old accounting policy, at historical cost less impairment. The policy is now to value investments on a fair value basis and has been revised above accordingly.

Other payables include a loan of £1,887,005 (2022: £2,457,076) secured by a fixed and floating charge over the assets and undertaking of the company. Interest is levied at 5% per annum and the loan is repayable by annual instalments over five years.

On 23 December 2022, 1 Ordinary share of £1 was issued in exchange for the transfer of shares in Burlington Capital Finance Limited, creating a merger relief reserve of £14,448,831.

At the reporting date the company had provided all of its assets, together with those held by its subsidiary companies as security over a bank loan held by Burlington Capital Limited. The bank loan amounted to £11,200,000.

As at 31 March 2023 loans and accrued interest totalling £8,248,219 (2022: £10,056,041) were owed by three companies in which M D Dalgleish is a director and shareholder; S M Leighton is a director in all three companies. Interest receivable on the loans during the year amounted to £255,209 (2022: £414,354).

During the year investment income of £42,151 (2022: £40,555) was receivable from an LLP in which the company is a designated member and has the ability to exercise significant control. As at 31 March 2023, the company owed £137,404 (2022: £88,627) to the LLP.

As at 31 March 2023 the company owed £1,887,005 (2022: £2,457,076) to a pension scheme in which M D Dalgleish is a trustee and its sole member and beneficiary. S Leighton is a trustee of the pension scheme. Interest payable on the loan during the year amounted to £117,700 (2022: £145,502).

As at 31 March 2023 £645,792 (2022: £50,000) was due to a company in which M D Dalgleish is a director and shareholder and S M Leighton is a director. Interest payable on the loan during the year amounted to £4,928 (2022: £nil).