IASB extends practical relief regarding COVID-19-related rent concessions

In May 2020, the IASB issued Covid-19-Related Rent Concessions (Amendment to IFRS 16). The pronouncement amended IFRS 16 Leases to provide lessees with an exemption from assessing whether a COVID-19-related rent concession is a lease modification. On issuance, the practical expedient was limited to rent concessions for which any reduction in lease payments affects only payments originally due on or before 30 June 2021.

The Changes in Covid-19-Related Rent Concessions beyond 30 June 2021 (Amendment to IFRS 16) amend IFRS 16 to

1. permit a lessee to apply the practical expedient regarding COVID-19-related rent concessions to rent concessions for which any reduction in lease payments affects only payments originally due on or before 30 June 2022 (rather than only payments originally due on or before 30 June 2021);
2. require a lessee applying the amendment to do so for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2021;
3. require a lessee applying the amendment to do so retrospectively, recognising the cumulative effect of initially applying the amendment as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings (or other component of equity, as appropriate) at the beginning of the annual reporting period in which the lessee first applies the amendment; and
4. specify that, in the reporting period in which a lessee first applies the amendment, a lessee is not required to disclose the information required by paragraph 28(f) of IAS 8.

The amendment is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2021 (earlier application permitted, including in financial statements not yet authorised for issue at the date the amendment is issued).

The final amendment includes a joint dissenting opinion by Board members Nick Anderson and Zachary Gast. They voted against publication of the final amendments noting that when the practical expedient was initially offered, its application was limited to a very specific timeframe. Extending the period during which the practical expedient is available does further impede comparability between lessees that apply the practical expedient and those that do not. They also note that support from users of financial statements for the original amendment was based on limiting the practical expedient to a specific time frame. In addition, they highlight that lessees are no longer applying IFRS 16 for the first time.

Please click for:

• IASB press release (link to IASB website)
• Need to know newsletter
• Our UK Accounting Plus project page on IFRS 16 and COVID-19 — Extension of practical expedient
• Updated EFRAG endorsement status report