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Secure Trust Bank

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FY2012 Annual Report · Secure Trust Bank
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Simple, straightforward banking

Secure Trust Bank PLC
Annual Report & Accounts 2012

A pioneering approach to simple, 
straightforward banking

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Simple, straightforward banking

Secure Trust Bank PLC
Annual Report & Accounts 2012

Contents

Secure Trust Bank PLC
One Arleston Way
Shirley
Solihull
West Midlands
B90 4LH

T 0121 693 9100
www.securetrustbank.com

Registration No. 00541132

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A pioneering approach to simple, 
straightforward banking

1 
Introduction
2  Group highlights
4  Chairman’s statement
6  Chief Executive’s statement
12  Culture
14  Business review – Personal Lending
16  Business review – Retail and Motor Lending
18  Business review – Current Accounts
20  Business review – Savings
22  Financial review
26  Board of Directors
28  Group Directors’ report
31  Corporate Governance statement
33  Remuneration report
35  Independent Auditor’s report
36  Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
37  Consolidated statement of financial position
38  Company statement of financial position
39  Consolidated statement of changes in equity
41  Company statement of changes in equity
42  Consolidated statement of cash flows
43  Company statement of cash flows
44  Principal accounting policies
51  Notes to the consolidated financial statements
87  Five year summary
88  Notice of Meeting
90  Corporate contacts & advisers

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Creating innovative online solutions 
for our current account customers 
enabling them to take control of 
their finances.

Pioneering at every level

Personal unsecured lending – fixed rate, fixed term 
products with payments received monthly. Loan terms are 
between 12 months and 60 months with advances varying 
from £500 to £15,000. 

Motor finance – includes a multi-channel offering through 
motor dealers and brokers. Fixed rate, fixed term hire 
purchase agreements secured mainly against used cars 
with finance term periods ranging from 24 to 60 months 
with a maximum loan size of £15,000.

Retail point of sale finance – includes lending solutions 
for store and online retailers and an “e”-tailer proposition 
distributed through partnership with Pay4Later. Unsecured, 
fixed rate and fixed term loans with payments received 
monthly. Loans vary in term from six months to 48 months 
and range from £250 to £12,000.

Current account – combines a current account with 
a prepaid card. The account charges a monthly fee of 
£12.50 but customers have the ability to earn rewards at 
participating retailers.

Savings – a combination of instant access accounts, 
notice deposits and deposit bonds with competitive 
interest rates.

Simple, straightforward banking

Secure Trust Bank PLC

Secure Trust Bank is a longstanding established UK bank. Its core 
business is to provide banking services including a range of lending 
solutions and saving products. It also provides fee-based current 
accounts to UK customers who may not be adequately served by 
other banks.

The Company, which was incorporated in 1954, operates from its head office in Solihull, 
West Midlands, has been a subsidiary of Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Limited since 1976 and 
a subsidiary of Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC since 1985. The Company successfully listed 
on AIM on 2 November 2011.

On 8 June 2012 the Company acquired Everyday Loans Holdings Limited (“Everyday Loans”) 
and its subsidiaries. Everyday Loans is a provider of unsecured loans operating through  
a national network of 26 branches where loans are advanced, serviced and collected.  
As at 31 December 2012 the Group, including Everyday Loans, had 434 employees.

In September 2012 the Company became the first bank in the UK to be awarded the 
Customer Service Excellence Award, whilst in the following month the Company was 
awarded a 4 star Fairbanking Mark for its current account.

On 7 December 2012 the Company placed 1,481,482 shares on AIM, raising gross 
proceeds of £20.0 million and reduced the shareholding of Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC 
to 70.7%. The proceeds will be used for potential acquisitions and also to fund increased 
organic growth.

Subsequent to the year end the Company acquired the V12 Finance Group as well as the 
trade and assets of the Debt Managers Group. 

The Company’s diversified lending portfolio focuses on unsecured personal loans , motor 
finance and retail point of sale finance. Its lending is entirely funded by customer deposits, 
with no exposure to wholesale funding. This reflects the Company’s cautious approach to risk.

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012

1

Group highlights

Secure Trust Bank has shown significant growth in 2012, both organically 
and through acquisition. This growth has been achieved alongside prudent 
capital management.

2011
14.0%

2012
15.0%

2011
£28.5m

2012
£47.0m

2011
145,174

2012
231,713

75%

2011: 57%

Net interest margin

Operating income

Customer numbers

Loan to deposit ratio

2011
£7.3m

2012
£17.2m

2011
£307.8m

2012
£474.6m

2011
20.5%

2012
23.3%

23.3%

2011: 23.3%

Profit before tax

Total assets

Core Tier 1 capital ratio

Total capital ratio

108.9p

2011: 39.6p

Earnings per share

2

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC

Simple, straightforward banking

Retail and Motor Lending 
New business lending volumes grew by 29% to 
£125 million and the Company has increased 
lending in all segments. The Company now 
services the majority of the Top 100 UK car 
dealer groups.

Personal Lending
Personal lending showed controlled organic 
growth in 2012, with new business personal 
lending volumes growing by over 125% to 
£78 million. The acquisition of Everyday Loans 
in June 2012 has significantly broadened the 
Group’s reach to a wider market.

Current Accounts
The fee-based current account has undergone 
progressive enhancements during 2012 and has 
also shown significant growth, continuing the 
momentum from its introduction in late 2010.  
On average 920 new accounts were opened  
per month during the year.

Savings
The Bank continues to be entirely funded by customer 
deposits. Deposit balances grew by 47% during 2012 to 
£398.9 million.

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012

3

Chairman’s statement

Secure Trust Bank PLC marked its 60th year in business by achieving profits before 
tax of £17.2m; a record for the bank, and a clear demonstration that our principles 
and philosophies have served us well. The successful IPO has allowed the business 
to seize the opportunities that are available to a well funded and robust bank.

4

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCSignificantly, we were able to complete the acquisition of Everyday Loans in the first half of the 
year. This was the result of many months of hard work and we were delighted to welcome the 
management team and business to the Group. Our relationship with them dates back to 2007 
when we agreed to refer lending opportunities to them in order to help their business get started. 
As a result, we have worked closely with them and respect their knowledge and experience of 
the market within which they operate. I am confident that both, they and the business will play a 
significant role in the future growth of the Group.

I have been pleased with the progress made across the whole bank in serving our customers 
and in particular, I would draw attention to the contribution made by our lending operations. 
Loan balances have increased by 93% as we have played our part in promoting growth by 
lending money to support the UK economy. For example, at a time when the retail sector 
has been struggling, we have enabled UK businesses to sell over 100,000 of their products, 
with the help of our retail point of sale operations. We believe we were the largest financiers 
of musical equipment and cycles during the year. Indeed the levels of demand for new cycles 
reached record levels, stimulated by the success of the Olympics and Paralympics.

Many commentators have noted that the UK banking industry needs to promote more competition 
and allow smaller banks to challenge the dominance of the larger players. Many factors have 
developed to leave the smaller banks at a competitive disadvantage, not least of which is the 
regulatory environment. The advantage afforded the larger banks via their sophisticated advanced 
capital models should not be underestimated. I and others have many times called for regulators 
to take a more judgemental approach towards all banks and reward them for their previous good 
performance and management. This would go some way to creating a level playing field and 
promote further competition. 

Encouragingly, I have detected positive signals from the newly created Prudential Regulatory 
Authority (PRA), which has indicated that it is in favour of judgemental regulation. I hope this will 
be to the long term benefit of Secure Trust Bank PLC and the economy as a whole.

These results reflect the dedication and commitment of our employees who have done well 
in the current environment. On behalf of the Board, I would like to extend our thanks to all our 
staff for their contributions to the Group in 2012.

With the benefit of strong capital and funding, the opportunities arising for organic growth 
coupled with the benefits from the acquisitions completed in 2012 and early 2013, I am 
confident that Secure Trust Bank PLC will continue to demonstrate profitable and sustainable 
growth over the coming period. A levelling of the competitive landscape, were it to happen, 
should allow us to achieve faster progress. However, we are not immune to developments in 
the wider economy. The Board proposes to pay a final dividend of 43p per share. If approved 
the dividend will be paid on 10 May 2013 to shareholders on the register as at 12 April 2013.

Henry Angest
Chairman
20 March 2013

5

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingChief Executive’s statement

2012 was a very important year for Secure Trust Bank (STB) marking as it did 
our 60th anniversary and our first full year as a public company. I am pleased 
with the financial performance detailed in this report and feel that we delivered 
on the commitments made at the time of our flotation in November 2011. 
The magnitude of the growth of the business over the last 12 months clearly 
demonstrates the scale of the opportunity that lies ahead.

6

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCDec 2009
69,708

Dec 2010
96,446

Dec 2011
145,174

Dec 2012
231,713

Customer Numbers

Customer numbers progression
We strive to provide our customers 
with simple, straightforward banking 
solutions coupled with great service.

Our reputation with our customers
A bank’s reputation is the by-product of the behaviour of its staff, which in turn is influenced 
by its leadership and culture. In 2012, just as in the 59 years before, Secure Trust Bank has 
striven to provide customers with simple straightforward banking solutions coupled with great 
service delivered by friendly and professional staff. This is evident in the way we interact with 
our customers and the fact that every week we reward ‘customer service heroes’ for going 
the extra mile for their customers. 

As a result of an 18 month long programme, in September 2012 we became the first bank in 
the UK to receive the Customer Service Excellence award (CSE). This award was introduced 
by the Cabinet Office in 2010 to replace the Kite Mark. The CSE is a strong independent 
endorsement of the way customer focus is embedded in the culture of the business and the 
improvements we are making to our products and services. The quote from the 60 page final 
CSE assessment below is insightful.

‘There is absolutely no doubt that the culture of this organisation is to treat its customers 
as pivotal to their success. Without exception, the assessor was impressed with staff and 
their levels of knowledge, their empathic handling of customer issues and their 
involvement in developing policies and procedures. All customers spoken to were highly 
complimentary about staff and one customer even named an individual for special 
mention. This attitude is clearly driven from the very top and the commitment to 
customers is the first message to appear on their website’. 

We followed up the CSE award by becoming the only UK bank to be granted a 4 star mark 
from the Fairbanking Foundation in respect of our current account product. This represented 
an upgrade from the previous 3 star mark and reflected the investment we have made in our 
Internet and SMS Banking platforms during 2012. These have made it much easier for 
customers to interact with us at times of their choosing and should enable us to achieve good 
growth in this product this year.

Whilst we were delighted to receive the CSE award and Fairbanking mark, we know we are 
not perfect and will continue to invest in people, systems and processes to improve our 
service and products still further. 

Ultimately all of these words and awards are meaningless unless they are reflected in the 
experience customers have when dealing with us. I am therefore pleased to note improving 
trends in our internal customer satisfaction (from a high base) and reductions in customer 
complaint levels (from a low base). This in turn has helped us to increase like for like customer 
numbers by 42% from 145,174 in 2011 to 206,273. Inclusive of Everyday Loans (EDL) 
customers, the overall Secure Trust Bank Group customer base at the end of 2012 was 
231,713 representing an increase of 60% on the prior period.

7

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingChief Executive’s statement

Continued

Controlling growth
The Board’s on-going top strategic priority is to protect the reputation 
and sustainability of the bank via prudent balance sheet management, 
investment for growth and robust risk and operational controls. During 
2012 we have continued to invest in our risk control and governance 
capabilities to reflect the growth in the business. Specifically we have 
made new appointments in the roles of Chief Risk Officer, Chief 
Operating Officer, Deputy Finance Director and Group Head of 
Compliance to strengthen our senior team. We have also recruited 
additional staff with internal audit and operational risk experience 
gained at larger financial institutions. 

Stronger funding profile
Throughout 2012 we have further enhanced our funding profile.  
As at 31 December we had no direct exposure to wholesale funding 
or interbank markets. All of our lending activities continued to be 
funded by customer deposits. To achieve a broadly matched asset: 
liability position we increased the average tenor of our deposits over 
the year. This treasury management has largely removed the bank’s 
exposure to interest rate basis risk whilst improving our resilience in 
the event of unexpected major market shocks. Our year-end Loan to 
Deposit ratio was a modest 75%. The bank continues to enjoy strong 
demand for its deposit products and is in the position of having a 
waiting list of people looking to lodge their savings with us. 

Substantial capital surpluses
We were delighted to complete a very successful placing in December. 
This raised £19.2 million of core tier one capital after costs, which 
allowed us to repay a £5 million subordinated loan from Arbuthnot 
Banking Group and boost our capital reserves. The placing coupled 
with robust capital levels at the beginning of the year and the profits 
generated during 2012 results in a very strong year end Tier 1 Capital 
ratio of 23.3%. Comparing the relative balance sheet strength of 
individual banks is extremely difficult due to the differing methodologies 
used under Basel II which can lead to a picture of seemingly similar 
capital ratios despite the underlying gross leverage positions being 
wildly different. As at 31 December the Secure Trust Bank Gross 
Leverage (total customer lending divided by equity capital) was only 
5.8x. The leverage ratios disclosed by the major UK banks over 
recent weeks are considerably higher which highlights the scope we 
have to increase our lending activities whilst remaining modestly 
leveraged on a comparable basis.

Robust profit growth
The statutory pre-tax profits for 2012 of £17.2 million are 136% higher 
than the £7.3 million recorded in 2011. 

8

Costs continue to be rigorously controlled and the enlargement of  
the Group should increase our negotiating position with key suppliers 
going forward. It is imperative that we do not allow the pace of 
growth to exceed our ability to manage the risks associated with 
increased business volumes. We are investing in all areas of the 
business, especially in Risk and Finance, to ensure we are suitably 
resourced to grow in a sustainable manner. We have enhanced our 
Project Management capability to help us take advantage of 
opportunities as they arise without deflecting management focus 
from the core business. This investment in our organisational 
capabilities inevitably means the short term cost to income ratio  
is higher than if the business was growing more slowly. 

Claims management companies are acting indiscriminately
In various briefings and media interviews during 2012 I have referred 
to us being inundated with high volumes of baseless claims alleging 
mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI). This issue is 
common to both STB and EDL as detailed in note 21. The majority  
of the claims we are receiving are from people who have never been 
sold PPI. Many are loyal longstanding customers who are being 
duped into authorising unscrupulous claims management companies 
to submit claims on their behalf. During 2012 we have had to deal 
with allegations that we mis-sold PPI on credit cards and mortgages 
despite the fact that we have never provided these products. We 
have had customers who have received more in successful claims 
than they ever paid in premiums alleging mis-selling. We have even 
had the quite surreal instance of the emergency telephone in our 
office’s lift receiving a call from a claims management company 
advising it could reclaim £2,500 for mis-sold PPI! It is useful to note 
that every 6 months the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) 
publishes data, available to all, that shows the levels of mis-selling 
allegations they find in favour of complainants and the levels they find 
in favour of the financial institution. STB has not featured in this data. 
EDL has a record of approximately 92% of cases being found in its 
favour in the second half of 2012. Putting this in context during 2012 
EDL paid less than £10,000 in compensation as a result of FOS 
cases going against them. The fact is that despite the FOS 
supporting EDL in the vast majority of cases it has still cost us well in 
excess of £1 million to deal with claims management companies and 
the baseless claims they are submitting. A simple solution to this 
problem is for the FOS to oblige claims management companies to 
pay a fee, which would be refunded if the case is won. This would 
immediately free us of the scourge of unwanted texts or cold calls 
when we are trying to eat tea at home of an evening. It would also 
mean that rather than wasting significant resources for no benefit  
we would instead be making larger profits enabling us to increase  
our lending further and to pay more tax. 

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC“Secure Trust Bank is a UK only 
business. We have continued to 
create jobs for young and old. We 
have substantially increased our net 
lending balances thereby supporting 
consumers and businesses just as 
the Government has been calling on 
banks to do.”

Lending portfolio performing as expected
We monitor all aspects of risk extremely closely with particular attention to the performance  
of our lending book. In absolute quantum terms our impairment levels have risen as we 
expected given our growing and maturing lending portfolio. These remained below the level 
which we had assumed within our pricing models when writing the business in both the core 
STB and the EDL portfolios. We continue to adopt a robust and dynamic formulaic approach 
to impairment provisioning. We do not seek to manage our impairments via forbearance 
activities. The Group has however looked to support customers who are in financial difficulty 
and we seek to engage in early communication with borrowers experiencing difficulty in 
meeting their repayments. The 2012 impairment numbers are lower than expectations at 
origination which we believe is due to two factors: the first is that in the light of the 
deteriorating economic outlook in late 2011 we tightened our lending criteria, which had a 
modest impact on new business volumes but protected the quality of the book. Secondly  
we have migrated all of the STB collections activity onto a single common operating platform 
which has improved efficiency. 

Lending operations
2012 saw continued strong, controlled, organic growth. Overall new business lending 
volumes excluding Everyday Loans grew 28% to £173.6 million (2011: £135.9 million) which 
translated to an increase of 44% in overall balance sheet lending assets to £223.8 million 
(2011: £154.6 million). Including the year-end Everyday Loans portfolio of £73.8 million,  
the overall STB lending balances of £297.6 million increased by 93% during 2012. 

Motor finance which is our most mature lending book increased lending, net of provisions,  
to £89.6 million at 31 December 2012 (2011: £63.4 million). This business, which focuses  
on the near prime market segment now services the majority of the Top 100 UK car dealer 
groups. We were delighted to be named ‘Motor Finance Provider of the Year’ by the Institute 
of Transport Management in 2012.

Personal unsecured lending also evidenced strong growth with the 31 December 2012 
balance sheet increasing to £68.2 million (2011: £43.6 million). The bank has broadened its 
distribution capabilities in this segment and entered into a number of significant new 
introducer relationships during the year including Shop Direct.

Retail Point of sale business grew strongly driven by retailer demand for our in store and online 
services with balances at 31 December 2012 increasing to £64.2 million (2011: £42.6 million). 
The acquisition of V12 Finance Group on 2 January 2013 should enable us to accelerate the 
growth rate of this portfolio. 

The portfolios of books acquired in 2009 have now been collected as expected and the 
remaining balances are negligible. 

9

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingChief Executive’s statement

Continued

Positive contribution from Everyday Loans division
We were delighted to acquire the Everyday Loans Group (EDL) on 8th 
June 2012 after almost 18 months working on a transaction with the 
management team and vendors. As part of the post-acquisition 
integration project either Paul Marrow (who chairs the EDL Board)  
or I have visited the vast majority of the 26 branches. We have been 
very impressed with the quality of the staff and their commitment  
to doing the right thing for their customers. The integration was 
completed rapidly and without issue and the EDL management  
are now contributing to the development of the wider STB Group. 

As EDL only provides loans to customers after a full face to face 
income and expenditure review it is able to tailor loans to non-
standard borrowers enabling them to borrow at affordable interest 
rates whilst ensuring that the loans are an acceptable risk for the 
bank to take. The branch staff incentive scheme is biased in favour  
of the safe repayment of loans which means the staff are focused  
on prudent rather than volume lending. 

The EDL portfolio credit quality remained stable throughout 2012 
despite the underlying difficulties in the economy. The portfolio 
derived from the branch based lending model comprises a wide 
spread of unsecured personal loan customers with a relatively low 
average balance (£2,700) geographically spread across the U.K. 
thereby minimising any concentration of risk.

EDL has performed robustly albeit the accounting differentials 
between UKGAAP and IFRS are such that it will take time for this 
upside to be reported in the STB accounts. The lending balances  
as at 31 December 2012 were 5% higher than as at 30 June 2012. 
The underlying profits have exceeded target despite the higher than 
expected costs of dealing with baseless PPI mis-selling allegations. 
The performance criteria for the payment of the deferred 
consideration of £1.5 million and the agreed management bonuses 
have been met and the costs of these payments have been accrued 
for in the 2012 accounts.

We have now begun the process of investing in the future growth of 
the business and opened a new office in Middlesbrough in the fourth 
quarter of 2012. I am pleased to report that this is already breaking 
even. A new office was opened in Belfast in January and a minimum 
of a further two offices are likely to open during 2013. 

Fee based accounts
During 2012 we have made substantial improvements to our current 
account product. These included the launch of a new internet 
banking platform in the second quarter and SMS banking modules in 
the fourth quarter. In addition we have spent a significant amount of 
time working with our card processor, Fidelity Information Services, 
to improve the robustness and scalability of their systems and 
processes. Whilst this work was on-going we did not proactively sell 
the current account product. Nevertheless customer numbers grew 
by 22% with 20,962 current account holders at the end of the year 
(2011: 17,178). Our new iApply module is scheduled for launch in the 
first quarter of 2013 which will support increased promotion of this 
product through digital marketing channels which should lead to 
increased new business volumes.

As expected the OneBill customer numbers continue to decline over 
time. £8.9 million of income was generated in 2012 compared to £9.6 
million in 2011. The reduction in income would have been somewhat 
lower but for the increased costs of handling large volumes of 
baseless PPI claims during the second half of 2012. The project to 
develop a next generation OneBill product was deferred whilst we 
completed work on the current account product and the acquisitions 
of V12 Finance Group and Debt Managers. This project has now 
resumed and we expect to launch customer trials in the coming 
months. 

The acquisition of Debt Managers and planned growth of this 
business will serve to increase our revenue from commission based 
activities in the periods ahead which is consistent with our strategy  
to grow both lending and non-lending income.

Our people 
We were identified as ‘one to watch’ in the Sunday Times Best 
Companies to Work For 2012 survey. We believe this reflects 
positively on our expansion which is creating new jobs and our 
investment in overall staff proposition. Our 2012 new joiners were 
aged between 16 and 66 bringing with them a wide variety of skills 
and experience. We continue to place considerable focus on the 
training and development of our people and we are currently 
supporting over 25% of STB staff to undertake some form of 
academic qualification ranging from modern apprenticeships to 
master’s degrees. I am delighted that so many staff are willing to 

10

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCLending operations
2012 saw continued strong, controlled 
organic growth, with new business 
lending volumes, excluding Everyday 
Loans, growing by 28%

Dec 2010
£89.5m

Dec 2011
£154.6m

June 2012
£260.3m

Dec 2012
£298.0m

Lending Assets

invest in their own development which I am sure will improve their day to day performance 
and give them the skills needed to take on the larger roles that will inevitably arise as the 
business continues to expand. STB staff numbers, excluding Everyday Loans, at 31 
December 2012 increased by 30 last year representing 11% growth on the prior period. 

Secure Trust Bank employees have remained heavily involved in charitable activities during the 
year. Numerous events took place ranging from participation in the annual ‘movember’ 
campaign in aid of prostate cancer charities through to supporting Sports Relief to raise over 
£100,000. I am especially proud of all the work done to help those less fortunate than ourselves 
and I applaud my colleagues for both their charitable work and the sheer commitment to 
delivering great service in a very friendly manner to our customers throughout the year.

The benefits of doing the basics right
Secure Trust Bank is a UK only business. We have continued to create jobs for young and old.  
We have substantially increased our net lending balances thereby supporting consumers and 
businesses just as the Government has been calling on banks to do. We have made profits and 
paid our taxes thus contributing to the public purse. We have worked hard to maintain our 
reputation as a simple, straightforward bank to deal with. I believe that we could make an even 
greater contribution to the recovery of the UK economy if the Government and Regulators take 
steps to reduce the competitive disadvantages we continue to face relative to the larger banks 
especially in relation to capital requirements and funding costs. I completely support the 
Chairman’s comments in this regard and will continue to work with him and my peers to try  
to achieve progress here.

Current developments
There has been no material change to the underlying performance of the business in the  
early months of 2013. We continue to see strong demand for all of our core products.  
We have a clear growth strategy and the pipeline of new business opportunities outlined in 
the Chairman’s letter in our circular in November 2012 is being progressed as evidenced by 
the acquisitions of V12 Finance Group and Debt Managers in January 2013. 

With the economic outlook remaining very difficult to predict it is appropriate for us to exercise 
prudence and caution. We have therefore positioned the bank to continue to grow at a good 
pace and in a sustainable manner whilst maintaining low balance sheet leverage and robust 
capital and funding positions. This will allow us to achieve strong organic new business 
volumes and leave scope for new product or business development opportunities should 
these arise, possibly as a consequence of regulatory or competitive changes. Against our 
expectations of a broadly flat economy, we are very confident of making further positive 
progress with our strategic plan during 2013. 

Paul Lynam
Chief Executive Officer
20 March 2013

11

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingCulture

It is our objective to be the Best Bank in Britain and to help us achieve 
that we have chosen 5 values which underpin the way we do business 
and the behaviour we expect from all our staff. They are: 

Innovative 

–  Customer Focused 
– 
–  Team Orientated 
–  Performance Driven 
–  Risk Aware

They are used in evaluating individual’s personal performance and  
their contribution to the overall vision of the Company.

12

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCEmployee support
The success enjoyed by the Company, which is fuelling strong growth, is also creating 
numerous opportunities for our staff as evidenced by employee numbers increasing from 
263 to 293 during 2012. Financial support and study time allowances are also helping 
over a quarter of the Company’s employees to take academic qualifications ranging from 
apprenticeships to master’s degrees. The majority of promotions continue to go to internal 
staff which evidences the range of career paths within the Company. As the size of the Group 
grows, these opportunities will further expand. 

The Company celebrates exceptional performance by awarding regular Customer Service hero 
awards. Individuals are also recognised through the annual ‘Outstanding Achievers’ award. 
Every employee who achieved 100% attendance in 2012 was recognised for team orientated 
behaviour and awarded an additional days annual leave to be taken in 2013. Furthermore on a 
quarterly basis the Chief Executive Officer reviews all the employee suggestions for improving 
performance, efficiency and effectiveness and awards a cash prize for the best suggestion. 

Employee Council
The Company operates an Employee Council, which has Employee Representatives from 
each department within the Company and operates within a structured Terms of Reference. 
The Council meets on a regular basis to encourage a two way process of communication 
between employees and directors. The aim of the Employee Council is to promote employee 
engagement and give Employee Representatives the opportunity to represent the views of the 
employees in a forum which can make a positive difference. 

Treating customers fairly
Lending balances have almost doubled over the year and the Company has continued to enjoy 
strong demand for its deposit accounts. Overall customer numbers went through the 200,000 
barrier in June 2012 which was a significant milestone. On the back of the great service we 
have provided to our customer base as a whole we have won a number of prestigious awards 
including the Customer Service Excellence Award from the Cabinet Office and the 4 star mark 
for Current Account from the Fairbanking Foundation. It is not by accident that Secure Trust 
Bank has avoided being drawn into the various scandals surrounding many of the other banks. 
It goes to show just why treating customers fairly and providing simple, straightforward banking 
is so important. 

Active partners for business
The Company has again shown the importance of being a partner for business through its 
strong and successful relationships. The Company won the Business partner of the year award 
from the Association of Cycle Traders as well as Motor Finance provider of the year award from 
the Institute of Transport Management. This reflects positively on our staff and our aim to be a 
strong supporter of UK business.

Environmental consideration
The Company tries to limit its footprint on the environment through the use of energy saving 
initiatives, recycling consumables and encouraging greener travel methods for its employees.

The FairBanking Foundation operates an 
accreditation scheme to encourage banking 
organisations to improve the financial well-
being delivered by their products. 

The Company has received the Dealer 
Finance Provider 2012 award from the 
Institute of Transport Management.

Moneyfacts Annual Ratings assess the 
technical merit of ranges of financial products, 
paying attention to the ‘added quality’ features. 

The prestigious Customer Service Excellence 
Award was developed by the Cabinet Office 
to acknowledge excellence in public services.

13

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingBusiness review

Personal Lending – a distinct market territory

The Bank’s lending operations continued to grow in a controlled 
way, with new personal lending volumes in the year, including 
Everyday Loans, increasing to £77.8 million from £34.5 million in 
the previous year. This generated an increase in personal lending 
assets during the year which at the year-end, including Everyday 
Loans totalled £142.0 million (December 2011: £43.6 million).  
The growth in new business volumes has again not been at the 
expense of price or quality.

The business utilises highly automated underwriting systems which, 
in addition to providing significant cost advantages, ensure that 
very consistent credit decisions are made which improves ongoing 
performance monitoring and future policy decision making. Differential 
pricing that reflects the credit risk of the underlying customer is 
standard. These systems have enabled the business to control risk 
whilst retaining the speed of service needed to support our introducers.

The bad debt performance on all of the books has been better 
than the expectations set in the pricing models and this continues 
to be frequently scrutinised. To support this further the business 
has continued to invest in a new collections system that is more 
appropriate for the balance sheet size the business now operates. 

Personal unsecured loans are fixed rate, fixed term products with 
payments received monthly in arrears. Loan terms are between  
12 months and 60 months with advances varying from £500 to 
£15,000. Loans are provided to customers for a variety of purposes 
which might include, for example, home improvements, personal debt 
consolidation and the purchase of vehicles. Distribution of unsecured 
personal loans is through brokers, existing customers and Affinity 
Partners, and targeted to UK-resident customers who are either 
employed or self-employed.

Personal lending
Secure Trust Bank is well established in personal unsecured lending 
having been lending for nearly 35 years. Net outstanding loans, 
excluding Everyday Loans, totalled £68.2 million at 31 December 2012 
(31 December 2011: £43.6 million). Following the decision in 2007 
materially to reduce new lending in response to deteriorating lending 
conditions the portfolio reduced to less than £10 million. However 
new lending was strategically increased in 2009 and since then has 
delivered annual growth. Net new lending volumes amounted to  
£48.9 million in the twelve months to 31 December 2012, from  
£34.5 million in the previous year.

Everyday Loans
During the year, the Company acquired Everyday Loans and this 
represents a significant strategic development for Secure Trust Bank. 
Everyday Loans is a provider of unsecured loans to a customer base 
predominantly in lower income groups and it operates through a 
network of offices where loans are originated, serviced and collected. 
The business will continue to operate through the well known brand 
name of Everyday Loans and will enable it to expand whilst creating 
synergistic benefits for the Group. Net new lending volumes amounted 
to £28.9 million in the period since acquisition, with a net lending 
position of £73.8 million at the end of December 2012.

14

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCMoneyway is the Company’s personal 
lending brand. Personal loans are made 
through our experienced team of advisers. 
Loans are made to individuals over 21 
years of age with an annual income over 
£20,000.

Everyday Loans provide any purpose 
unsecured loans from £500 to £10,000 
for tenants as well as homeowners.  
Fees are not charged on application,  
with applications being made by phone  
or online.

The Company has broadened its 
distribution capabilities in the personal 
lending segment and has entered into 
significant new introducer relationships  
in 2012, including Shop Direct.

Personal Lending: KPIs

2011
£43.6m

2012
£142.0m

2011
£6.0m

2012
£24.2m

Personal lending portfolio

Personal lending revenue

15

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingBusiness review

Retail and Motor Lending – premium products

New business lending volumes for motor and retail lending increased to 
£124.7 million, an increase of 29% on the previous year. This generated a 
significant increase in lending assets during the year, which at the year-end 
totalled £153.8 million (December 2011: £106.0 million). The growth in new 
business volumes has not been at the expense of price or quality.

“Secure Trust Bank are playing a key role in 
changing the face of independent cycle retailing. 
In partnership, we have already developed a 
network of over 500 cycle specialists offering 
retail finance throughout the UK. Secure Trust 
Bank’s success is reflected in them having been 
voted ‘Partner of the Year’ twice in the last three 
years. We have no doubt that Secure Trust 
Bank’s proven commitment to business support 
will deliver long term growth and development  
of the cycle sector.”

The National Association of Cycle Traders

1616
16

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC
SECURE TRUST BANK PLC
SECURE TRUST BANK PLC

Motor finance 
Secure Trust Bank’s motor finance business started lending in 2009. At 31 December 2012,  
it represented the Company’s largest lending portfolio with net outstanding motor finance loans  
of £89.6 million (£63.4 million as at 31 December 2011).

Motor finance loans are fixed rate, fixed term hire-purchase agreements and are secured against 
the vehicle being financed. Only passenger vehicles with certain features including an engine size 
of less than three litres, an age ranging from new to a maximum of ten years old by the end of the 
hire-purchase agreement and with a maximum mileage of 100,000 miles are financed. The majority 
of vehicles are used cars. Finance term periods range from 24 months to 60 months with a maximum 
loan of £15,000. 

The Company distributes its motor finance products via UK motor dealers and motor dealer 
brokers. New dealer relationships are established by our UK-wide motor finance sales team with  
all introducers subject to a strict vetting policy.

Retail finance
Secure Trust Bank’s retail point of sale finance business commenced lending in 2009 and provides 
point of sale finance for in-store and online retailers. The portfolio at 31 December 2012 totalled 
£64.2 million (£42.6 million as at 31 December 2011).

Retail point of sale finance products are unsecured, fixed rate and fixed term loans with payments 
received monthly in arrears. Loans range in term from 6 months to 48 months and the size of the 
loans vary from £250 to £12,000 depending on the type of product being financed. The loans are 
either interest bearing or have promotional credit subsidised by retailers or suppliers. Secure Trust 
Bank does not pay retailers commissions and lending is restricted to UK-residents who are either 
employed or self-employed.

The Group focuses on ten sub-markets. The three largest of these at 31 December 2012 are 
the provision of point of sale finance for the purchase of musical instruments, cycles and the 
leasing of computer equipment. The latter of these is transacted through the subsidiary company 
STB Leasing Limited. Cycle finance has seen positive new business levels undoubtedly as a 
consequence of the Olympics and Paralympics.

Other markets in which the Company provides finance include gym equipment, motor parts, 
outdoor pursuits, furniture, leisure, jewellery and funerals. Secure Trust Bank provides finance 
through a range of retailers including household names such as Evans Cycles, PC World and DFS. 
The Company has arrangements in place with a number of Affinity Partners including the Arts 
Council, ACTSmart and RentSmart.

In addition to in-store finance, Secure Trust Bank has an online e-tailer proposition which is 
distributed in conjunction with Pay4Later Limited (“Pay4Later”), a UK provider of web interfaces for 
online point of sale credit. Retailers on the Pay4Later platform include Andertons Music, bathtek.com, 
Power Plate, SuperFit, The Great Furniture Trading Company, Toolstop and WorldStores.

Retail and Motor 
Lending: KPIs

2011
£63.4m

2012
£89.6m

Motor finance portfolio

2011
£9.9m

2012
£16.9m

Motor finance revenue

2011
£42.6m

2012
£64.2m

Retail finance portfolio

2011
£3.6m

2012
£5.8m

Retail finance revenue

Retail finance partners 
include:

17

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingBusiness review

Current Accounts – clear and transparent

The Secure Trust Bank Current Account is a refreshingly 
simple and transparent bank account. 

In late 2010, Secure Trust Bank relaunched its current account 
product. At 31 December 2012, the current account product had 
been taken up by almost 21,000 customers with the account 
experiencing new account openings averaging over 920 per month 
for the twelve months to 31 December 2012. The Current Account 
generated income of over £3.9 million in the year, which represented 
growth of 34% over the previous year. The growth in the current 
account volumes has continued to outstrip the reduction in OneBill 
accounts. OneBill generated income of £8.9 million in the year, but  
the Company has closed this product to new customers.

Current accounts are distributed via the Company’s website, 
price comparison websites, including Moneysupermarket and 
Compareprepaid, Debt Management Companies and through a direct 
outbound sales team. 

The business has developed an on-line capability to both service 
and sign up accounts. It is now possible for a customer to open 
an account on-line, be provided with the new account details and 
automatically to transfer all of their direct debits and standing orders 
in minutes. The account charges a monthly fee of £12.50 but as part 
of this the customers get rewarded for using their card by selected 
retailers and this is between 3% and 4% of the amount spent. Any 
cash rebated as a consequence of customer spending at the retailers 
on the scheme can, in effect, help to reduce or offset the monthly 
account charge. 

A real Current Account with a Prepaid Card
The Current Account helps the customers control their finances and 
manage their budget by only letting them spend the money they 
have available each month. This is because the account does not 
have an overdraft facility so the account holder cannot spend money 
that isn’t there. 

The account comes with a Prepaid Card, onto which money must 
be loaded before it can be used similar to a ‘Pay as You Go’ mobile 
‘phone top-up. This way, it can help the customers manage their 
money more effectively because the money set aside on the Prepaid 
Card is separated from the money in their Current Account, so they 
can shop safe in the knowledge that the bills will be paid from the 
money kept aside in the Current Account.

18

Customers generally make sure that they have enough money in their 
Current Account to cover Direct Debits, Standing Orders and any 
other regular payments, and the remaining money can be transferred 
onto their Prepaid Card to spend at over 30 million outlets and for 
online and telephone purchases and to make cash withdrawals at 
ATMs showing the MasterCard® acceptance mark.

Rewards
The Current Account gives the customer the ability to earn cash 
rewards of up to 4% paid back into the account on purchases 
made with their Prepaid Card, both online and in store, at over 30 
participating major high street retailers. 

The account holder can have additional Prepaid Cards linked to their 
account for family members at home or abroad, at no extra monthly 
fee, with all cards eligible to earn Rewards. Participating retailers 
include well known stores such as Asda, Argos, Boots, Debenhams, 
B&Q and M&S.

Putting the account holder in control 
Our Current Account is designed to help customers to manage their 
money and keep control of what they are spending, giving them the 
peace of mind that the money they spend is money they actually have. 
Once the account is opened the account holder can register for our online 
and telephone banking service which gives access to their account 24 
hours a day, 7 days a week and allows the movement of money to and 
from the Current Account and Prepaid Card free of charge. 

Clear and transparent charges
In addition, there are no charges should a Direct Debit or Standing 
Order payment fail - our fees are simple and transparent, there are no 
hidden or unexpected charges. So, unlike most high street banks, if a 
Direct Debit or Standing Order payment is returned unpaid, there isn’t 
a penalty fee. 

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCThe Secure Trust Bank Current 
Account is open to everyone regardless 
of credit history. The account comes with 
a prepaid card which can be used for 
effective personal budgeting.

Enhancements to the current account 
product in 2012 included the launch of a 
new internet banking platform and SMS 
banking modules.

Retail partners include:

Current Accounts: KPIs

2011
£2.9m

2012
£3.9m

Revenue

2011
17,178

2012
20,962

Customer numbers

19

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingBusiness review

Savings – attractive products

The Company continues to manage its liquidity on a conservative 
basis with none of its funding coming from the wholesale markets.  
All of the lending is entirely funded by way of customer deposits.

20

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCInstant Access Accounts can be 
opened with as little as £1 and 
withdrawals can be made without  
notice or loss of interest.

Notice Deposits are made available in 
periods ranging from 60 to 183 days, 
depending on the Company’s funding 
requirements.

Fixed Price Deposit Bonds are launched 
by the Company to achieve desired 
maturity profiles and have been extremely 
successful. Deposit bonds have more 
than doubled during the year.

Savings: KPIs

Secure Trust Bank’s deposit activities comprise deposit accounts and fee-based accounts, being 
fee-based current accounts and the OneBill accounts. At 31 December 2012 customer deposits 
totalled £398.9 million. This represents an increase of £126.8 million since the last year end.

The Bank’s deposit accounts consist of instant access accounts, notice accounts and fixed term, 
fixed price bonds. 

Competitive rates
At Secure Trust Bank, savings accounts offer a simple way to save money. Interest rates offered are 
very competitive and provide real value for money. Methods of attracting deposits include product 
information on price comparison websites (such as Moneysupermarket), Best Buy tables and 
newspaper articles about the deposit accounts offered by the Company. 

By virtue of a focus on higher margin lending, the absence of large fixed overheads in the form of 
a branch network and a policy of not cross-subsidising loss making products with profitable ones, 
the Bank is able to offer competitive rates and has been very successful in attracting term deposits 
from a wide range of personal and non-personal customers.

Notice deposits
The deposit account notice periods range from 60 days to 183 days, with the majority at the 120 
day term. This provides a secure funding profile which again gives additional financial security to the 
business. The Bank’s notice deposits totalled £211.5 million at the year end (December 2011: £170 
million), an increase of £41.5 million or 24%. The 120 day notice account was introduced in June 
2012 and was highly successful, raising additional new deposits of £35.8 million during the second 
half of the year.

Introduction of further deposit bonds
During the year, the Bank launched further fixed rate deposit bonds in two, three, four, five and 
six year maturities. These again were very successful as the Company raised new deposits of 
£85 million achieving its desired funding maturity profile at that time. At the year end term deposit 
balances totalled £155.2 million.

The Bank is a member of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). 

2011
£31m

2012
£32m

Current / demand accounts

2011
£241m

2012
£367m

Term deposits

2011
£272m

2012
£399m

Total deposits

21

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingFinancial review

Secure Trust Bank adopts a conservative approach to risk taking and  
seeks to maximise long term revenues and returns.

Summarised income statement 

Income by income stream: 
 Personal lending 
 Everyday Loans 
 Motor finance 
 Retail finance 
 Current account 
 One Bill 
 Acquired portfolios 
 Other 
Interest, fee and commission expense 
Operating income 
Impairment losses 
Net operating expenses 
Gain from a bargain purchase 
Cost arising from acquisitions 
Share listing costs 
Profit before tax 

2012 
£million 

8.7 
15.5 
16.9 
5.8 
3.9 
8.9 
0.4 
0.6 
(13.7) 
47.0 
(8.9) 
(29.3) 
9.8 
(1.4) 
–  
17.2 

2011 
£million 

Variance
£million

6.0 
 –  
9.9 
3.6 
2.9 
9.6 
1.7 
1.8 
(7.0) 
28.5 
(4.6) 
(16.1) 
 –  
–  
(0.5) 
7.3 

2.7
15.5
7.0
2.2
1.0
(0.7)
(1.3)
(1.2)
(6.7)
18.5
(4.3)
(13.2)
9.8
(1.4)
0.5
9.9

Operating income increased by 65% to £47.0 million. The acquisition of Everyday Loans in June 2012 
generated a fair value adjustment of £9.8 million. The amortisation of this fair value reduced income by 
£1.2 million and also increased expenses by £0.7 million in the year. £1.7 million, including employer’s 
national insurance, has also been accrued in relation to management bonuses as agreed at acquisition. 
An  additional  £12.5  million  of  operating  income  was  generated  for  the  Group  during  the  period  of 
ownership. Organic growth was achieved through increased levels of activity in the lending business, 
which has three main product areas: asset finance, personal lending and acquired portfolios. Income 
from motor finance increased by over 70%, whilst income from retail finance increased by 61%. Secure 
Trust Bank intends to create diversified and balanced growth in our lending books which will serve the 
business well when the market becomes more competitive.

Income from the current account with a prepaid card increased by 34%, and this offsets the expected 
decline in the OneBill account following its closure to new accounts in 2009. The current account 
closed this year with 20,962 open accounts (2011: 17,178), and OneBill ended the year with 26,154 
open accounts (2011: 28,698).

Net operating expenses have increased, in line with expectations, as a result of the Everyday Loans 
acquisition as well as the organic growth of the business. 

22

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC  
 
  
  
  
  
 
Simple, straightforward banking

Lending portfolio composition (2011, %)

Lending portfolio composition (2012, %)

  Motor finance 

  Retail finance 

41.0

27.6

  Personal lending 

28.2

  Acquired portfolios 

  Other  

1.6

1.6

  Motor finance 

  Retail finance 

30.0

21.6

  Personal lending 

22.9

  Everyday Loans 

24.9

  Other  

0.6

Summarised balance sheet 

Assets 
Loans and advances to customers 

Asset finance 

Motor finance 
Retail finance 
Personal lending 
Everyday Loans 
Acquired portfolios 
Other 

Loans and advances to banks 
Other assets 

Liabilities and equity 
Deposits from customers 
Other liabilities 
Total equity 

2012 

£million 

2011

£million

89.6 
64.2 
68.2 
73.8 
0.2 
1.7 
155.3 
21.6 
474.6 

398.9 
19.8 
55.9 
474.6 

63.4
42.6
43.6
– 
2.5
2.5
139.5
13.7
307.8   

272.1
11.9
23.8
307.8

The total assets of the Group increased by 54% due to the continued 
growth in the lending business and the acquisition of Everyday Loans, 
total  assets  are  now  almost  half  a  billion  pounds.  Customer  deposits 
grew by 47% to close at £398.9 million. The Group continues with its 
conservative  funding  policy,  remaining  entirely  funded  by  customer 
deposits and closed with a loan to deposit ratio of 75% (2011: 57%).

During the year the asset finance business increased its portfolio size 
by 45% to close at £153.8 million, being predominantly due to a growth 
in  motor  vehicle  finance  of  £26.2  million.  Personal  lending,  excluding 
Everyday  Loans,  grew  by  £24.6  million  as  the  business  was  able  to 
source  new  business  from  online  brokers  and  offer  new  financing  to 
customers from the acquired portfolios. 

The acquisition of Everyday Loans has increased the Group’s lending 
by an additional £73.8 million. The acquired portfolios reduced to £0.2 
million  as  customers  continued  to  repay  their  loans  according  to  our 
expectations.

Capital
The  Group’s  capital  management  policy  is  focused  on  optimising 
shareholder value over the long term. There is a clear focus on delivering 
organic growth and ensuring capital resources are sufficient to support 
planned  levels  of  growth.  The  Board  reviews  the  capital  position  at 
every Board Meeting.

In accordance with the EU’s Capital Requirements Directive (CRD) and 
the required parameters set out in the FSA Handbook (BIPRU 2.2), the 
Arbuthnot  Banking  Group’s  Individual  Capital  Adequacy  Assessment 
Process (ICAAP), of which the Group is a major component, is embedded 
in the risk management framework of the Group and is subject to ongoing 
updates  and  revisions  where  necessary,  but  as  a  minimum  an  annual 
review as part of the business planning process. The ICAAP is a process 
which brings together the risk management framework and the financial 
disciplines of business planning and capital management.

Not  all  material  risks  can  be  mitigated  by  capital,  but  where  capital 
is  appropriate  the  Board  has  adopted  a  “Pillar  I  plus”  approach  to 
determine  the  level  of  capital  the  Group  needs  to  hold.  This  method 
takes the Pillar I capital formula calculations as a starting point, and then 
considers  whether  each  of  the  calculations  deliver  a  sufficient  capital 
sum adequate to cover anticipated risks. Where it is considered that the 
Pillar I calculations did not reflect the risk, an additional capital add-on 
in Pillar II is applied.

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012

23

  
 
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
Financial review

Continued

Capital Continued
The Group’s regulatory capital is divided into:

Tier 1, comprises shareholders’ funds and non-controlling interest, after 
deducting intangible assets.

Tier  2  comprises  qualifying  subordinated  loan  capital  and  revaluation 
reserves. This tier cannot exceed 50% of tier 1 capital.

The ICAAP includes a summary of the capital required to mitigate the 
identified  risks  in  its  regulated  entities  and  the  amount  of  capital  that 
the group has available. All regulated entities have complied with all of 
the externally imposed capital requirements to which they are subject. 

Net Core Tier 1 capital  £51.6 million 

23.3% of Basel II Risk Weighted Assets

Tier 2 capital 

£0.1 million

Total capital  

£51.7 million 
23.3% of Basel II Risk Weighted Assets 

Risk and Uncertainties
The  Group  regards  the  monitoring  and  controlling  of  risks  as  a 
fundamental  part  of  the  management  process.  Consequently,  senior 
management  are  involved  in  the  development  of  risk  management 
policies and in monitoring their application. 

The  principal  risks  inherent  in  the  Company’s  business  are  credit, 
liquidity, market, operational and regulatory risks. A detailed description 
of the risk management policies in these areas is set out in Note 4 to 
the financial statements. 

24

Credit risk is the risk that a counterparty will be unable to pay amounts 
in full, when due. This risk is managed through the Company’s internal 
controls  and  its  credit  risk  policies  as  well  as  through  the  Credit 
Committee,  with  significant  exposures  also  being  approved  by  the 
Group’s Risk Committee.

Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group cannot meet its liabilities as they 
fall  due.  The  Group  takes  a  conservative  approach  to  managing  its 
liquidity profile and is entirely funded by retail customer deposits, placing 
no reliance on the wholesale lending markets. The loan to deposit ratios 
are maintained at prudent levels. The Assets and Liabilities Committee 
(‘ALCO’), comprising senior executives of the Company, is the formal 
body  that  has  the  responsibility  for  liquidity  risk  management.  The 
ALCO meet formally on a monthly basis to review liquidity risk against 
set  thresholds  and  risk  indicators  including  early  warning  indicators, 
liquidity risk tolerance levels and ILAA metrics.

Market risk arises in relation to movements in interest rates. Arbuthnot 
Latham  &  Co.,  Limited’s  treasury  function  operates  on  behalf  of  the 
Company and it does not take significant unmatched positions in any 
market  for  its  own  account.  The  Company  also  has  no  significant 
exposure to currency fluctuations.

Operational risk is the risk that the Group may be exposed to financial 
losses from failures of its systems and processes. The Group maintains 
clear compliance guidelines and provides ongoing training to all staff. 
The Group’s overall approach to managing internal control and financial 
reporting  is  described  in  the  Corporate  Governance  section  of  the 
Annual Report. 

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
 
Simple, straightforward banking

Revenue composition (2011, £’000)

Revenue composition (2012, £’000)

  Personal Lending  5,993

  Everyday Loans 

–

  Motor Finance 

9,941

  Retail Finance 

3,554

  One Bill  

  Other  

9,644

6,366

  Personal Lending  8,683

  Everyday Loans 

15,468

  Motor Finance 

16,889

  Retail Finance 

  One Bill  

  Other  

5,790

8,947

4,904

Capital risk is the risk that the Group will have insufficient capital resources to support the business. 
The Group adopts a conservative approach to managing its capital and at least annually assesses 
the robustness of the capital requirements as part of ICAAP. Stringent stress tests are performed to 
ensure that capital resources are adequate over a future three year horizon.

Conduct risk is the risk that the Group does not comply with regulatory requirements including, for 
example, the way it conducts its business or treats its customers. The Group reviews performance 
against key customer and conduct risks on a monthly basis.

Exceptional items
During the year there were exceptional costs of £1.4 million relating to costs arising on the acquisition 
of  Everyday  Loans  and  the  post  balance  sheet  acquisitions.  During  the  previous  year,  there  were 
exceptional  items  totalling  £0.5  million,  relating  to  the  transaction  costs  on  the  AIM  market  share 
listing in November 2011.

Taxation
The full effective tax rate on underlying profit before tax is 9% (2011: 30%) reflecting the effects of 
non-taxable income during the year, primarily the gain from a bargain purchase, as well as the benefit 
of the lowering of the UK corporation tax rate.

Distribution to shareholders
The directors recommend the payment of a final dividend of 43 pence per share which, together with 
the interim dividend of 14 pence per share paid on 21 September 2012, represents a total dividend 
for the year of 57 pence per share (2011: final dividend of 4.2 pence per share following a special 
interim dividend of £7 million). 

Earnings per share
Detailed disclosures of earnings per share are shown in note 10 of the financial statements. Basic 
earnings per share increased by 175% to 108.9p per share (2011: 39.6p).

Neeraj Kapur
Chief Financial Officer
20 March 2013

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012

25

Board of Directors

26

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCSimple, straightforward banking

7

5

3

1

4

2

6

1 Henry Angest LLL, Hon.F.UHI – Non-Executive Chairman
Henry  Angest  is  Chairman  and  Chief  Executive  of  Arbuthnot  Banking 
Group PLC as well as Chairman of Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Limited. 
He gained extensive national and international experience as an executive 
of The Dow Chemical Company and Dow Banking Corporation. He was 
Chairman of the Banking Committee of the London Investment Banking 
Association  and  a  director  of  the  Institute  of  Directors.  He  is  a  Past 
Master of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers.

2 Paul Lynam ACIB, AMCT, Fifs – Chief Executive Officer
Paul  Lynam  joined  Secure  Trust  Bank  in  September  2010,  having 
spent 22 years working for NatWest and RBS. He is an Associate of 
the  Chartered  Institute  of  Bankers  and  the  Association  of  Corporate 
Treasurers.  Paul  was  the  Managing  Director,  Banking,  running  RBS/
NatWest’s SME banking business across the UK and spent four years 
as the Managing Director of Lombard North Central PLC, running the 
largest asset finance and leasing business in Europe. 

3 Neeraj Kapur BEng, ACGI, FCA, CF, FCIBS – Chief Financial Officer
Neeraj Kapur has over 23 years financial services experience spent in 
both the accounting and banking industries. He is a Chartered Banker, 
a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, 
and  Council  and  Vice  Chair  of  the  ICAEW  Financial  Services  Faculty. 
Neeraj  spent  11  years  working  in  professional  practice  before  joining 
RBS  in  2001  and  has  undertaken  a  number  of  roles  which  included 
Chief Financial Officer of Lombard North Central PLC.

4 Andrew Salmon ACA – Non-Executive Director
Andrew  Salmon  joined  Arbuthnot  Banking  Group  in  1997  and  is 
currently the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Business Development 
of  Arbuthnot  Banking  Group  PLC.  He  was  previously  a  director  of 
Hambros Bank Limited and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with 
KPMG.

5 Paul Marrow ACIB – Independent Non-Executive Director
Paul  Marrow  has  over  36  years  banking  experience  and  has  over 
the  last  decade  been  responsible  for  the  Commercial  Banking  and 
Specialist Corporate Banking business divisions  of RBS Group in the 
UK.  Prior  to  retiring  from  RBS  in  July  2009,  Paul  was  involved  in  a 
change programme in the RBS UK banking business. Paul is currently 
the  Chairman  of  JCB  Finance  Limited,  a  joint  venture  between  J  C 
Bamford Excavators Limited and RBS Group. 

6 Carol Sergeant BA, MBA, CBE – Independent Non-Executive Director
Carol  Sergeant  has  extensive  banking  experience  gained  over  a  37 
year career with the Bank of England, the Financial Services Authority 
(which she helped to set up) and latterly as the Chief Risk Officer and a 
member of the Group Executive Committee of Lloyds Banking Group 
PLC. Carol holds a BA from Cambridge University and a MBA from the 
CASS Business School.

7 Jeremy Kaye FCIS – Company Secretary

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012

27

Group Directors’ report

The directors present their annual report and the audited consolidated 
financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2012.

The second Special Resolution renews the authority of the directors to 
make  market  purchases  of  shares  not  exceeding  10%  of  the  existing 
share capital. The directors will keep the position under review in order to 
maximise the Company’s resources in the best interests of shareholders.

Principal activities and review
The principal activity of the Group is retail banking. A business review 
in accordance with Section 417 of the Companies Act 2006 forming 
part of this report is set out in the Business review.

Substantial shareholders
The Company was aware at 20 March 2013 of the following substantial 
holdings in the ordinary shares of the Company. 

Results and dividend
The  results  for  the  year  are  shown  on  page  36.  The  profit  for  the 
year  after  taxation  amounted  to  £15.5  million  (2011:  £5.1  million).  The 
directors recommend the payment of a final dividend of 43 pence per 
share which, together with the interim dividend of 14 pence per share 
paid on 21 September 2012, represents a total dividend for the year of 
57 pence per share (2011: final dividend of 4.2 pence per share following 
a special interim dividend of £7 million). The final dividend, if approved by 
members at the Annual General Meeting, will be paid on 10 May 2013 to 
shareholders on the register at the close of business on 12 April 2013. 

Arbuthnot Banking 
Group PLC 
Cazenove Capital 
Management Limited 
Axa Investment 
Management (UK) Limited 
Miton Group plc 
Ruffer LLP 
Quantum Partners LP 

11,066,205 shares 

70.7%

818,955 shares 

792,757 shares 
548,300 shares 
480,967 shares 
470,410 shares 

5.2%

5.1%
3.5%
3.1%
3.0%

Acquisitions during the year
On 8 June 2012 the Company acquired the issued capital of Everyday 
Loans Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries for £1 with a further payment 
of  £1.5  million  to  be  made  in  April  2013  if  the  management  team  of 
Everyday Loans achieved performance targets in 2012. The provision of 
a loan facility to Everyday Loans has enabled the acquired company to 
repay about £34 million of subordinated debt.

Share capital 
On 6 December 2012 the Company placed 1,481,482 ordinary shares 
at 1350 pence per share.

At the Annual General Meeting shareholders will be asked to approve 
one Ordinary and two Special Resolutions. The Ordinary Resolution 
seeks to give directors general authority to allot shares up to 5% of the 
Company’s existing ordinary share capital during the period expiring 
on  31  May  2014,  or  if  earlier  on  the  conclusion  of  the  next  Annual 
General Meeting of the Company.

The  first  Special  Resolution  provides  for  the  Articles  of  Association 
to be amended so that equity shares may be issued either on a pre-
emptive basis pro rata to existing shareholdings or subject to a limited 
account namely, 5% of the present issued share capital otherwise than 
to existing shareholders pro rata to their holdings. The directors have 
no  present  intention  of  issuing  any  shares  and  will  not  issue  shares 
which  would  effectively  change  the  control  of  the  Company  without 
prior approval of shareholders in general meeting.

Directors
The directors who served during the year and up to the date of signing 
these financial statements were as follows:

H Angest  
P A Lynam  
N Kapur 
P Marrow  
A A Salmon  
C F Sergeant 

Non-Executive Chairman
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Financial Officer
Independent Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Director
Independent Non-Executive Director

Mr  Angest,  Mr  Lynam  and  Mr  Salmon  are  directors  of  the  ultimate 
parent company Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC and their interests in 
the share capital and share options of group companies are shown in 
the Directors’ Report of that Company.

According to the information kept under Section 3 of the Disclosure 
and Transparency Rules 2006, the interests of the directors and their 
families in the ordinary 40p shares of the Company at the dates shown 
were as follows:

At 1 January 2012 

Acquired during 
the year 

At 31 December 2012
and 20 March 2013

N Kapur 
P A Lynam 
P Marrow 
A A Salmon 
C F Sergeant 

– 
6,600 
– 
– 
6,600 

1,000 
2,200 
5,440 
7,500 
–  

1,000
8,800
5,440
7,500
6,600

28

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
On  2  November  2011,  Mr  Lynam  and  Mr  Salmon  were  both  granted 
an  option  to  subscribe  between  2  November  2014  and  1  November 
2021 for 141,666 ordinary 40p shares in the Company at 720p a share, 
as  well  as  an  option  to  subscribe  between  2  November  2016  and 
1 November 2021 for 141,667 ordinary 40p shares in the Company at 
720p a share.

On 2 November 2011, Mr Kapur was granted an option to subscribe 
between 2 November 2014 and 1 November 2021 for 35,416 ordinary 
40p  shares  in  the  Company  at  720p  a  share,  as  well  as  an  option 
to  subscribe  between  2  November  2016  and  1  November  2021  for 
35,417 ordinary 40p shares in the Company at 720p a share.

During 2012 the Share Option Scheme was modified to become cash-
settled rather than equity-settled (see note 26).

Apart from the interests disclosed above, no director was interested at 
any time in the year in the share capital of Group companies.

Board Committees
The report of the Remuneration Committee on pages 33 to 34 will be 
the subject of an Ordinary Resolution at the Annual General Meeting.

Information on the Audit and Nomination Committees is included in the 
Corporate Governance section of the Annual report on pages 31 to 32.

Employees
The Company gives due consideration to the employment of disabled 
persons  and  is  an  equal  opportunities  employer.  It  also  regularly 
provides employees with information on matters of concern to them, 
consults  on  decisions  likely  to  affect  their  interests  and  encourages 
their involvement in the performance of the Company.

Charitable donations
The Company supports a local charity, the Queen Alexandra College and 
made total donations in the year to this and other charities of £1,436 
(2011: £3,230).

Supplier payment policy
The  Company’s  supplier  payment  policy  is  to  make  payment  in  line 
with terms agreed with individual suppliers, payments being effected 
on average within 6 days of receipt of invoice (2011: 6 days).

Forbearance
The Group has always looked to support customers who are in financial 
difficulty. We seek to engage in early communication with borrowers 
experiencing difficulty in meeting their repayments. The Company may 
at its discretion agree to reducing or deferring payments but will not 
revise the contractual payment plan (see note 4).

Post balance sheet events
On 2 January 2013 the Company acquired 100% of the ordinary share 
capital of V12 Finance Group Limited, which along with its wholly owned 
subsidiaries  V12  Retail  Finance  Limited  and  V12  Personal  Finance 
Limited  provide  retail  point  of  sale  loans,  typically  for  12  months  on 
an  unsecured  basis  to  consumers  who  are  predominantly  classified 
as prime borrowers. The acquisition is complementary to the Group’s 
existing retail finance proposition and the V12 management team will 
continue in the business. The cash consideration of £3.5 million was 
paid on completion and the Company provided funding such that the 
V12  Group  could  redeem  £7  million  of  subordinated  debt  and  also 
repay existing bank finance amounting to £28.5 million.

On 15 January 2013 the Company acquired the trade and assets of Debt 
Managers  Holdings  Limited  and  its  subsidiaries  Debt  Managers  (AB) 
Limited and Debt Managers Limited. These companies collect delinquent 
debt on behalf of a range of clients including banks and utility companies. The 
Company acquired Debt Managers for an initial cash payment of £364,000 
paid on completion of the transaction which includes payment for the estimated 
book value of the net assets of £14,000. In addition deferred consideration of up 
to £400,000 in cash is payable by the Company one year after completion 
subject in part to the business achieving certain income criteria. The assets 
acquired are expected to be fair valued at circa £760,000 after completion. 

Going concern
After  making  appropriate  enquiries  which  assessed  strategy, 
profitability, funding and capital resources, the directors are satisfied 
that the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue 
in  operation  for  the  foreseeable  future.  The  financial  statements  are 
therefore prepared on the going concern basis.

Statement of Directors’ responsibilities in respect of the Annual 
Report and the Financial Statements 
The directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the 
financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company  law  requires  the  directors  to  prepare  group  and  parent 
company financial statements for each financial year. As required by 
the  AIM  Rules  of  the  London  Stock  Exchange  they  are  required  to 
prepare the group financial statements in accordance with IFRSs as 
adopted by the EU and applicable law and have elected to prepare the 
parent company financial statements on the same basis.

Under  company  law  the  directors  must  not  approve  the  financial 
statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view 
of the state of affairs of the group and parent company and of their 
profit or loss for that period. In preparing each of the group and parent 
company financial statements, the directors are required to:

29

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingGroup Directors’ report

Continued

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the 
corporate and financial information included on the Company’s website. 
Legislation in the UK governing the preparation and dissemination of 
financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

• state whether they have been prepared in accordance with IFRSs as 
adopted by the EU; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless 
it is inappropriate to presume that the group and the parent company 
will continue in business.

The  directors  are  responsible  for  keeping  adequate  accounting 
records that are sufficient to show and explain the parent company’s 
transactions  and  disclose  with  reasonable  accuracy  at  any  time  the 
financial  position of the  parent  company  and  enable them  to  ensure 
that its financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They 
have  general  responsibility  for  taking  such  steps  as  are  reasonably 
open to them to safeguard the assets of the group and to prevent and 
detect fraud and other irregularities.

The  directors  have  decided  to  prepare  voluntarily  a  Directors’ 
Remuneration  Report  in  accordance  with  Schedule  8  to  The  Large 
and  Medium-sized  Companies  and  Groups  (Accounts  and  Reports) 
Regulations 2008 made under the Companies Act 2006, as if those 
requirements were to apply to the Company. The directors have also 
decided to prepare voluntarily a Corporate Governance Statement as 
if  the  Company  were  required  to  comply  with  the  Listing  Rules  and 
the Disclosure Rules and Transparency Rules of the Financial Services 
Authority in relation to those matters. 

30

Statement of disclosure of information to auditor
The directors confirm that, so far as each of the directors are aware, 
there is no relevant audit information of which the Company’s auditor 
is unaware and the directors have taken all the steps that they ought 
to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of any 
relevant audit information and to establish that the Company’s auditor 
is aware of that information.

Annual General Meeting
The  next  Annual  General  Meeting  of  the  Company  will  be  held  on  
8 May 2013. The Notice of Meeting is included on pages 88 and 89.

Auditor
In accordance with Section 489 of the Companies Act 2006, a resolution 
for the re-appointment of KPMG Audit Plc as auditor of the Company is 
to be proposed at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

By order of the board

J R Kaye
Secretary
20 March 2013

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCCorporate Governance statement

AIM companies are not required to comply with The UK Corporate Governance Code. Nevertheless, 
the Board endorses the principles of openness, integrity and accountability which underlie good 
corporate  governance  and  intends  to  take  into  account  the  provisions  of  The  UK  Corporate 
Governance Code in so far as they are appropriate to the Group’s size and circumstances. 

The Board
The Group is led and controlled by an effective Board of Directors which comprises Henry Angest 
(Non-Executive  Chairman),  Paul  Lynam  (Chief  Executive  Officer),  Neeraj  Kapur  (Chief  Financial 
Officer), and three other non-executive directors. Under the Company’s Articles and pursuant to 
the  relationship  agreement  in  place  between  the  Company  and  Arbuthnot  Banking  Group  PLC 
(“ABG”), one third of the directors will be appointed by ABG, one third of the directors will be full-
time executive directors, and one third of the directors will be independent directors.

The  Board  meets  regularly  throughout  the  year.  Substantive  agenda  items  have  briefing  papers, 
which are circulated in a timely manner before each meeting. The Board will ensure that it is satisfied 
that it is supplied with all the information that it requires and requests, in a form and of a quality to 
enable it to fulfil its duties. The Company Secretary is responsible for ensuring that Board processes 
and  procedures  are  appropriately  followed  and  support  effective  decision  making.  All  directors 
have access to the Company Secretary’s advice and services and there is an agreed procedure for 
directors to obtain independent professional advice in the course of their duties, if necessary, at the 
Company’s expense. The Board has delegated certain of its responsibilities to Committees, which 
are summarised below. Each of these Committees has written terms of reference. 

Audit Committee
Membership of the Audit Committee is limited to Non-Executive directors and the current Audit 
Committee comprises Paul Marrow as Chairman, Andrew Salmon and Carol Sergeant.

The primary responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to review arrangements established by the 
Directors for compliance with regulatory and financial reporting requirements, monitor the integrity 
of the Group and subsidiary statutory accounts, oversee the work of external auditors, monitor and 
review the scope, results and effectiveness of the Company’s internal audit function and liaise with 
the Audit Committee of ABG. 

The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include reviewing the Group’s system of internal control and 
the process for evaluating and monitoring risk. The Committee also considers any other matters 
which  might  have  a  financial  impact  on  the  Company,  including  the  Group’s  arrangement  by 
which staff may, in confidence, raise concerns about possible improprieties in matters of financial 
reporting  or  other  matters.  The  Audit  Committee  has  the  authority  to  obtain  any  information  it 
requires from any employee or external party, and at least once a year will meet with the Company’s 
external auditors and internal audit function without any Executive Directors being present. 

31

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingCorporate Governance statement

Continued

The Committee also reviews the appointment, terms of engagement 
and objectivity of the external auditors, including the level of non-audit 
services  provided,  and  ensures  that  there  is  an  appropriate  audit 
relationship.  The  Audit  Committee  provides  a  forum  for  discussing 
with the Group’s external auditors their report on the annual accounts.

Risk Committee
The Risk Committee  is  chaired  by  Andrew Salmon.  Other  members 
are Paul Lynam and Paul Marrow. 

Shareholder communications
The Company maintains a regular dialogue with its shareholders and 
makes full use of the Annual General Meeting and any other General 
Meetings to communicate with investors. 

The  primary  responsibilities  of  the  Risk  Committee  is  to  approve 
specific  risk  policies  for  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries,  approve 
trading positions in excess of the limits set by the management of the 
Group,  oversee  the  development,  implementation  and  maintenance 
of  the  Group’s  overall  risk  management  framework  and  its  risk 
appetite,  strategy,  principles  and  policies,  oversee  the  Group’s  risk 
exposures, risk/return and proposed improvements to the Group’s risk 
management framework, oversee adherence to Group risk principles, 
policies and standards, and at all times act in adherence with and with 
regard to the risk principles, policies and standards adopted by ABG 
and keep ABG regularly informed of any risk issues or breaches faced 
by the Group which may affect the ABG Group.

Remuneration Committee
Details  of  the  Remuneration  Committee  and  directors’  remuneration 
are set out in the separate Remuneration Report.

Nomination Committee
The Nomination Committee is chaired by Henry Angest and its other 
members are Paul Marrow and Carol Sergeant. 

The  primary  responsibilities  of  the  Nomination  Committee  are  to 
review  the  number  of  Directors  and  the  balance  between  Executive 
and  Independent  Directors,  recommend  new  Independent  Director 
and Executive Director appointments to the Board and the length of 
term for which a Non-Executive Director may be expected to serve, 
and  have  regard  to  provisions  of  the  Relationship  Agreement  when 
performing its duties. Before a Board appointment is made the skills, 
knowledge and experience required for a particular appointment are 
evaluated. The Nomination Committee also follows the ICSA Guidance 
on Terms of Reference for Nomination Committees.

The  Company  aims  to  present  a  balanced  and  understandable 
assessment  in  all  its  reports  to  shareholders,  its  regulators  and  the 
wider public. Key announcements and other information can be found 
at www.securetrustbank.com.

Internal control and financial reporting
The Board of Directors has overall responsibility for the Group’s system 
of internal control and for reviewing its effectiveness. Such a system 
is designed to manage rather than eliminate risk of failure to achieve 
business objectives and can only provide reasonable but not absolute 
assurance against the risk of material misstatement or loss. 

The  directors  and  senior  management  of  the  Group  have  formally 
adopted a Group Risk and Controls Policy which sets out the Board’s 
attitude to risk and internal control. Key risks identified by the Directors 
are formally reviewed and assessed at least once a year by the Board. 
Key  business  risks  are  also  identified,  evaluated  and  managed  by 
operating management on an ongoing basis. The Board also receives 
regular  reports  on  any  risk  matters  that  need  to  be  brought  to  its 
attention. Significant risks identified in connection with the development 
of new activities are subject to consideration by the Board. 

The effectiveness of the internal control system is reviewed regularly 
by the Board and the Audit Committee, which also receives reports of 
reviews undertaken by the internal audit function which is outsourced 
to Ernst & Young. The Audit Committee also receives reports from the 
external auditors, KPMG Audit Plc, which includes details of internal 
control matters that they have identified. Certain aspects of the system 
of internal control are also subject to regulatory supervision, the results 
of which are monitored closely by the Board.

32

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCRemuneration report

Remuneration Committee
Membership of the Remuneration Committee is limited to Non-Executive Directors. The present 
members of the Committee are Henry Angest, Chairman, Paul Marrow and Carol Sergeant. 

The Committee has responsibility for producing recommendations on the overall remuneration policy 
for Directors and for setting the remuneration of individual Executive Directors, both for review by the 
Board. Remuneration is set having regard to any roles that may be performed by such Directors as 
Directors of any other Group companies in the corporate Group of which the Company forms a part. 
The Committee applies the Company’s remuneration code and monitors its implementation, reviews 
the Directors’ Remuneration Report, considers and if thought fit awards any incentives to be offered 
under the Share Option Scheme and pension arrangements, subject to the achievement of specific 
criteria. The Remuneration Committee also follows the ICSA Guidance on Terms of Reference for 
Remuneration Committees. Members of the Committee do not vote on their own remunerations. 

Remuneration policy
The Remuneration Committee determines the remuneration of individual directors having regard to the 
size and nature of the business; the importance of attracting, retaining and motivating management 
of the appropriate calibre without paying more than is necessary for this purpose; remuneration data 
for comparable positions; the need to align the interests of executives with those of shareholders; 
and  an  appropriate  balance  between  current  remuneration  and  longer  term  performance–related 
rewards. The remuneration package can comprise a combination of basic annual salary and benefits 
(including pension), a discretionary annual bonus award related to the Committee’s assessment of 
the contribution made by the executive during the year and longer term incentives, including executive 
share  options.  Pension  benefits  take  the  form  of  annual  contributions  paid  by  the  Company  to 
individual money purchase schemes. The Remuneration Committee reviews salary levels each year 
based on the performance of the Group during the preceding financial period. This review does not 
necessarily lead to increases in salary levels. During 2012 the Group implemented all the provisions 
required under the FSA Remuneration Code. The Group and its subsidiaries are all considered to be 
Tier III institutions, due to the size of their relevant total assets.

33

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingRemuneration report

Continued

Directors’ emoluments 
This part of the Remuneration Report is audited information.

Fees (including benefits in kind) 
Salary payments  
(including bonuses and benefits in kind) 
Pension contributions 

2012 
£000 

18  

1,234  
60  
1,312  

Salary  Bonus*  Benefits  Pension 
£000 

Fees 
£000  £000 

£000 

£000 

2011
£000

47 

1,032 
104 
1,183 

Total 
2012 
£000 

Total
2011
£000

Directors’ service contracts
Mr Lynam and Mr Kapur each have service contracts terminable at any 
time on 12 months’ notice in writing by either party. Mr Marrow and Mrs 
Sergeant have service contracts terminable at any time on 3 months’ 
notice in writing by either party. Mr Angest and Mr Salmon have service 
contracts with Arbuthnot Banking Group and their details are disclosed 
in the financial statements of that company.

Share Option Scheme
On 17 October 2011 the Company established The Secure Trust Bank 
Share  Option  Scheme  which  is  administered  by  the  Remuneration 
Committee.

On 2 November 2011, Mr Lynam and Mr Salmon were both granted 
an option to subscribe between 2 November 2014 and 1 November 
2021 for 141,666 ordinary 40p shares in the Company at 720p a share, 
as  well  as  an  option  to  subscribe  between  2  November  2016  and 
1 November 2021 for 141,667 ordinary 40p shares in the Company at 
720p a share.

On 2 November 2011, Mr Kapur was granted an option to subscribe 
between 2 November 2014 and 1 November 2021 for 35,416 ordinary 
40p  shares  in  the  Company  at  720p  a  share,  as  well  as  an  option 
to  subscribe  between  2  November  2016  and  1  November  2021  for 
35,417 ordinary 40p shares in the Company at 720p a share. 

During 2012 the Share Option Scheme was modified to become cash-
settled rather than equity-settled.

The market price for each ordinary share at the year end was 1,570p. 
The highest and lowest market price for each ordinary share during the 
year was 830p and 1,570p.

A detailed description of the Share Option Scheme, including Scheme 
Conditions, is contained in Note 26 of the financial statements.

34

 –  

 –  

N Fielden  
(to 3 June 2011) 
K Hayes (between 17 June  
and 9 September 2011) 
N Kapur  
(from 31 May 2011) 
P Lynam 
P Marrow  
(from 3 March 2011) 
D Nield  
(to 9 September 2011) 
C Sergeant  
(from 8 September 2011)  45  

175  
413  

60  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

94 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

28 

100  
400  

19  
22  

25  
35  

 –   319   219 
 –   870   686 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –   18  

78  

33 

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –   109 

 –  
693   500  

 –  
41  

 –  

 –  
14 
60   18   1,312   1,183

45  

*  These bonus awards are at this time indicative. The Remuneration Committee, 
at its meeting on 22 January 2013, placed certain conditions which require final 
approval by the committee prior to the award becoming unconditional and payable. 
This is anticipated to take place in the second quarter of 2013. The Remuneration 
Committee awarded the above directors bonuses on a preliminary basis, pending 
finalisation of the year end audit. Once the year end audit is completed and the year 
end accounts approved, the Remuneration Committee will meet again to finalise and 
approve the bonuses.

The  cost  of  the  provision  of  the  services  of  Mr  Angest  and  Mr 
Salmon  of  £60,000  and  £45,000  respectively,  have  been  recharged 
to  the  Company  in  accordance  with  the  Services  and  Relationship 
Agreements created at the time of the IPO (2011: Mr Angest £139,000, 
of which £129,000 relates to the period prior to the IPO and £10,000 
relates  to  the  period  after  the  IPO.  Mr  Salmon  £216,000,  of  which 
£209,000 relates to the period prior to the IPO and £7,000 relates to 
the period after the IPO).

The  emoluments  of  the  highest  paid  director  were  £870,000  (2011: 
£686,000), including pension contributions of £35,000 (2011: £35,000).

Retirement benefits are being paid for 2 directors who served during 
2012 (2011: 2).

Henry Angest 
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee
20 March 2013

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
Independent Auditor’s report

To the members of Secure Trust Bank PLC

We have audited the financial statements of Secure Trust Bank PLC 
for the year ended 31 December 2012 set out on pages 36 to 86. The 
financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation 
is  applicable  law  and  International  Financial  Reporting  Standards 
(IFRSs)  as  adopted  by  the  EU  and,  as  regards  the  parent  company 
financial statements, as applied in accordance with the provisions of 
the Companies Act 2006.

In addition to our audit of the financial statements, the directors have 
engaged  us  to  audit  the  information  in  the  Directors’  Remuneration 
Report that is described as having been audited, which the directors 
have decided to prepare (in addition to that required to be prepared) 
as  if  the  company  were  required  to  comply  with  the  requirements 
of  Schedule  8  to  the  The  Large  and  Medium-sized  Companies  and 
Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 (SI 2008 No. 410) 
made under the Companies Act 2006.

This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in 
accordance  with  Chapter  3  of  Part  16  of  the  Companies  Act  2006 
and,  in  respect  of  the  separate  opinion  in  relation  to  the  Directors’ 
Remuneration  Report  and  reporting  on  corporate  governance,  on 
terms  that  have  been  agreed.  Our  audit  work  has  been  undertaken 
so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we 
are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and, in respect of 
the separate opinion in relation to the Directors’ Remuneration Report, 
those matters that we have agreed to state to them in our report, and 
for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not 
accept  or  assume  responsibility  to  anyone  other  than  the  company 
and the company’s members, as a body, for our audit work, for this 
report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Respective responsibilities of directors and auditor
As  explained  more  fully  in  the  Directors’  Responsibilities  Statement 
set  out  on  pages  29  and  30,  the  directors  are  responsible  for  the 
preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they 
give  a  true  and  fair  view.  Our  responsibility  is  to  audit,  and  express 
an opinion on, the financial statements in accordance with applicable 
law and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those 
standards  require  us  to  comply  with  the  Auditing  Practices  Board’s 
Ethical Standards for Auditors.

Scope of the audit of the financial statements
A  description  of  the  scope  of  an  audit  of  financial  statements  is 
provided on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.
uk/auditscopeukprivate. 

Opinion on financial statements
In our opinion:
•  

the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the 
group’s  and  of  the  parent  company’s  affairs  as  at  31  December 
2012 and of the group’s profit for the year then ended;

•  

•  

•  

the  group  financial  statements  have  been  properly  prepared  in 
accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU;
the parent company financial statements have been properly prepared 
in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU and as applied in 
accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006;
the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 
the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 
and under the terms of our engagement
In our opinion:
•  

the  part  of  the  Directors’  Remuneration  Report  which  we  were 
engaged to audit has been properly prepared in accordance with 
Schedule  8  to  The  Large  and  Medium-sized  Companies  and 
Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 made under the 
Companies Act 2006, as if those requirements were to apply to the 
company; and
the information given in the Directors’ Report for the financial year 
for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with 
the financial statements. 

•  

Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following:

Under  the  Companies  Act  2006  and  under  the  terms  of  our 
engagement we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:

•   adequate  accounting  records  have  not  been  kept  by  the  parent 
company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received 
from branches not visited by us; or
the  parent  company  financial  statements  and  the  part  of  the 
Directors’ Remuneration Report which we were engaged to audit 
are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
•   certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are 

•  

not made; or

•   we  have  not  received  all  the  information  and  explanations  we 

require for our audit.

Andrew Walker (Senior Statutory Auditor)
for and on behalf of KPMG Audit Plc, Statutory Auditor
Chartered Accountants
One Snowhill
Snow Hill Queensway
Birmingham B4 6GH

20 March 2013

35

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingConsolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

Interest and similar income 
Interest expense and similar charges 
Net interest income 
Fee and commission income 
Fee and commission expense 
Net fee and commission income 
Operating income 
Impairment losses on loans and advances 
Gain from a bargain purchase 
Other income 
Costs arising from acquisitions 
Share listing transaction costs 
Operating expenses 
Profit before income tax 
Income tax expense 
Profit for the year 

Other comprehensive income, net of income tax 
Hedging reserve 
 – Effective portion of changes in fair value 
 – Net amount transferred to profit or loss 
Other comprehensive income for the year, net of income tax 
Total comprehensive income for the year 

Profit attributable to: 
Equity holders of the Group 

Total comprehensive income attributable to: 
Equity holders of the Group 

Earnings per share for profit attributable to the  
equity holders of the Group during the year 
(expressed in pence per share) 
Basic and diluted earnings per share 

Note 

6 

13 
30 

25 
7 

9 

Year ended 
31 December 
2012 
£000 

Year ended
31 December
2011
£000

44,893  
(10,467) 
34,426  
15,788  
(3,206) 
12,582  
47,008  
(8,946) 
9,830  
37  
(1,397) 
 –  
(29,367) 
17,165  
(1,628) 
15,537  

(34) 
 –  
(34) 
15,503  

15,537  

15,503  

22,836 
(5,609)
17,227 
12,662 
(1,429)
11,233 
28,460 
(4,601)
 – 
36 
 – 
(536)
(16,079)
7,280 
(2,216)
5,064 

(333)
4 
(329)
4,735 

5,064 

4,735 

10 

108.9 

39.6

The notes on pages 44 to 86 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

36

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
Consolidated statement of 
financial position

ASSETS 
Derivative financial instruments 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Current tax assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Intangible assets 
Deferred tax assets 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 
Liabilities 
Deposits from customers 
Debt securities in issue 
Current tax liabilities 
Deferred tax liabilities 
Other liabilities 
Total liabilities 

Equity attributable to owners of the parent 
Share capital 
Share premium 
Retained earnings 
Cash flow hedging reserve 
Revaluation reserve 
Total equity 
Total liabilities and equity 

Note 

18 
11 
12 

17 
15 
23 
19 

20 
22 

23 
21 

25 

At 
31 December 
2012 
£000 

At
31 December
2011
£000

25 
155,301 
297,631 
–  
5,414 
5,231 
5,031 
5,966 
474,599 

398,891 
–  
340 
1,145 
18,302 
418,678 

6,259 
28,206 
21,679 
(363) 
140 
55,921 
474,599 

58
139,498
154,585
351
4,926
686
212
7,524
307,840

272,063
3,000
12
97
8,853
284,025

5,667
9,547
8,790
(329)
140
23,815
307,840

The financial statements on pages 36 to 86 were approved by the Board of Directors on 20 March 2013 and were signed on its behalf by:

P Lynam 
Chief Executive Officer

N Kapur 
Chief Financial Officer

The notes on pages 44 to 86 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

37

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
Company statement of  
financial position

ASSETS 
Derivative financial instruments 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Current tax assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Intangible assets 
Investments 
Deferred tax assets 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 
Liabilities 
Deposits from customers 
Debt securities in issue 
Current tax liabilities 
Other liabilities 
Total liabilities 

Equity attributable to owners of the parent 
Share capital 
Share premium 
Retained earnings 
Cash flow hedging reserve 
Total equity 
Total liabilities and equity 

Note 

18 
11 
12 

17 
15 
16 
23 
19 

20 
22 

21 

25 

At 
31 December 
2012 
£000  

At 
31 December 
2011 
£000

25 
153,634 
197,519 
–  
948 
795 
–  
616 
98,091 
451,628 

398,891 
–  
334 
8,672 
407,897 

6,259 
28,206 
9,629 
(363) 
43,731 
451,628 

58
139,498
137,613
351
760
686
101
212
23,394
302,673

272,063
3,000
– 
6,028
281,091

5,667
9,547
6,697
(329)
21,582
302,673

The Company has elected to take exemption under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 not to present the parent company profit and loss 
account. The profit for the parent company for the year is presented in the Statement of Changes in Equity.

The financial statements on pages 36 to 86 were approved by the Board of Directors on 20 March 2013 and were signed on its behalf by:

P Lynam 
Chief Executive Officer

N Kapur 
Chief Financial Officer

Registered number: 00541132

The notes on pages 44 to 86 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

38

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
Consolidated statement of  
changes in equity

Balance at 1 January 2012 

5,667  

9,547  

140  

(329) 

8,790  

23,815 

Share 
capital 
£000 

Share 
premium 
£000 

Revaluation 
reserve 
£000 

Cash flow 
hedging 
reserve 
£000 

Retained 
earnings 
£000 

Total 
£000

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

15,537  

15,537 

Total comprehensive income for the period 
Profit for 2012 

Other comprehensive income, net of income tax 
Cash flow hedging reserve 
 – Effective portion of changes in fair value 
Total other comprehensive income 
Total comprehensive income for the period 

 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  

Transactions with owners, recorded directly in equity 
Contributions by and distributions to owners 
Dividends 
Credit for share based payments 
Issue of ordinary shares 
Transaction costs on issue of shares 
Total contributions by and distributions to owners 
Balance at 31 December 2012 

 –  
 –  
592  
 –  
592  
6,259  

 –  
 –  
19,408  
(749) 
18,659  
28,206  

 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
140  

(34) 
(34) 
(34) 

 –  
 –  
15,537  

(34)
(34)
15,503 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
(363) 

(2,578) 
(70) 
 –  
 –  
(2,648) 
21,679  

(2,578)
(70)
20,000 
(749)
16,603 
55,921 

The notes on pages 44 to 86 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

39

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
Share 
premium 
£000 

Revaluation 
reserve 
£000 

Cash flow 
hedging 
reserve 
£000 

Retained 
earnings 
£000 

Total 
£000

142  

 –  

10,654  

15,796 

 –  

 –  

5,064  

5,064 

(2) 

 –  
 –  
(2) 
(2) 

 –  
 –  
–  
 – 
 –  
140  

 –  

(333) 
4  
(329) 
(329) 

 –  
 –  
–  
 – 
 –  
(329) 

2  

 – 

 –  
 –  
2  
5,066  

(7,000) 
70  
–  
–  
(6,930) 
8,790  

(333)
4 
(329)
4,735 

(7,000)
70 
12,000 
(1,786)
3,284 
23,815 

Consolidated statement of  
changes in equity  
Continued

Balance at 1 January 2011 

Total comprehensive income for the period 
Profit for 2011 

Other comprehensive income, net of income tax 
Revaluation reserve 
 – Amount transferred to profit and loss 
Cash flow hedging reserve 
 – Effective portion of changes in fair value 
 – Net amount transferred to profit and loss 
Total other comprehensive income 
Total comprehensive income for the period 

Share 
capital 
£000 

5,000  

 –  

 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  
–  
 –  
 –  

Transactions with owners, recorded directly in equity 
Contributions by and distributions to owners 
Dividends 
Charge for share based payments 
Issue of ordinary shares 
Transaction costs on issue of shares 
Total contributions by and distributions to owners 
Balance at 31 December 2011 

 –  
 –  
667  
 –  
667  
5,667  

 –  
 –  
11,333  
(1,786) 
9,547  
9,547  

The notes on pages 44 to 86 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

40

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
Company statement of  
changes in equity

Balance at 1 January 2011 

Total comprehensive income for the period 
Profit for 2011 

Other comprehensive income, net of income tax 
Cash flow hedging reserve 
 – Effective portion of changes in fair value 
 – Net amount transferred to profit or loss 
Total other comprehensive income 
Total comprehensive income for the period 

Transactions with owners, recorded directly in equity 
Contributions by and distributions to owners 
Dividends 
Charge for share based payments 
Issue of ordinary shares 
Transaction costs on issue of shares 
Total contributions by and distributions to owners 
Balance at 1 January 2012 

Total comprehensive income for the period 
Profit for 2012 

Other comprehensive income, net of income tax 
Cash flow hedging reserve 
 – Effective portion of changes in fair value 
Total other comprehensive income 
Total comprehensive income for the period 

Transactions with owners, recorded directly in equity 
Contributions by and distributions to owners 
Dividends 
Credit for share based payments 
Issue of ordinary shares 
Transaction costs on issue of shares 
Total contributions by and distributions to owners 
Balance at 31 December 2012 

Share 
premium 
£000 

Cash flow 
hedging 
reserve 
£000 

Retained 
earnings 
£000 

Total 
£000

Share 
capital 
£000 

5,000  

 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  

 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
667  
 –  
667  
5,667  

 –  
 –  
11,333  
(1,786) 
9,547  
9,547  

 –  

9,200  

14,200 

 –  

4,427  

4,427 

(333) 
4  
(329) 
(329) 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
(329) 

 –  
 –  
 –  
4,427  

(7,000) 
70  
 –  
 –  
(6,930) 
6,697  

(333)
4 
(329)
4,098 

(7,000)
70 
12,000 
(1,786)
3,284 
21,582 

 –  

 –  

 –  

5,580  

5,580 

 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
592  
 –  
592  
6,259  

 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
19,408  
(749) 
18,659  
28,206  

(34) 
(34) 
(34) 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
(363) 

 –  
 –  
5,580  

(34)
(34)
5,546 

(2,578) 
(70) 
 –  
 –  
(2,648) 
9,629  

(2,578)
(70)
20,000 
(749)
16,603 
43,731 

The notes on pages 44 to 86 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

41

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
Consolidated statement  
of cash flows

Cash flows from operating activities 
Profit for the year 

Adjustments for: 
Income tax expense 
Depreciation 
Amortisation 
Profit on sale of property, plant and equipment 
Gain from a bargain purchase 
Provisions against amounts due from customers 
Share based compensation 
Cash flows from operating profits before changes in operating  
assets and liabilities 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: 
– net increase in loans and advances to customers 
– net decrease/(increase) in derivative financial instruments 
– net decrease in other assets 
– net increase in loans and advances to banks 
– net increase in amounts due to customers 
– net increase/(decrease) in other liabilities 
Income tax paid 
Net cash inflow from operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities 
Borrowings repaid on acquisition of subsidiary undertaking 
Cash acquired on purchase of subsidiary undertaking 
Purchase of computer software 
Purchase of property, plant and equipment 
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 
Net cash from investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities 
(Decrease)/increase in subordinated loan 
Net inflow on issue of share capital 
Dividends paid 
Net cash used in financing activities 

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January 
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 

Note 

30 

30 

15 
17 

27 

The notes on pages 44 to 86 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

42

Year ended  
31 December 
2012 
£000 

Year  ended 
31  December 
2 0 1 1 
£000

15,537  

1,628  
596  
876  
 –  
(9,830) 
8,946  
(70) 

17,683  

(80,727) 
33  
4,521  
(41,333) 
126,828  
6,714  
(1,446) 
32,273  

(71,618) 
991  
(256) 
(603) 
10  
(71,476) 

(3,000) 
19,251  
(2,578) 
13,673  

(25,530) 
119,545  
94,015  

5,064 

2,216 
467 
139 
(3)
 – 
4,601 
70 

12,554 

(69,704)
(58)
9,328 
(19,953)
118,285 
(986)
(1,815)
47,651 

 – 
 – 
(42)
(98)
3 
(137)

600 
10,214 
(7,000)
3,814 

51,328 
68,217 
119,545 

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC  
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
Note 

Year ended  
31 December 
2012 
£000 

Year  ended 
31  December 
2 0 1 1 
£000

Company statement  
of cash flows

Cash flows from operating activities 
Profit for the year 

Adjustments for: 
Income tax expense 
Depreciation 
Amortisation 
Profit on sale of property, plant and equipment 
Release of a provision against investments 
Provisions against amounts due from customers 
Share based compensation 
Cash flows from operating profits before changes in  
operating assets and liabilities 
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: 
– net increase in loans and advances to customers 
– net decrease/(increase) in derivative financial instruments 
– net increase in other assets 
– net increase in loans and advances to banks 
– net increase in amounts due to customers 
– net increase/(decrease) in other liabilities 
Income tax paid 
Net cash inflow from operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities 
Borrowings repaid on acquisition of subsidiary undertaking 
Purchase of computer software 
Purchase of property, plant and equipment 
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 
Net cash from investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities 
(Decrease)/increase in subordinated loans 
Net inflow on issue of share capital 
Dividends paid 
Net cash used in financing activities 

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January 
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 

5,580  

1,377  
367  
147  
 –  
 –  
6,225  
(70) 

13,626  

(66,131) 
33  
(2,978) 
(41,333) 
126,828  
2,610  
(1,096) 
31,559  

(71,618) 
(256) 
(555) 
 –  
(72,429) 

(3,000) 
19,251  
(2,578) 
13,673  

(27,197) 
119,545  
92,348  

30 
15 
17 

27 

The notes on pages 44 to 86 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

4,427 

1,983 
389 
139 
(3)
(100)
4,616 
70 

11,521 

(57,956)
(58)
(1,298)
(19,953)
118,285 
(1,075)
(1,815)
47,651 

 – 
(42)
(98)
3 
(137)

600 
10,214 
(7,000)
3,814 

51,328 
68,217 
119,545 

43

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking  
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
Principal accounting policies

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements are set out below. These policies have 
been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.

1.1 Reporting entity
Secure Trust Bank PLC is a company domiciled in the United Kingdom (referred to as the “Company”). The registered address of Secure Trust 
Bank PLC is One Arleston Way, Solihull, B90 4LH. The consolidated financial statements of Secure Trust Bank PLC as at and for the year ended 
31 December 2012 comprise Secure Trust Bank PLC and its subsidiaries (together referred to as the “Group” and individually as “subsidiaries”). 
The Group is primarily involved in banking and financial services.

1.2 Basis of presentation
The Group’s consolidated financial statements and the Company’s financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) (as adopted and endorsed by the EU) and the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies reporting 
under  IFRS.  They  have  been  prepared  under  the  historical  cost  convention,  as  modified  by  the  revaluation  of  land  and  buildings,  financial 
instruments at fair value through profit or loss and liabilities for cash settled share based payments arrangements measured at fair value.

The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  IFRS  requires  the  use  of  certain  critical  accounting  estimates.  It  also  requires 
management  to  exercise  its  judgement  in  the  process  of  applying  the  Group’s  accounting  policies.  The  areas  involving  a  higher  degree  of 
judgement or complexity, or areas where assumptions and estimates are significant to the consolidated financial statements are disclosed in 
note 2.

The Directors have assessed, in the light of current and anticipated economic conditions, the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. The 
Directors confirm they are satisfied that the Company and the Group have adequate resources to continue in business for the foreseeable future. 
For this reason, they continue to adopt the ‘going concern’ basis for preparing accounts.

The consolidated financial statements were authorised for issue by the board of directors on 20 March 2013.

a) Standards, interpretations and amendments effective in 2012 – relevant to the Group

• 

IFRS 7 (Revised), ‘Disclosures – Transfers of Financial Assets’ (endorsed for use in the EU on 22 November 2011). The revised standard 
requires additional disclosures for transfers of financial assets and where there are a disproportionate amount of transactions undertaken 
around the period end.

• 

Improvements to IFRSs. Sets out minor amendments to IFRS standards as part of annual improvements process.

The above changes did not have any material impact on the financial statements.

b)  Standards, amendments and interpretations to existing standards (applicable to the Group) that are not yet effective and have not been early 

adopted by the Group

The following standards and amendments to existing standards have been published and are mandatory for the Group’s accounting periods 
beginning on or after 1 January 2013 or later periods, but the Group has not early adopted them:

IAS 1 (Revised), ‘Presentation of Financial Statements – Presentation of items of other comprehensive income’ (effective 1 July 2012). The 
revised standard requires that an entity present separately the items of other comprehensive income that may subsequently be reclassified 
to profit or loss from those items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss.

IFRS 7 (Revised), ‘Disclosures – Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities’ (effective 1 January 2013). The revised standard amend 
the required disclosures to include information that will enable users of an entity’s financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential 
effect of netting arrangements, including rights of set-off associated with the entity’s recognised financial assets and recognised financial 
liabilities, on the entity’s financial position.

• 

• 

44

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC1.2 Basis of presentation continued
• 

IFRS 10, ‘Consolidated Financial Statements’ and IAS 27 (Revised), ‘Separate Financial Statements’ (effective 1 January 2013). IFRS 10 
supersedes IAS 27 and SIC-12, and provides a single model to be applied in the control analysis for all investees. There are some minor 
clarifications in IAS 27, and the requirements of IAS 28 and IAS 31 have been incorporated into IAS 27.

• 

• 

• 

• 

IFRS 11, ‘Joint Arrangements’ (effective 1 January 2013). This standard replaces the existing accounting for subsidiaries and joint ventures 
(now joint arrangements) and removes the choice of equity or proportionate accounting for jointly controlled entities, as was the case under 
IAS 31.

 IFRS 12, ‘Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities’ (effective 1 January 2013). This standard replaces the existing accounting for subsidiaries 
and joint ventures (now joint arrangements) and contains the disclosure requirements for entities that have interests in subsidiaries, joint 
arrangements, associates and/or unconsolidated structured entities.

IFRS 13, ‘Fair Value Measurement’ (effective 1 January 2013). This standard replaces the existing guidance on fair value measurement in 
different IFRSs with a single definition of fair value, a framework for measuring fair values and disclosures about fair value measurements.

IAS 32 (Revised), ‘Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities’ (effective 1 January 2014). This standard was amended to clarify the 
offsetting criteria, specifically when an entity currently has a legal right of set off; and when gross settlement is equivalent to net settlement.

The above standards are unlikely to have a material impact on the Group.

• 

IFRS 9 ‘Financial instruments’ (effective from 1 January 2015). Phase one of this standard deals with the classification and measurement 
of financial assets and will replace IAS 39. The requirements of this standard represent a significant change from the existing requirements 
in IAS 39. The standard contains two primary measurement categories for financial assets: amortised cost and fair value. The standard 
eliminates the existing IAS 39 categories of ‘held to maturity’, ‘available for sale’ and ‘loans and receivables’. The potential effect of phase 
one of this standard is currently being evaluated but it is not expected to have a pervasive impact on the Group’s financial statements, due 
to the nature of the Group’s operations. Further development phases of IFRS 9 are scheduled to cover key areas such as impairment and 
hedge accounting. The impact of these future developments is likely to be material to the Group once it becomes effective. 1

1  This standard has not yet been endorsed by the EU.

1.3 Consolidation
Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries  are  all  entities  over  which  the  Group  has  the  power  to  govern  the  financial  and  operating  policies,  generally  accompanying  a 
shareholding  of  more  than  one-half  of  the  voting  rights.  The  existence  and  effect  of  potential  voting  rights  that  are  currently  exercisable  or 
convertible are considered when assessing whether the Group controls another entity. Subsidiaries are fully consolidated from the date on which 
control is transferred to the Group. They are de-consolidated from the date that control ceases.

The purchase method of accounting is used to account for the acquisition of subsidiaries by the Group. The cost of an acquisition is measured 
as the fair value of the assets given, equity instruments issued and liabilities incurred or assumed at the date of exchange. Identifiable assets 
acquired and liabilities and contingent liabilities assumed in a business combination are measured initially at their fair values at the acquisition 
date, irrespective of the extent of any non-controlling interest. The excess of the cost of acquisition over the fair value of the Group’s share of 
the identifiable net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. If the cost of acquisition is less than the fair value of the net assets of the subsidiary 
acquired, the difference is recognised directly in the income statement.

Inter-company transactions, balances and unrealised gains on transactions between group companies are eliminated. Unrealised losses are 
also eliminated. Accounting policies of subsidiaries have been changed where necessary to ensure consistency with the policies adopted by 
the Group.

45

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingPrincipal accounting policies
Continued

1.4 Interest income and expense
Interest income and expense are recognised in the statement of comprehensive income for all instruments measured at amortised cost and held 
to maturity using the effective interest method.

The effective interest method calculates the amortised cost of a financial asset or a financial liability and allocates the interest income or interest 
expense over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that discounts estimated future cash payments or receipts through the 
expected life of the financial instrument or, when appropriate, a shorter period to the net carrying amount of the financial asset or financial liability. 
When calculating the effective interest rate, the Group takes into account all contractual terms of the financial instrument but does not consider 
future credit losses. The calculation includes all fees paid or received between parties to the contract that are an integral part of the effective 
interest rate, transaction costs and all other premiums or discounts.

Once a financial asset or a group of similar financial assets has been written down as a result of an impairment loss, interest income is recognised 
using the rate of interest used to discount the future cash flows for the purpose of measuring the impairment loss.

1.5 Net fee and commission income
Fees and commissions which are not included in the effective interest rate are generally recognised on an accruals basis when the service has 
been provided. Fees and commissions income consists principally of weekly and monthly fees from the One Bill and Current Account products, 
arrears fees in the Everyday Loans business along with associated insurance commissions. Fees and commissions expense consists primarily 
of referral fees and broker commission.

1.6 Financial assets and financial liabilities
The  Group  classifies  its  financial  assets  in  the  following  categories:  at  fair  value  through  profit  and  loss,  loans  and  receivables  and  held-to-
maturity investments and its financial liabilities as other financial liabilities. Management determines the classification of its investments at initial 
recognition. A financial asset or financial liability is measured initially at fair value. At inception transaction costs that are directly attributable to 
its acquisition or issue, for an item not at fair value through profit or loss, is added to the fair value of the financial asset and deducted from the 
fair value of the financial liability.

(a) Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
This category comprises interest rate caps. All caps at 31 December 2012 are in qualifying hedge relationships. These cash flow hedges are 
used to hedge against fluctuations in future cash flows from interest rate movements on variable rate customer deposits. On initial purchase the 
derivative is valued at fair value and then the effective portion of the change in the fair value of the hedging instrument is recognised in equity 
(cash flow hedging reserve) until the gain or loss on the hedged item is realised, when it is amortised; the ineffective portion of the hedging 
instrument  is  recognised  in  the  statement  of  comprehensive  income  immediately.  Fair  values  are  based  on  quoted  market  prices  in  active 
markets and where these are not available, using valuation techniques such as discounted cashflow models (See also 1.7).

(b) Loans and receivables
Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. They 
arise when the Group provides money, goods or services directly to a debtor with no intention of trading the receivable. Loans are recognised 
on origination. Loans and receivables are carried at amortised cost (see (e) below).

(c) Other financial liabilities
Other financial liabilities are non-derivative financial liabilities with fixed or determinable payments. Other financial liabilities are recognised when 
cash is received from the depositors. Other financial liabilities are carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method. The fair value of 
other liabilities repayable on demand is assumed to be the amount payable on demand at the balance sheet date.

(d) Derecognition
Financial assets are derecognised when the rights to receive cash flows from the financial assets have expired or where the Group has transferred 
substantially all risks and rewards of ownership. In transactions in which the Group neither retains nor transfers substantially all the risks and 
rewards of ownership of a financial asset and it retains control over the asset, the Group continues to recognise the asset to the extent of its 
continuing involvement, determined by the extent to which it is exposed to changes in the value of the transferred asset. There have not been 
any instances where assets have only been partially derecognised. The Group derecognises a financial liability when its contractual obligations 
are discharged, cancelled or expire.

46

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC1.6 Financial assets and financial liabilities continued
(e) Amortised cost measurement
The amortised cost of a financial asset or financial liability is the amount at which the financial asset or financial liability is measured at initial 
recognition, minus principal payments, plus or minus the cumulative amortisation using the effective interest method of any difference between 
the initial amount recognised and the maturity amount, minus any reduction for impairment.

(f) Fair value measurement
Fair value is the amount for which an asset could be exchanged, or a liability settled, between knowledgeable, willing parties in an arm’s length 
transaction on the measurement date. The fair value of assets and liabilities traded in active markets are based on current bid and offer prices 
respectively. If the market is not active the Group establishes a fair value by using appropriate valuation techniques. These include the use of 
recent arm’s length transactions, reference to other instruments that are substantially the same for which market observable prices exist, net 
present value and discounted cash flow analysis.

1.7 Hedge accounting – cash flow hedges
On initial designation of the hedge, the Group formally documents the relationship between the hedging instruments and the hedged items, 
including  the  risk  management  objective  and  strategy  in  undertaking  the  hedge,  together  with  the  method  that  will  be  used  to  assess  the 
effectiveness of the hedging relationship. The Group makes an assessment, both at the inception of the hedge relationship as well as on an 
ongoing basis, as to whether the hedging instruments are expected to be highly effective in offsetting the changes in the fair value or cash flows 
of the respective hedged items during the period for which the hedge is designated, and whether the actual results of each hedge are within a 
range of 80-125%. The Group makes an assessment for a cash flow hedge of a forecast transaction, as to whether the forecast transaction is 
highly probable to occur and presents an exposure to variations in cash flows that could ultimately affect profit or loss.

If a hedging derivative expires or is sold, terminated, or exchanged, or the hedge no longer meets the criteria for cash flow hedge accounting, 
or the hedge designation is revoked, then hedge accounting is discontinued prospectively. In a discontinued hedge of a forecast transaction the 
cumulative amount recognised in other comprehensive income from the period when the hedge was effective is reclassified from equity to profit 
or loss as a reclassification adjustment when the forecast transaction occurs and affects profit or loss. If the forecast transaction is no longer 
expected to occur, then the balance in other comprehensive income is reclassified immediately to profit or loss as a reclassification adjustment.

1.8 Offsetting financial instruments
Financial assets and liabilities are offset and the net amount reported in the statement of financial position when there is a legally enforceable 
right to offset the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis, or realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

1.9 Impairment of financial assets
Assets carried at amortised cost
On an ongoing basis the Group assesses whether there is objective evidence that a financial asset or group of financial assets is impaired. 
Objective evidence is the occurrence of a loss event after the initial recognition of the asset that impacts on the estimated future cash flows of 
the financial asset or group of financial assets, and can be reliably estimated.

The criteria that the Group uses to determine that there is objective evidence of an impairment loss include, but are not limited to, the following:

•  Delinquency in contractual payments of principal or interest;

•  Cash flow difficulties experienced by the borrower; and

• 

Initiation of bankruptcy proceedings.

If there is objective evidence that an impairment loss on loans and receivables or held-to-maturity investments carried at amortised cost has 
been incurred, the amount of the loss is measured as the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the present value of estimated 
future cash flows discounted at the financial asset’s original effective interest rate. The carrying amount of the asset is reduced through the 
use of an allowance account and the amount of the loss is recognised in the statement of comprehensive income. If a loan or held-to-maturity 
investment has a variable interest rate, the discount rate for measuring any impairment loss is the current effective interest rate determined under 
the contract.

47

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingPrincipal accounting policies
Continued

1.9 Impairment of financial assets continued
The  Group  considers  evidence  of  impairment  for  loans  and  advances  at  both  a  specific  asset  and  collective  level.  All  individually  significant 
loans and advances are assessed for specific impairment. Those found not to be specifically impaired are then collectively assessed for any 
impairment that has been incurred but not yet identified. In assessing collective impairment the Group uses historical trends of the probability 
of default, the timing of recoveries and the amount of loss incurred, adjusted for management’s judgement as to whether current economic and 
credit conditions are such that the actual losses are likely to be significantly different to historic trends.

When a loan is uncollectible, it is written off against the related provision for loan impairment. Such loans are written off after all the necessary 
procedures have been completed and the amount of the loss has been determined. Subsequent recoveries of amounts previously written off 
decrease the amount of the provision for loan impairment in the statement of comprehensive income.

1.10 Intangible assets
(a) Goodwill arising on business combinations
Goodwill represents the excess of the acquisition cost over the fair value of the net identifiable assets acquired at the date of acquisition. Goodwill 
is held at cost less accumulated impairment losses. Goodwill is deemed to have an infinite life.

Goodwill is tested at least annually for impairment or when events or changes in economic circumstances indicate that impairment may have 
taken  place.  Impairment  losses  are  recognised  in  the  statement  of  comprehensive  income  if  the  carrying  amount  exceeds  the  recoverable 
amounts.

(b) Computer software
Acquired computer software licences are capitalised on the basis of the costs incurred to acquire and bring to use the specific software. These 
costs are amortised on the basis of the expected useful lives (three to five years).

Costs associated with developing or maintaining computer software programs are recognised as an expense as incurred in line with IAS 38.

(c) Other intangibles
The  acquisition  of  subsidiaries  is  accounted  for  in  accordance  with  IFRS  3  ‘Business  Combinations’,  which  requires  the  recognition  of  the 
identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their acquisition date fair values. As part of this process, it is necessary to recognise certain 
intangible assets which are separately identifiable and which are not included on the acquiree’s balance sheet.

The intangible assets recognised as part of the EDL acquisition have been recorded at fair value and are being amortised over their expected 
useful lives, which is four years.

1.11 Property, plant and equipment
Property is held at historic cost as modified by revaluation less depreciation. The Group has elected under IAS 16.31 to measure its property at 
fair value. Revaluations are kept up to date such that the carrying amount does not differ materially from its fair value as required by IAS 16.34. 
Revaluation of assets and any subsequent disposal are addressed through the revaluation reserve and any changes are transferred to retained 
earnings.

Plant and equipment is stated at historical cost less depreciation. Historical cost includes expenditure that is directly attributable to the acquisition 
of the items. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method to reduce their cost to their residual values over their estimated useful lives, 
applying the following annual rates, which are subject to regular review:

Land 

Freehold buildings 

not depreciated

2%

Leasehold improvements 

shorter of life of lease or 12.5%

Other equipment 

Computer equipment 

5% to 15%

20% to 33%

Gains  and  losses  on  disposals  are  determined  by  comparing  proceeds  with  carrying  amounts.  These  are  included  in  the  statement  of 
comprehensive income.

48

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC1.12 Leases
(a) As a lessor
Assets leased to customers under agreements which transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership, with or without ultimate legal 
title, are classified as finance leases. When assets are held subject to finance leases, the present value of the lease payments is recognised as 
a receivable. The difference between the gross receivable and the present value of the receivable is recognised as unearned finance income. 
Lease income is recognised over the term of the lease using the net investment method, which reflects a constant periodic rate of return.

Assets  leased  to  customers  under  agreements  which  do  not  transfer  substantially  all  the  risks  and  rewards  of  ownership  are  classified  as 
operating leases. When assets are held subject to operating leases, the underlying assets are held at cost less accumulated depreciation. The 
assets are depreciated down to their estimated residual values on a straight line basis over the lease term. Lease rental income is recognised on 
a straight line basis over the lease term.

(b) As a lessee
Rentals made under operating leases are recognised in the statement of comprehensive income on a straight line basis over the term of the 
lease.

1.13 Cash and cash equivalents
For the purposes of the statement of cash flows, cash and cash equivalents comprise cash in hand and demand deposits, and cash equivalents 
comprise highly liquid investments that are convertible into cash with an insignificant risk of changes in value with a maturity of three months or 
less at the date of acquisition, including certain loans and advances to banks and building societies and short-term highly liquid debt securities.

1.14 Employee benefits
(a) Post-retirement obligations
The Group contributes to a defined contribution scheme and to individual defined contribution schemes for the benefit of certain employees. The 
schemes are funded through payments to insurance companies or trustee-administered funds at the contribution rates agreed with individual 
employees.  The  Group  has  no  further  payment  obligations  once  the  contributions  have  been  paid.  The  contributions  are  recognised  as  an 
employee benefit expense when they are due. Prepaid contributions are recognised as an asset to the extent that a cash refund or a reduction 
in the future payments is available. There are no post-retirement benefits other than pensions.

(b) Share based payment transactions
During 2012 the scheme was changed to become cash-settled.  In accordance with IFRS 2, the valuation technique adopted by the Company 
in calculating the fair value of the share options includes a number of inputs including: the exercise price of the option, the current share price, 
the expected life of the option, the expected volatility, the expected dividend yield, a risk-free interest rate and incorporates an assessment of 
the probability of pay out. 

The fair value of the liability is remeasured at each reporting date and at each settlement date and is recognised on a straight line basis over the 
vesting period.

1.15 Share issue costs
Incremental costs directly attributable to the issue of an equity instrument are deducted from the initial measurement of the equity instruments. 
Costs associated with the listing of shares are expensed immediately.

1.16 Income taxation
Current income tax which is payable on taxable profits is recognised as an expense in the period in which the profits arise.

Deferred tax is provided in full, using the liability method, on temporary differences arising between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and 
their carrying amounts in the financial statements. Deferred tax is determined using tax rates (and laws) that have been enacted or substantially 
enacted by the statement of financial position date and are expected to apply when the related deferred tax asset is realised or the deferred tax 
liability is settled.

49

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingPrincipal accounting policies
Continued

1.16 Income taxation continued
Deferred tax assets are recognised where it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which the temporary differences can 
be utilised.

1.17 Dividends
Dividends on ordinary shares are recognised in equity in the period in which they are approved.

1.18 Significant items
Items which are material by both size and nature (i.e. outside of the normal operating activities of the Group) are treated as significant items and 
disclosed separately on the face of the statement of comprehensive income. The separate reporting of these items helps to provide an indication 
of the Group’s underlying business performance.

50

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCNotes to the consolidated financial statements

2. Critical judgements and estimates
The Group makes critical judgements and estimates which affect its reported assets, liabilities and profits. Estimates are calculated using various 
assumptions and judgements. Critical judgements and the assumptions used in calculating estimates are continually evaluated and are based 
on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

2.1 Impairment losses on loans and advances
The Group reviews its loan portfolios to assess impairment at least on a half-yearly basis. The basis for evaluating impairment losses is described 
in accounting policy 1.9. In determining whether an impairment loss should be recorded in the statement of comprehensive income, the Group 
makes judgements as to whether there is any observable data indicating that there is a measurable decrease in the estimated future cash flows 
from a portfolio of loans before the decrease can be identified with an individual loan in that portfolio. This evidence may include observable 
data indicating that there has been an adverse change in the payment status of borrowers in a group, or national or local economic conditions 
that correlate with defaults on assets in the group. Loans and advances are identified as impaired by taking account of the age of the debt’s 
delinquency and the product type. The impairment provision is calculated by applying a percentage rate to the balance of different ages and 
categories  of  impaired  debt.  The  methodology  and  assumptions  used  for  estimating  both  the  amount  and  timing  of  future  cash  flows  are 
reviewed regularly to reduce any differences between loss estimates and actual loss experience.

Where financial assets are individually evaluated for impairment, management uses their best estimates in calculating the net present value of 
future cash flows. Management has to make judgements on the financial position of the counterparty and the net realisable value of collateral 
(where held), in determining the expected future cash flows.

In assessing collective impairment the Group uses historical trends of the probability of default, the timing of recoveries and the amount of loss 
incurred, adjusted for management’s judgement as to whether current economic and credit conditions are such that the actual losses are likely 
to be significantly different to historic trends.

To the extent that the default rates differ from that estimated by 10%, the allowance for impairment on loans and advances would change by an 
estimated £1.6 million.

2.2 Acquisition accounting
The Group recognises identifiable assets and liabilities at their acquisition date fair values. The exercise of attributing a fair value to the balance 
sheet of the acquired entity requires the use of a number of assumptions and estimates, which are documented at the time of the acquisition. 
These fair value adjustments are determined from the estimated future cash flows generated by the assets.

Loans and advances to customers
The methodology of attributing a fair value to the loans and advances to customers involves discounting the estimated future cashflows after 
impairment losses, using a risk adjusted discount factor. A fair value adjustment is then applied to the carrying value in the acquiree’s balance sheet.

Intangible assets
Identifying the separately identifiable intangible assets of an acquired company is subjective and based upon discussions with management 
and a review of relevant documentation. During the year the acquisition of Everyday Loans indicated that there were four separately identifiable 
intangible assets which met the criteria for separation from goodwill, these being Trademarks, Customer Relationships, Broker Relationships 
and Technology.

Trademarks are valued by estimating the fair value of the estimated costs savings resulting from the ownership of trade names as opposed to 
licensing them. Customer Relationships are valued through the application of a discounted cashflow methodology to net anticipated renewal 
revenues.  The  valuation  of  Broker  Relationships  are  derived  from  a  costs  avoided  methodology,  by  reviewing  costs  incurred  on  non-broker 
platforms versus costs which are incurred in broker commission. Technology is valued by the market derived royalty rate applied to the related 
cash flows to arrive at estimated savings resulting from the use of the acquired credit decisioning technology.

2.3 Share Option Scheme valuation
The cost of the cash settled share option scheme is determined by reference to a range of factors aimed at estimating the fair value of the liability 
at the balance sheet date. In deriving that fair value, the Directors have also considered the probability of the options vesting. In the opinion of the 
Directors the terms of the scheme are such that there remain a number of key uncertainties to be considered when calculating the probability of 
pay out, which are set out below.

51

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingNotes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

2.3 Share Option Scheme valuation continued
Much of the bank’s lending is in the near and sub-prime categories, with performance of the book heavily influenced by employment trends. 
The UK economy remains fragile, with stagnant growth, high street closures and a triple dip recession a realistic possibility. The impact of a 
further downturn would be increasing unemployment, potentially causing impairments to rise and new business levels to fall, thereby affecting 
the bank’s ability to sustain the levels of dividend growth required under the terms of the scheme. Depending on the product type, market and 
customer demographics, the bank’s current product range includes expected lifetime losses of between 1% and 20%. 

Uncertainties in the regulatory environment continue, with pressure on the government to further constrain the activities of banks following the 
well reported catalogue of recent issues in the industry. Further uncertainly exists with the forthcoming demise of the FSA and the likely additional 
scrutiny following its replacement, with effect from 1 April 2013, by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority 
(FCA). Any tightening of capital requirements will impact on the ability of the Company to exploit future market opportunities and furthermore may 
inhibit its ability to maintain the required growth in distributions.

One participant in the share option scheme left the Company during the year and was consequently withdrawn from the scheme. The Directors 
consider that there is further uncertainty surrounding whether the remaining participants will all still be in situ and eligible at the vesting date.

Having taken all of the above risk factors into account, the Directors are of the opinion that there is currently a probability of 70% that the 2014 
options will vest and a probability of 50% that the 2016 options will vest. A change in the probability percentage of 10% across the two option 
dates would result in a £269,000 movement in the charge for the year.

In establishing an estimated share price at the vesting dates, an average market consensus valuation has been taken, by reference to a number 
of share investment research analysts. The average valuations as at 31 December 2012 were determined as £15.61 per share and £15.56 per 
share for 2014 and 2016 respectively. The highest and lowest estimates were within 10% of these average prices.

2.4 Average life of lending
IAS 39 requires interest earned from lending to be measured under the effective interest rate method.  The effective interest rate is the rate that 
exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts or payments through the expected life of the financial instrument or, when appropriate, a shorter 
period to the net carrying amount of the financial asset.

Management must therefore use judgement to estimate the expected life of each instrument and hence the expected cash flows relating to it.  
The accuracy of the effective interest rate would therefore be affected by unexpected market movements resulting in altered customer behaviour, 
inaccuracies in the models used compared to actual outcomes and incorrect assumptions. 

2.5 Valuation of financial instruments
In designating financial instruments in qualifying hedge relationships, the Group has determined that it expects the hedges to be highly effective 
over the period of the hedging relationship. In accounting for derivatives as cash flow hedges, the Group has determined that the hedged cash 
flow exposure relates to highly probable future cash flows.

Fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities that are traded in active markets are based on quoted market prices. If the market is not 
active the Group establishes a fair value by using appropriate valuation techniques which include the use of recent arm’s length transactions, 
reference to other instruments that are substantially the same for which market observable prices exist, net present value and discounted cash 
flow analysis. The objective of valuation techniques is to determine the fair value of the financial instrument at the reporting date as the price that 
would have been agreed between active market participants in an arm’s length transaction.

The Group measures fair value using the following fair value hierarchy that reflects the significance of the inputs used in making measurements:

• 

• 

Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (i.e. as prices) or 
indirectly (i.e. derived from prices).

• 

Level 3: Inputs for the asset or liability that is not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs).

52

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC2.5 Valuation of financial instruments continued
Fair value of financial assets and financial liabilities that are traded in active markets are based on quoted market prices. Observable market prices 
are available in the market for simple over the counter derivatives like interest rate caps and their availability reduces the need for management 
judgement and estimation and also reduces the uncertainty associated with the determination of fair values.

The consideration of factors such as the magnitude and frequency of trading activity, the availability of prices and the size of bid/offer spreads, 
assist in the judgement as to whether a market is active. If in the opinion of management, a significant proportion of the instrument’s carrying 
amount is driven by unobservable inputs, the instrument in its entirety is classified as valued using significant unobservable inputs. ‘Unobservable’ 
in this context means that there is little or no current market data available from which to determine the level at which an arm’s length transaction 
would be likely to occur. It generally does not mean that there is no market data available at all upon which to base a determination of fair value 
(consensus pricing data may, for example, be used).

At 31 December 2012 

Derivative financial instruments 
Total 

At 31 December 2011 

Derivative financial instruments 
Total 

Level 1 
£000 

 –   
 –  

Level 1 
£000 

 –  
 –  

Level 2 
£000 

 25  
25  

Level 2 
£000 

58  
58  

Level 3 
£000 

 –  
 –  

Level 3 
£000 

 –  
 –  

3. Maturity analysis of consolidated assets and liabilities
The table below shows the contractual maturity analysis of the consolidated assets and liabilities as at 31 December 2012:

At 31 December 2012 

ASSETS 
Derivative financial instruments 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Property, plant and equipment 
Intangible assets 
Deferred tax assets 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES 
Deposits from customers 
Current tax liabilities 
Deferred tax liabilities 
Other liabilities 
Total liabilities 

Due within 
one year 
£000 

–  
155,301 
105,639 
–  
–  
–  
5,966 
266,906 

268,187 
340 
–  
13,843 
282,370 

Due after 
more than 
one year 
£000 

25 
–  
191,992 
5,414 
5,231 
5,031 
–  
207,693 

130,704 
–  
1,145 
4,459 
136,308 

Total 
£000

25 
25 

Total 
£000

58 
58 

Total 
£000

25
155,301
297,631
5,414
5,231
5,031
5,966
474,599

398,891
304
1,145
18,302
418,678

53

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

3. Maturity analysis of consolidated assets and liabilities continued 
The table below shows the contractual maturity analysis of the consolidated assets and liabilities as at 31 December 2011:

At 31 December 2011 

ASSETS 
Derivative financial instruments 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Current tax assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Intangible assets 
Deferred tax assets 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES 
Deposits from customers 
Debt securities in issue 
Current tax liabilities 
Deferred tax liabilities 
Other liabilities 
Total liabilities 

Due within 
one year 
£000 

–  
139,498 
52,316 
351 
–  
–  
–  
7,524 
199,689 

200,945 
–  
12 
–  
5,924 
206,881 

Due after 
more than 
one year 
£000 

58 
–  
102,269 
–  
4,926 
686 
212 
–  
108,151 

71,118 
3,000 
–  
97 
2,929 
77,144 

The Directors do not consider that the behavioural maturity is significantly different to the contractual maturity.

The table below shows the contractual maturity analysis of the Company assets and liabilities as at 31 December 2012:

At 31 December 2012 

ASSETS 
Derivative financial instruments 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Property, plant and equipment 
Intangible assets 
Deferred tax assets 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES 
Deposits from customers 
Current tax liabilities 
Other liabilities 
Total liabilities 

54

Due within 
one year 
£000 

–  
153,634 
65,158 
–  
–  
–  
98,091 
316,883 

268,187 
334 
8,672 
277,193 

Due after 
more than 
one year 
£000 

25 
–  
132,361 
948 
795 
616 
–  
134,745 

130,704 
–  
–  
130,704 

Total 
£000

58
139,498
154,585
351
4,926
686
212
7,524
307,840

272,063
3,000
12
97
8,853
284,025

Total 
£000

25
153,634
197,519
948
795
616
98,091
451,628

398,891
334
8,672
407,897

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
3. Maturity analysis of consolidated assets and liabilities continued 
The table below shows the contractual maturity analysis of the Company assets and liabilities as at 31 December 2011:

At 31 December 2011 

ASSETS 
Derivative financial instruments 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Current tax assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Intangible assets 
Investments 
Deferred tax asset 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES 
Deposits from customers 
Debt securities in issue 
Other liabilities 
Total liabilities 

Due within 
one year 
£000 

–  
139,498 
43,951 
351 
–  
–  
–  
–  
23,394 
207,194 

200,945 
–  
6,028 
206,973 

Due after 
more than 
one year 
£000 

58 
–  
93,662 
–  
760 
686 
101 
212 
–  
95,479 

71,118 
3,000 
–  
74,118 

Total 
£000

58
139,498
137,613
351
760
686
101
212
23,394
302,673

272,063
3,000
6,028
281,091

The Directors do not consider that the behavioural maturity is significantly different to the contractual maturity.

4. Financial risk management
Strategy
The directors and senior management of the Group have formally adopted a Risk and Controls Policy which sets out the Board’s attitude to risk 
and internal controls. Key risks identified by the Directors are formally reviewed and assessed at least once a year by the Board, in addition to 
which key business risks are identified, evaluated and managed by operating management on an ongoing basis by means of procedures such as 
physical controls, credit and other authorisation limits and segregation of duties. The Board also receives regular reports on any risk matters that 
need to be brought to its attention. Significant risks identified in connection with the development of new activities are subject to consideration 
by the Board. There are budgeting procedures in place and reports are presented regularly to the Board detailing the results of each principal 
business unit, variances against budget and prior year, and other performance data. A more detailed description of the risk governance structure 
is contained in the Corporate Governance Statement on pages 31 to 32.

The principal non-operational risks inherent in the Group’s business are credit, market and liquidity risk.

(a) Credit risk
The  Group  takes  on  exposure  to  credit  risk,  which  is  the  risk  that  a  counterparty  will  be  unable  to  pay  amounts  in  full  when  due.  A  formal 
Credit Risk Policy has been agreed by the Board whilst credit risk is monitored on a monthly basis by the Credit Risk Committee which reviews 
performance of key portfolios including new business volumes, collections performance, provisioning levels and provisioning methodology.

The Group structures the levels of credit risk by placing limits on the amount of risk accepted in relation to individual borrowers or groups of 
borrowers. Such risks are monitored on a revolving basis and subject to an annual or more frequent review. The limits on the level of credit risk 
are approved periodically by the Board of Directors and actual exposures against limits monitored daily.

Impairment provisions are provided for losses that have been incurred at the statement of financial position date. Significant changes in the 
economy  could  result  in  losses  that  are  different  from  those  provided  for  at  the  statement  of  financial  position  date.  Management  therefore 
carefully manages its exposures to credit risk as they consider this to be the most significant risk to the business.

55

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

4. Financial risk management continued
Exposure  to  credit  risk  is  managed  through  regular  analysis  of  the  ability  of  borrowers  and  potential  borrowers  to  meet  interest  and  capital 
repayment obligations and by changing these lending limits where appropriate. The assets undergo a scoring process to mitigate risk and are 
monitored by the Board. Disclosures relating to arrears on loans and advances to customers are disclosed in note 12.

The Board monitors the ratings of the counterparties in relation to the Group’s loans and advances to banks. Disclosures of these at the year end 
are contained in note 11. There is no direct exposure to the Eurozone and peripheral Eurozone countries.

Motor finance loans, the largest lending balance by value, are secured against motor vehicles. Details of the collateral held in respect of these 
loans are detailed in note 12.

The Group’s maximum exposure to credit risk is as follows:

Credit risk exposures relating to on-balance sheet assets are as follows: 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loan and advances to customers 
Amounts due from related companies 
Derivative financial instruments 

Credit risk exposures relating to off-balance sheet assets are as follows: 
Loan commitments 
At 31 December 

The Company’s maximum exposure to credit risk is as follows: 

Credit risk exposures relating to on-balance sheet assets are as follows: 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loan and advances to customers 
Amounts due from related companies 
Derivative financial instruments 

Credit risk exposures relating to off-balance sheet assets are as follows: 
Loan commitments 
At 31 December 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

155,301 
297,631 
2,002 
25 

139,498
154,585
4,795
58

1,218 
456,177 

924
299,860

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

153,634 
197,519 
96,938 
25 

139,498
137,613
21,332
58

943 
449,059 

787
299,288

The above table represents the maximum credit risk exposure (net of impairment) to the Group and Company at 31 December 2012 and 2011 
without taking account of any collateral held or other credit enhancements attached. For on-balance-sheet assets, the exposures are based on 
the net carrying amounts as reported in the statement of financial position.

Forbearance
Secure Trust Bank does not reschedule contractual arrangements where customers default on their repayments. Under its Treating Customers 
Fairly (TCF) policies however, the Company may offer the customer the option to reduce or defer payments for a short period. If the request is 
granted, the account continues to be monitored in accordance with the Group’s impairment provisioning policy. Such debts retain the customer’s 
normal contractual payment due dates and will be treated the same as any other defaulting cases for impairment purposes. Arrears tracking will 
continue on the account with any impairment charge being based on the original contractual due dates for all products.

56

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC  
 
  
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
4. Financial risk management continued
In June 2012, the Group acquired Everyday Loans whose policy on forbearance is that a customer’s account may be modified to assist customers 
who are in or, have recently overcome, financial difficulties and have demonstrated both the ability and willingness to meet the current or modified 
loan  contractual  payments.  These  may  be  modified  by  way  of  a  reschedule  or  deferment  of  repayments.  Rescheduling  of  debts  retains  the 
customers contractual due dates, whilst the deferment of repayments extends the payment schedule up to a maximum of four payments in a 
12 month period. As at 31 December 2012 the gross balance of rescheduled loans included in the consolidated statement of financial position 
was £12.3 million, with an allowance for impairment on these loans of £1.2 million. The gross balance of deferred loans was £2.9 million with an 
allowance for impairment on these of £0.4 million.

(b) Market risk
Market risks arise from open positions in interest rate and currency products, all of which are exposed to general and specific market movements.

Currency risk
The Group and Company have no significant exposures to foreign currencies.

Interest rate risk
Interest rate risk is the potential adverse impact on the Group’s future cash flows from changes in interest rates and arises from the differing 
interest rate risk characteristics of the Group’s assets and liabilities. In particular, fixed rate products expose the Group to the risk that a change 
in interest rates could cause either a reduction in interest income or an increase in interest expense relative to variable rate interest flows. The 
Group seeks to “match” interest rate risk on either side of the statement of financial position. However, this is not a perfect match and interest 
rate risk is present on money market deposits of a fixed rate nature. The Group monitors the interest rate mismatch on a daily basis in conjunction 
with liquidity and capital.

The interest rate mismatch is monitored, throughout the maturity bandings of the book on a parallel scenario for 50, 100 and 200 basis points 
movements. The Group consider the 50 and 100 basis points movement to be appropriate for scenario testing given the current economic 
outlook and industry expectations. This typically results in a pre-tax mismatch of £0.1m or less (2011: £0.2m or less) for the Company and Group, 
with the same impact to equity pre-tax. In 2011 the Group put interest rate caps in place primarily to hedge the exposure to cash flow variability 
from interest rate movements on variable rate customer deposits.

57

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingNotes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

4. Financial risk management continued
Interest rate sensitivity gap
The following tables summarise the repricing periods for the assets and liabilities in the Group, including derivative financial instruments which 
are principally used to reduce exposure to interest rate risk. Items are allocated to time bands by reference to the earlier of the next contractual 
interest rate and the maturity date.

Group 

As at 31 December 2012 

ASSETS 
Derivative financial instruments 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES 
Deposits from customers 
Other liabilities 
Equity 
Total liabilities 
Impact of derivative instruments 
Interest rate sensitivity gap 

Within 
3 months 
£000 

 –  
126,836 
65,044 
 –  
191,880 

107,402 
 –  
 –  
107,402 
(20,000) 
64,478 

More than 
3 months 
but less than 
6 months 
£000 

More than 
6 months 
but less than 
1 year 
£000 

More than 
1 year 
but less than 
5 years 
£000 

More than 
5 years 
£000 

 –  
28,465 
29,740 
 –  
58,205 

128,628 
 –  
 –  
128,628 
 –  
(70,423) 

 –  
 –  
60,068 
 –  
60,068 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

60,068 

 –  
 –  
153,879 
 –  
153,879 

128,866 
 –  
 –  
128,866 
20,000 
45,013 

Non 
interest 
bearing 
£000 

25 
 –  
(11,222) 
21,642 
10,445 

 –  
 –  
122 
 –  
122 

1,838 
 –  
 –  
1,838 

32,157 
19,787 
55,921 
107,865 

(1,716) 

(97,420) 

Cumulative gap 

64,478 

(5,945) 

54,123 

99,136 

97,420 

 –  

Group 

As at 31 December 2011 

ASSETS 
Cash 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES 
Deposits from customers 
Debt securities in issue 
Other liabilities 
Equity 
Total liabilities 
Impact of derivative instruments 
Interest rate sensitivity gap 

Within 
3 months 
£000 

 –  
124,532 
16,658 
 –  
141,190 

200,945 
3,000 
 –  
 –  
203,945 
(40,000) 
(102,755) 

More than 
3 months 
but less than 
6 months 
£000 

More than 
6 months 
but less than 
1 year 
£000 

More than 
1 year 
but less than 
5 years 
£000 

More than 
5 years 
£000 

 –  
14,966 
14,796 
 –  
29,762 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
20,000 
49,762 

 –  
 –  
23,849 
 –  
23,849 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
23,849 

 –  
 –  
103,936 
 –  
103,936 

71,118 
 –  
 –  
 –  
71,118 
20,000 
52,818 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

Non 
interest 
bearing 
£000 

58 
 –  
(4,654) 
13,699 
9,103 

 –  
 –  
8,962 
23,815 
32,777 
 –  
(23,674) 

Cumulative gap 

(102,755) 

(52,993) 

(29,144) 

23,674 

23,674 

 –  

58

Total 
£000

25
155,301
297,631
21,642
474,599

398,891
19,787
55,921
474,599

Total 
£000

58
139,498
154,585
13,699
307,840

272,063
3,000
8,962
23,815
307,840

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
4. Financial risk management continued

Company 

As at 31 December 2012 

ASSETS 
Derivative financial instruments 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES 
Deposits from customers 
Other liabilities 
Equity 
Total liabilities 
Impact of derivative instruments 
Interest rate sensitivity gap 

Within 
3 months 
£000 

 –  
125,169 
21,381 
72,115 
218,665 

107,402 
 –  
 –  
107,402 
(20,000) 
91,263 

More than 
3 months 
but less than 
6 months 
£000 

More than 
6 months 
but less than 
1 year 
£000 

More than 
1 year 
but less than 
5 years 
£000 

More than 
5 years 
£000 

 –  
28,465 
19,674 
 –  
48,139 

128,628 
 –  
 –  
128,628 
 –  
(80,489) 

 –  
 –  
33,100 
 –  
33,100 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

33,100 

 –  
 –  
136,827 
 –  
136,827 

128,866 
 –  
 –  
128,866 
20,000 
27,961 

 –  
 –  
108 
 –  
108 

1,838 
 –  
 –  
1,838 

Non 
interest 
bearing 
£000 

25 
 –  
(13,571) 
28,335 
14,789 

32,157 
9,006 
43,731 
84,894 

(1,730) 

(70,105) 

Cumulative gap 

91,263 

10,774 

43,874 

71,835 

70,105 

 –  

Company 

As at 31 December 2011 

ASSETS 
Derivative financial instruments 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Other assets 
Total assets 

LIABILITIES 
Deposits from customers 
Debt securities in issue 
Other liabilities 
Equity 
Total liabilities 
Impact of derivative instruments 
Interest rate sensitivity gap 

Within 
3 months 
£000 

 –  
124,532 
14,588 
 –  
139,120 

200,945 
3,000 
 –  
 –  
203,945 
(40,000) 
(104,825) 

More than 
3 months 
but less than 
6 months 
£000 

More than 
6 months 
but less than 
1 year 
£000 

More than 
1 year 
but less than 
5 years 
£000 

More than 
5 years 
£000 

 –  
14,966 
12,693 
 –  
27,659 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
20,000 
47,659 

 –  
 –  
19,657 
 –  
19,657 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
19,657 

 –  
 –  
95,329 
 –  
95,329 

71,118 
 –  
 –  
 –  
71,118 
20,000 
44,211 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

Non 
interest 
bearing 
£000 

58 
 –  
(4,654) 
25,504 
20,908 

 –  
 –  
6,028 
21,582 
27,610 
 –  
(6,702) 

Cumulative gap 

(104,825) 

(57,166) 

(37,509) 

6,702 

6,702 

 –  

Total 
£000

25
153,634
197,519
100,450
451,628

398,891
9,006
43,731
451,628

Total 
£000

58
139,498
137,613
25,504
302,673

272,063
3,000
6,028
21,582
302,673

59

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

4. Financial risk management continued

(c) Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is the risk that the Group will encounter difficulty in meeting obligations associated with its financial liabilities that are settled by 
delivering cash or another financial asset.

The Group’s approach to managing liquidity is to ensure, as far as possible, that it will always have sufficient liquidity to meet its liabilities when 
due, under both normal and stressed conditions, without incurring unacceptable losses or risking damage to the Group’s reputation. The liquidity 
requirements of the Group are met through short-term repayments of its deposits with Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Limited’s treasury department 
to cover any short term fluctuations and longer term, funding to address any structural liquidity requirements.

The  Company  has  a  formal  governance  structure  in  place  to  manage  and  mitigate  liquidity  risk  on  a  day  to  day  basis.  The  Board  sets  and 
approves the Company’s liquidity risk management strategy. The Asset and Liability Committee (‘ALCO’), comprising senior executives of the 
Company, monitors liquidity risk. Key liquidity risk management information is reported by the finance team and monitored by the Chief Executive 
Officer and Chief Financial Officer on a daily basis. The ALCO meets monthly to review liquidity risk against set thresholds and risk indicators 
including early warning indicators, liquidity risk tolerance levels and ILAA metrics.

The Group relies on deposits from customers. During the current year the Company issued over £84.8million of fixed rate deposit bonds to 
customers over terms ranging from 2 to 6 years. These were issued to broadly match the term lending by the Company.

The new Liquidity regime came into force on the 1 October 2010. The FSA requires a firm to maintain at all times liquidity resources which are 
adequate, both as to amount and quality, to ensure that there is no significant risk that its liabilities cannot be met as they fall due. There is 
also a requirement that a firm ensures its liquidity resources contain an adequate buffer of high quality, unencumbered assets (i.e. Government 
Securities in the liquidity asset buffer); and it maintains a prudent funding profile. The liquid assets buffer is a pool of highly liquid assets that 
can be called upon to create sufficient liquidity to meet liabilities on demand, particularly in a period of liquidity stress. The liquidity resources 
outside the buffer must either be marketable assets with a demonstrable secondary market that the firm can access, or a credit facility that can 
be activated in times of stress.

The  Group  has  a  Board  approved  Individual  Liquidity  Adequacy  Assessment  (ILAA).  The  liquidity  buffer  required  by  the  ILAA  has  been  put 
in place and maintained since. Liquidity resources outside of the buffer are made up of deposits placed via Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Limited  
at the Bank of England.

The Group is exposed to daily calls on its available cash resources from current accounts, maturing deposits and loan draw-downs. The Group 
maintains significant cash resources to meet all of these needs as they fall due.

The matching and controlled mismatching of the maturities and interest rates of assets and liabilities is fundamental to the management of the 
Group. It is unusual for banks to be completely matched, as transacted business is often of uncertain term and of different types. An unmatched 
position potentially enhances profitability, but also increases the risk of losses.

The maturities of assets and liabilities and the ability to replace, at an acceptable cost, interest-bearing liabilities as they mature are important 
factors in assessing the liquidity of the Group and its exposure to changes in interest rates and exchange rates.

The key measure used by the Group for managing liquidity risk is the ratio of net liquid assets to deposits from customers. For this purpose net 
liquid assets are considered to be loans and advances to banks. At the year end this ratio was 38.9% (2011: 51.3%).

60

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC4. Financial risk management continued

The table below analyses the contractual undiscounted cash flows for the Group and Company’s non-derivative financial liabilities into relevant 
maturity groupings at 31 December 2012:

At 31 December 2012 

Non-derivative liabilities 
Deposits from customers 

Carrying 
amount 
£000 

Gross nominal 
inflow/(outflow) 
£000 

Not more than 
3 months 
£000 

More than 
3 months 
but less than 
1 year 
£000 

More than 
1 year 
but less than 
5 years 
£000 

More than 
5 years 
£000

398,891 
398,891 

(419,396) 
(419,396) 

(66,068) 
(66,068) 

(205,391) 
(205,391) 

(145,527) 
(145,527) 

(2,410)
(2,410)

The table below analyses the contractual undiscounted cash flows for the Group and Company’s non-derivative financial liabilities into relevant 
maturity groupings at 31 December 2011:

At 31 December 2011 

Non-derivative liabilities 
Deposits from customers 
Debt securities in issue 

Carrying 
amount 
£000 

Gross nominal 
inflow/(outflow) 
£000 

Not more than 
3 months 
£000 

More than 
3 months 
but less than 
1 year 
£000 

More than 
1 year 
but less than 
5 years 
£000 

More than 
5 years 
£000

272,063 
3,000 
275,063 

(283,672) 
(3,825) 
(287,497) 

(70,002) 
 –  
(70,002) 

(132,968) 
 –  
(132,968) 

(80,702) 
 –  
(80,702) 

 – 
(3,825)
(3,825)

The maturities of assets and liabilities and the ability to replace, at an acceptable cost, interest-bearing liabilities as they mature are important 
factors in assessing the liquidity of the Group and its exposure to changes in interest rates and exchange rates.

61

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

4. Financial risk management continued

(d) Financial assets and liabilities
The tables below sets out the Group’s financial assets and financial liabilities into the respective classifications:

At 31 December 2012 

Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Derivative financial instruments 

Deposits from customers 

At 31 December 2011 

Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Derivative financial instruments 

Deposits from customers 
Debt securities in issue 

Fair value 
through other 
comprehensive 
income 
£000 

 –  
 –  
25  
25  

 –  
 –  

Fair value 
through other 
comprehensive 
income 
£000 

 –  
 –  
58 
58  

 –  
 –  
 –  

Fair value 
through other 
comprehensive 
income 
£000 

 –  
 –  
25  
25  

 –  
 –  

At 31 December 2012 

Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Derivative financial instruments 

Deposits from customers 

62

Loans and 
receivables 
£000 

155,301  
297,631  
 –  
452,932  

Other liabilities 
at amortised 
cost 
£000 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

Total 
carrying 
amount 
£000 

155,301  
297,631  
25  
452,957  

Fair value 
£000

155,301 
297,631 
25 
452,957 

 –  
 –  

398,891  
398,891  

398,891  
398,891  

398,891 
398,891 

Loans and 
receivables 
£000 

139,498 
154,585 
 –  
294,083  

Other liabilities 
at amortised 
cost 
£000 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  

272,063 
3,000 
275,063  

Loans and 
receivables 
£000 

153,634  
197,519  
 –  
351,153  

Other liabilities 
at amortised 
cost 
£000 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

Total 
carrying 
amount 
£000 

139,498  
154,585  
58  
294,141  

272,063  
3,000  
275,063  

Total 
carrying 
amount 
£000 

153,634  
197,519  
25  
351,178  

Fair value 
£000

139,498 
154,585 
58 
294,141 

272,063 
3,000 
275,063 

Fair value 
£000

153,634 
197,519 
25 
351,178 

 –  
 –  

398,891  
398,891  

398,891  
398,891  

398,891 
398,891 

The tables below sets out the Company’s financial assets and financial liabilities into the respective classifications:

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
4. Financial risk management continued

At 31 December 2011 

Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Derivative financial instruments 

Deposits from customers 
Debt securities in issue 

Fair value 
through other 
comprehensive 
income 
£000 

 –  
 –  
58  
58  

 –  
 –  
 –  

Loans and 
receivables 
£000 

139,498 
137,613 
 –  
277,111  

Other liabilities 
at amortised 
cost 
£000 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  
 –  

272,063 
3,000 
275,063  

Total 
carrying 
amount 
£000 

139,498  
137,613  
58  
277,169  

272,063  
3,000  
275,063  

Fair value 
£000

139,498 
137,613 
58 
277,169 

272,063 
3,000 
275,063 

(e) Operational risk
Operational risk is the risk of direct or indirect loss arising from a wide variety of causes associated with the Group’s processes, personnel, 
technology and infrastructure, and from external factors other than the risks identified above. Operational risks arise from all of the Group’s operations.

The Group’s objective is to manage operational risk so as to balance the avoidance of financial losses and damage to the Group’s reputation 
with  overall  cost  effectiveness  and  innovation.  In  all  cases,  the  Group’s  policy  requires  compliance  with  all  applicable  legal  and  regulatory 
requirements. The Corporate Governance statement on pages 31 and 32 describes the Group’s system of internal controls which are used to 
mitigate against operational risk.

5. Capital management
The Group’s capital management policy is focused on optimising shareholder value, in a safe and sustainable manner. There is a clear focus 
on delivering organic growth and ensuring capital resources are sufficient to support planned levels of growth. The Board regularly reviews the 
capital position.

In accordance with the EU’s Capital Requirements Directive (CRD) and the required parameters set out in the FSA Handbook (BIPRU 2.2), the 
Arbuthnot Banking Group’s Individual Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP), of which the Group is a major component,  is embedded 
in the risk management framework of the Group and is subject to ongoing updates and revisions when necessary.  However, at a minimum, the 
ICAAP is updated annually as part of the business planning process. The ICAAP is a process that brings together the management framework 
(i.e. the policies, procedures, strategies, and systems that the Group has implemented to identify, manage and mitigate its risks) and the financial 
disciplines of business planning and capital management.

Not all material risks can be mitigated by capital, but where capital is appropriate the Board has adopted a “Pillar 1 plus” approach to determine 
the level of capital the Group needs to hold. This method takes the Pillar 1 capital formula calculations (standardised approach for credit, market 
and operational risk) as a starting point, and then considers whether each of the calculations delivers a sufficient capital sum adequately to cover 
managements’ anticipated risks. Where it is considered that the Pillar 1 calculations do not reflect the risk, an additional capital add-on in Pillar 
2 should be applied, as per the Individual Capital Guidance (ICG) issued by the FSA.

Pillar 3 complements the minimum capital requirements (Pillar 1) and the supervisory review process (Pillar 2).  Its aim is to encourage market 
discipline by developing a set of disclosure requirements which would allow market participants to assess key pieces of information on a firm’s 
capital, risk exposures and risk assessment processes.  Pillar 3 disclosures for the year ended 31 December 2012 are published as a separate 
document on the Arbuthnot Banking Group website.

The Group’s regulatory capital is divided into two tiers:

• 

Tier 1 comprises mainly shareholders’ funds, non-controlling interests, after deducting goodwill and other intangible assets.

• 

Tier 2 comprises qualifying subordinated loan capital and revaluation reserves. Lower Tier 2 capital cannot exceed 50% of Tier 1 capital.

63

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

5. Capital management continued
The following table shows the regulatory capital resources as managed by the Group:

Tier 1 
Share capital 
Share premium 
Retained earnings 
Cash flow hedging reserve 
Goodwill 
Other deductions 
Total Tier 1 capital 

Tier 2 
Revaluation reserve 
Debt securities in issue 
Total Tier 2 capital 

Total Tier 1 & Tier 2 capital 

Reconciliation to total equity: 
Goodwill 
Other deductions 
Debt securities in issue 

The following table shows the regulatory capital resources as managed by the Company: 

Tier 1 
Share capital 
Share premium 
Retained earnings 
Cash flow hedging reserve 
Goodwill 
Other deductions 
Total Tier 1 capital 

Tier 2 
Debt securities in issue 
Total Tier 2 capital 

Total Tier 1 & Tier 2 capital 

Reconciliation to total equity: 
Goodwill 
Other deductions 
Debt securities in issue 

64

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

6,259  
28,206  
21,679  
(363) 
(309) 
(3,905) 
51,567  

140  
–  
140  

5,667 
9,547 
8,790 
(329)
(309)
(377)
22,989 

140 
3,000 
3,140 

51,707  

26,129 

309  
3,905  
–  
55,921  

309 
377 
(3,000)
23,815 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

6,259  
28,206  
9,629  
(363) 
(309) 
(486) 
42,936  

5,667 
9,547 
6,697 
(329)
(309)
(478)
20,795 

–  
–  

3,000 
3,000 

42,936  

23,795 

309  
486  
-  
43,731  

309 
478 
(3,000)
21,582 

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
5. Capital management continued
The Group forms part of Arbuthnot Banking Group’s ICAAP which includes a summary of the capital required to mitigate the identified risks in 
its regulated entities and the amount of capital that the Group has available. The FSA sets ICG for each UK bank calibrated by references to its 
Capital Resources Requirement, broadly equivalent to 8 percent of risk weighted assets and thus representing the capital required under Pillar 1 
of the Basel II framework. The ICAAP is a key input into the FSA’s ICG setting process, which addresses the requirements of Pillar 2 of the Basel 
II framework. The FSA’s approach is to monitor the available capital resources in relation to the ICG requirement. The Group maintains an extra 
internal buffer and capital ratios are reviewed on a monthly basis to ensure that external and internal requirements are adhered to.

6. Net interest income
Total interest income and expense calculated using the effective interest method reported that relates to financial assets or liabilities not carried at 
fair value through profit or loss are £44,577,000 (2011: £22,454,000) and £10,467,000 (2011: £5,605,000) respectively. Included in interest income 
is income on loans and advances to banks of £316,000 (2011: £382,000).

7. Operating expenses 

Operating expenses comprise: 

Staff costs, including Directors: 
 Wages and salaries 
 Social security costs 
 Pension costs 
 Share based payment transactions 
Amortisation of intangible assets (Note 15) 
Depreciation (Note 17) 
Profit on disposals of property, plant and equipment 
Operating lease rentals 
Other administrative expenses 
Total operating expenses 

Remuneration of the auditor and its associates, excluding VAT, was as follows: 

Fees payable to the Company’s auditor for the audit of the Company’s annual accounts 
Fees payable to the Company’s auditor for other services: 
The audit of the Company’s subsidiaries, pursuant to legislation 
Audit related assurance services 
Tax advisory services 
Corporate finance services 
All other non-audit services 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

13,999  
1,398  
374  
1,610  
876  
596  
–  
687  
9,827  
29,367  

2012 
£’000 

108  

82  
105  
105  
250  
5  
655  

6,705 
669 
213 
70 
139 
467 
(3)
282 
7,537 
16,079 

2011 
£’000

75 

5 
– 
16 
500 
147 
743 

Remuneration for corporate finance services in 2012 comprise £250,000 in relation to the acquisition of Everyday Loans Holdings Limited (2011: 
£250,000 for providing services in respect of the issue of new shares and £250,000 for providing services in respect of the share listing).

The cost of the advice on the share issue has been charged against the share premium account, all other costs have been expensed.

65

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

8. Average number of employees 

Directors 
Management 
Administration 
Total 

9. Income tax expense 

Current taxation 

United Kingdom corporation tax at 24.5% (2011: 26.5%): 
Corporation tax charge – current year 
Corporation tax charge/(credit) – adjustments in respect of prior years 

Deferred taxation 
Deferred tax credit – current year 
Deferred tax (credit)/charge – adjustments in respect of prior years 

Income tax expense 

Tax reconciliation 
Profit before tax 
Tax at 24.5% (2011: 26.5%) 
Marginal relief 
Permanent differences 
Tax rate change 
Prior period adjustments 
Corporation tax charge for the year 

2012 

6 
33 
360 
399 

2012 

£000 

2,107  
18  
2,125  

(457) 
(40) 
(497) 
1,628  

17,165  
4,205  
(3) 
(2,730) 
178  
(22) 
1,628  

2011

9
20
200
229

2011 

£000

2,326 
(49)
2,277 

(63)
2 
(61)
2,216 

7,280 
1,929 
 – 
337 
(3)
(47)
2,216 

Of the £2,730,000 permanent differences, £2,408,000 relates to the non-taxable gain from a bargain purchase.

During the year the Government substantively enacted a reduction in UK corporation tax rate to 24% with effect from 1 April 2012 and to 23% 
with effect from 1 April 2013. Furthermore, on 5 December 2012 the Government announced its intention to further reduce the UK corporation 
tax rate to 21% by April 2014. This will reduce the Company’s future current tax charge accordingly.

10. Earnings per ordinary share
Basic and diluted
Earnings per ordinary share are calculated by dividing the profit attributable to equity shareholders of the Group of £15,537,000 (2011: £5,064,000) 
by the weighted average number of ordinary shares 14,267,861 (2011: 12,773,973) in issue during the year. 

11. Loans and advances to banks 

Group 

Placements with banks included in cash and cash equivalents (Note 27) 
Other loans and advances to banks 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

94,015 
61,286 
155,301 

119,545
19,953
139,498

Included within loans and advances to banks are amounts placed with Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Limited, a related company, of £24,859,000  
(31 December 2011: £81,601,000).

66

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
11. Loans and advances to banks continued
Moody’s long term ratings:

Group 

Aaa 
Aa3 
A2 
No rating 

Company 

Placements with banks included in cash and cash equivalents (Note 27) 
Other loans and advances to banks 

Moody’s long term ratings:

Company 

Aaa 
Aa3 
A2 
No rating 

None of the loans and advances to banks is either past due or impaired.

12. Loans and advances to customers 

Group 

Gross loans and advances 
Less: allowances for impairment on loans and advances (Note 13) 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

68,783 
 –  
23,076 
63,442 
155,301 

52,936
4,961
 – 
81,601
139,498

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

92,348 
61,286 
153,634 

119,545
19,953
139,498

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

68,783 
 –  
21,409 
63,442 
153,634 

52,936
4,961
 – 
81,601
139,498

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

313,856  
(16,225) 
297,631  

163,449 
(8,864)
154,585 

The  fair  value  of  loans  and  advances  to  customers  is  considered  to  be  in  excess  of  their  book  value  due  to  the  interest  rates  being  priced 
including credit risk. 

For a maturity profile of loans and advances to customers, refer to Note 3. 

67

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

12. Loans and advances to customers continued
Loans and advances to customers include finance lease receivables as follows: 

Group 

Gross investment in finance lease receivables: 
– No later than 1 year 
– Later than 1 year and no later than 5 years 

Unearned future finance income on finance leases 
Net investment in finance leases 

The net investment in finance leases may be analysed as follows: 
– No later than 1 year 
– Later than 1 year and no later than 5 years 

Loans and advances to customers can be further summarised as follows: 

Group 

Neither past due nor impaired 
Past due but not impaired 
Past due up to 90 days and impaired  
Past due after 90 days and impaired  
Gross 
Less: allowance for impairment 
Net 

Gross amounts of loans and advances to customers that were past due up to 90 days were as follows: 

Group 

Past due up to 30 days 
Past due 30 – 60 days 
Past due 60 – 90 days 
Total 

Interest income on loans classified as impaired totalled £1,534,000 (2011: £716,000). 

Company 

Gross loans and advances 
Less: allowances for impairment on loans and advances (Note 13) 

For a maturity profile of loans and advances to customers, refer to Note 3. 

68

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

22,157  
13,047  
35,204  
(8,897) 
26,307  

10,495  
15,812  
26,307  

12,804 
10,663 
23,467 
(6,495)
16,972 

8,365 
8,607 
16,972 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

282,408  
608  
19,866  
10,974  
313,856  
(16,225) 
297,631  

2012 
£000 

11,207  
7,135  
2,082  
20,424  

144,299 
364 
10,989 
7,797 
163,449 
(8,864)
154,585 

2011 
£000

8,550 
1,861 
942 
11,353 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

211,090  
(13,571) 
197,519  

146,477 
(8,864)
137,613 

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
 
12. Loans and advances to customers continued
Loans and advances to customers can be further summarised as follows: 

Company 

Neither past due nor impaired 
Past due up to 90 days and impaired 
Past due after 90 days and impaired 
Gross 
Less: allowance for impairment 
Net 

Gross amounts of loans and advances to customers that were past up to 90 days were as follows: 

Company 

Past due up to 30 days 
Past due 30 – 60 days 
Past due 60 – 90 days 
Total 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

186,116  
16,008  
8,966  
211,090  
(13,571) 
197,519  

127,694 
10,989 
7,794 
146,477 
(8,864)
137,613 

2012 
£000 

9,042  
5,916  
1,050  
16,008  

2011 
£000

8,292 
1,796 
901 
10,989 

The majority of the loans are unsecured personal loans with an average size at inception of £5,000; therefore the portfolio does not have a 
significant concentration to any individuals, sectors or geographic locations.

£188,000  (2011:  £204,000)  of  the  loans  are  secured  upon  residential  property  and  these  are  neither  past  due  nor  impaired.  The  residential 
property over which the mortgage is secured has a fair value of £245,000 based on other recent property sales, giving a loan to value ratio of 
77% (2011:83%).

£89,620,000 (2011: £63,376,000) of the loans are secured against motor vehicles where the security is discharged when the buyer exercises an 
option to buy the goods at a predetermined price at the end of the loan term. During June 2012 a third party provided a fair value of the motor 
vehicles of £54.3 million, at a time when the net motor lending balances were £78.0 million.

69

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking  
 
 
  
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

13. Allowances for impairment of loans and advances   
A reconciliation of the allowance accounts for losses on loans and advances is as follows: 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

8,864  
9,210  
(634) 
 –  
(1,585) 
15,855  

 –  
370  
370  

7,814 
5,280 
(679)
(2,439)
(1,112)
8,864 

 – 
 – 
 – 

16,225  

8,864 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

8,864  
6,189  
(334) 
 –  
(1,518) 
13,201  

 –  
370  
370  

7,797 
5,295 
(679)
(2,439)
(1,110)
8,864 

 – 
 – 
 – 

13,571  

8,864 

Group 

Specific allowances for impairment
At 1 January 
Provision for impairment losses 
Amounts recovered previously written off 
Release of provision on debt sale 
Loans written off during the year as uncollectible 
At 31 December 

Collective allowances for impairment 
At 1 January 
Provision for impairment losses 
At 31 December 

Total allowances for impairment 

Company 

Specific allowances for impairment
At 1 January 
Provision for impairment losses 
Amounts recovered previously written off 
Release of provision on debt sale 
Loans written off during the year as uncollectible 
At 31 December 

Collective allowances for impairment 
At 1 January 
Provision for impairment losses 
At 31 December 

Total allowances for impairment 

70

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
14. Debt securities held-to-maturity
Debt securities represent certificates of deposit. The Group’s intention is to hold them to maturity and, therefore, they are stated in the statement 
of financial position at amortised cost. All of the debt securities had maturities, when placed, of 3 months or less and are therefore included in 
cash and cash equivalents (Note 27).

The movement in debt securities held to maturity may be summarised as follows: 

Group and Company 

At 1 January 
Additions 
Redemptions 
At 31 December 

15. Intangible assets

Group 

Cost or valuation 
At 1 January 2011 
Additions 
At 31 December 2011 

Additions 
On acquisition of subsidiary undertaking (Note 30) 
At 31 December 2012 

Accumulated amortisation 
At 1 January 2011 
Amortisation charge 
At 31 December 2011 

Amortisation charge 
At 31 December 2012 

Net book amount 
At 31 December 2011 
At 31 December 2012 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

25,627 
9,507 
(35,134)
 – 

Goodwill 
£000 

Computer 
software 
£000 

Other 
intangible 
assets 
£000 

309 
 –  
309 

 –  
 –  
309 

 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
 –  

1,932 
42 
1,974 

256 
50 
2,280 

(1,458) 
(139) 
(1,597) 

(181) 
(1,778) 

 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  
5,115 
5,115 

 –  
 –  
 –  

(695) 
(695) 

Total 
£000

2,241
42
2,283

256
5,165
7,704

(1,458)
(139)
(1,597)

(876)
(2,473)

309 
309 

377 
502 

 –  
4,420 

686
5,231

71

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued  

15. Intangible assets continued

Company 

Cost or valuation 
At 1 January 2011 
Additions 
At 31 December 2011 
Additions 
At 31 December 2012 

Accumulated amortisation 
At 1 January 2011 
Amortisation charge 
At 31 December 2011 
Amortisation charge 
At 31 December 2012 

Net book amount 
At 31 December 2011 
At 31 December 2012 

Goodwill 
£000 

Computer 
software 
£000 

309 
–  
309 
–  
309 

–  
–  
–  
–  
–  

1,932 
42 
1,974 
256 
2,230 

(1,458) 
(139) 
(1,597) 
(147) 
(1,744) 

Total 
£000

2,241
42
2,283
256
2,539

(1,458)
(139)
(1,597)
(147)
(1,744)

309 
309 

377 
486 

686
795

Goodwill is monitored throughout the period. This enables management to complete goodwill impairment testing if indicators arise. 

16. Shares in subsidiary undertakings

Company 

At 1 January 2011 
Write back of impairment 
At 31 December 2011 
Acquisition of Everyday Loans Holdings Limited (Note 30) 
On liquidation of subsidiaries 
At 31 December 2012 

Shares at 
cost 
£000 

Impairment 
provisions 
£000 

1,513 
–  
1,513 
–  
(101) 
1,412 

(1,512) 
100 
(1,412) 
–  
–  
(1,412) 

Net 
£000

1
100
101
– 
(101)
– 

The principal subsidiary undertakings of Secure Trust Bank PLC at 31 December 2012 were:

Country of
incorporation 

Interest % 

Principal activity

Everyday Loans Holdings Limited 
Everyday Loans Limited * 
Everyday Leasing Limited   
Secure Homes Services Limited 
STB Leasing Limited 

UK 
UK 
UK 
UK 
UK 

100 
100 
100 
100 
100 

Holding Company
Sourcing and Servicing of Unsecured and Secured Loans
Provider of Unsecured and Secured Loans
Property Rental
Leasing

Shares in subsidiary undertakings are stated at cost less any provision for impairment. All subsidiary undertakings are unlisted. None of the 
subsidiary undertakings are banking institutions.

All the above subsidiary undertakings are included in the consolidated financial statements and have an accounting reference date of 31 December.
All the above interests relate wholly to ordinary shares.
* These companies are owned indirectly by Secure Trust Bank PLC. Their immediate parent is Everyday Loans Holdings Limited

72

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
17. Property, plant and equipment

Group 

Cost or valuation 
At 1 January 2011 
Additions 
Disposals 
At 31 December 2011 
Additions 
On acquisition of subsidiary undertaking 
Disposals 
At 31 December 2012 

Accumulated depreciation 
At 1 January 2011 
Depreciation charge 
Disposals 
At 31 December 2011 
Depreciation charge 
Disposals 
At 31 December 2012 

Net book amount 
At 31 December 2011 
At 31 December 2012 

Company 

Cost or valuation 
At 1 January 2011 
Additions 
Disposals 
At 31 December 2011 
Additions 
At 31 December 2012 

Accumulated depreciation 
At 1 January 2011 
Depreciation charge 
Disposals 
At 31 December 2011 
Depreciation charge 
At 31 December 2012 

Net book amount 
At 31 December 2011 
At 31 December 2012 

Freehold 
land and 
buildings 
£000 

Leasehold 
improvements 
£000 

Computer 
and other 
equipment 
£000 

4,400 
 –  
 –  
4,400 
 –  
 –  
 –  
4,400 

(156) 
(78) 
 –  
(234) 
(78) 
 –  
(312) 

4,166 
4,088 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
5 
340 
(32) 
313 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
(101) 
22 
(79) 

 –  
234 

8,138 
98 
(12) 
8,224 
598 
151 
 –  
8,973 

(7,087) 
(389) 
12 
(7,464) 
(417) 
 –  
(7,881) 

760 
1,092 

Total 
£000

12,538
98
(12)
12,624
603
491
(32)
13,686

(7,243)
(467)
12
(7,698)
(596)
22
(8,272)

4,926
5,414

Computer 
and other 
equipment 
£000

8,138
98
(12)
8,224
555
8,779

(7,087)
(389)
12
(7,464)
(367)
(7,831)

760
948

73

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

17. Property, plant and equipment continued
The Group’s freehold property was valued on 17 December 2008 by an Independent external valuer, who is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of 
Chartered Surveyors. The Valuation was in accordance with the requirements of the RICS Valuation Standards 6th Edition and the International 
Valuation Standards. The Valuation of the property was on the basis and assumption it is an Owner/Occupied property, valued to Market Value 
assuming that the property will be sold as part of the continuing business. The Valuer’s opinion of Market Value was primarily derived using 
comparable recent market transactions on arms-length terms. The Directors have assessed the value at year end through comparison to current 
rental yields on similar properties in the year and do not believe that the fair value of freehold property is materially different from the carrying 
value. The carrying value of freehold land not depreciated is £0.5 million (2011: £0.5 million).

The property is fully utilised for the Group’s own purposes.

The historical cost of freehold property included at valuation is as follows: 

Cost 
Accumulated depreciation 
Net book amount 

2012 
£000 

3,778  
(981) 
2,797  

2011 
£000

3,778 
(903)
2,875 

18. Derivative financial instruments
In order to protect its floating rate deposit book from increases in Bank of England base rates above 1.5%, the Group entered into an interest rate 
cap on 30 June 2011, with a notional amount of £20 million and a maturity date of 30 June 2015. This hedge meets the condition for qualifying 
for hedge accounting during the year and also was an effective hedge and as such the loss on the hedging instrument was recognised in other 
comprehensive income.

Contract/ 
notional 
amount 
£000 

20,000 

20,000 

2012 

Fair value 
assets 
£000 

25 

25 

Fair value 
liabilities 
£000 

Contract/ 
notional 
amount 
£000 

 2011

Fair value 
assets 
£000 

 –  

 –  

40,000 

40,000 

58 

58 

2012 
£000 

20,000  
 –  
20,000  

Fair value 
liabilities 
£000

 – 

 – 

2011 
£000

 – 
40,000 
40,000 

Group and Company 

Interest rate caps held in qualifying  
hedge relationships 

Moody’s long term ratings:

Contract amount: 

A2 
A1 

74

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
19. Other assets    

Group 

Trade receivables 
Amounts due from related companies 
Prepayments and accrued income 

Company 

Trade receivables 
Amounts due from related companies 
Prepayments and accrued income 

20. Deposits from customers 

Group and Company 

Current/demand accounts 
Term deposits 

For a maturity profile of deposits from customers, refer to Note 3.

21. Other liabilities

Group 

Trade payables 
Amounts due to related companies 
Accruals and deferred income 

Company 

Trade payables 
Amounts due to related companies 
Accruals and deferred income 

2012 
£000 

143  
2,002  
3,821  
5,966  

2012 
£000 

129  
96,938  
1,024  
98,091  

2011 
£000

1,559 
4,795 
1,170 
7,524 

2011 
£000

1,485 
21,332 
577 
23,394 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

32,158  
366,733  
398,891  

31,197 
240,866 
272,063 

2012 
£000 

5,903  
640  
11,759  
18,302  

2012 
£000 

998  
640  
7,034  
8,672  

2011 
£000

6,047 
1,305 
1,501 
8,853 

2011 
£000

3,117 
1,410 
1,501 
6,028 

Within Group trade payables at 31 December 2012 there is £4,459,000 (2011: £2,929,000) collateral held from RentSmart. The Group buys 
assets which are then leased to customers of RentSmart and the Group pays RentSmart a commission, which is recognised within operating 
income. In return RentSmart will continue to operate the agreement, retain the credit risk and provide the Group with a collateral amount that is 
based upon the balance of customer receivables and expected new agreements during the following month.

Within Group accruals and deferred income there is £1,075,000 relating to case fees payable to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) and a 
further £667,000 relating to potential compensation if PPI mis-selling allegations are proven. 

Within Group and Company accruals and deferred income there is £2,662,000 relating to accrued interest payable. At the previous year-end all 
interest was paid.

75

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

21. Other liabilities continued
FSCS Levy
In common with all regulated UK deposit takers, the Company pays levies to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (‘FSCS’) to enable the 
FSCS to meet claims against it. The FSCS levy consists of two parts: a management expenses levy and a compensation levy. The management 
expenses levy covers the costs of running the scheme and the compensation levy covers the amount of compensation the scheme pays, net 
of any recoveries it makes using the rights that have been assigned to it. During 2008 and 2009 claims were triggered against the FSCS in 
relation to Bradford & Bingley plc, Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander, Heritable Bank plc, Landsbanki Islands hf, London Scottish Bank plc and 
Dunfermline Building Society.

The FSCS meets these current claims by way of loans received from HM Treasury. The terms of these loans were interest only for the first three 
years, and the FSCS seeks to recover the interest cost, together with ongoing management expenses, by way of annual management levies on 
members over this period.

The  Company’s  FSCS  provision  reflects  market  participation  up  to  the  reporting  date.  £189,422  of  the  provision  relates  to  the  estimated 
management expense levy for the scheme years 2012/13 and 2013/14. This amount was calculated on the basis of the Company’s current share 
of protected deposits taking into account the FSA’s estimate of total management expense levies for each scheme year.

The management expenses levy for scheme year 2011/12, which formed part of the provision at 31 December 2011, was calculated using the 
agreed funding rate of 12 month LIBOR + 30bps. Following the expiry of the initial three year fixed interest term, extensive negotiations between 
HMT and FSCS resulted in an agreed funding rate of 12 month LIBOR + 100bps which is the rate that will be charged for the HMT loans for the 
period from 1 April 2012, on which the management expenses levy for scheme year 2012/13 and 2013/14 has been based.

In addition to the management levies, from scheme year 2013/14, triggered by participation in the market at 31 December 2012, the FSCS is to 
levy over three years the current estimated shortfall on capital loans outstanding of £802m. In common with the management expenses levy, 
the capital loan repayment was calculated on the basis of the Company’s current share of UK protected deposits. The Company has therefore 
recognised a provision of £65,213 related to the compensation levy.

22. Debt securities in issue 

Group and Company 

Subordinated loan 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

 –  

3,000 

As a consequence of the revised regulatory framework being introduced under Basel II, the Company raised £1 million by way of a subordinated 
loan from the parent Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC in December 2007. This was due to be repaid in 2016 and attracted interest at the rate of 
LIBOR plus 1.5%.

The loan was increased by £1.4 million in 2009 under the same terms as above. In June 2011 the loan was increased by a further £0.6 million 
and the interest rate changed to LIBOR plus 4%. The repayment date of the loan was also extended to 2017.

The loan was increased by a further £2.0 million in June 2012. On the share issue in December 2012 £5.0 million was fully repaid.

76

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC  
 
  
23. Deferred taxation 

Group 

Deferred tax liability: 
Unrealised surplus on revaluation of freehold property 
Other short term timing differences 
Deferred tax liability 

Deferred tax asset: 
Accelerated capital allowances and other short-term timing differences 
Cash flow hedges 
Carried forward losses 
Deferred tax asset 

Deferred tax liability: 
At 1 January 
Arising on acquisition of Everyday Loans Holdings Limited (Note 30) 
Profit and loss account 
At 31 December 

Deferred tax asset: 
At 1 January 
Arising on acquisition of Everyday Loans Holdings Limited (Note 30) 
Profit and loss account 
Cash flow hedges 
At 31 December 

Company 

Accelerated capital allowances and other short-term timing differences 
Cash flow hedges 
Deferred tax asset 

At 1 January 
Profit and loss account – accelerated capital allowances and other short-term timing differences 
Cash flow hedges 
Deferred tax asset at 31 December 

2012 
£000 

(71) 
(1,074) 
(1,145) 

–  
–  
5,031  
5,031  

(97) 
(3,039) 
1,991  
(1,145) 

212  
6,313  
(1,494)  
 –  
5,031  

2012 
£000 

506  
110  
616  

212  
404  
 –  
616  

2011 
£000

(97)
 – 
(97)

102 
110 
 – 
212 

(126)
 – 
29 
(97)

70 
 – 
32 
110 
212 

2011 
£000

102 
110 
212 

70 
32 
110 
212 

During the year the Government substantively enacted a reduction in UK corporation tax rate to 24% with effect from 1 April 2012 and to 23% 
with effect from 1 April 2013. This will reduce the Group’s future current tax charge accordingly. Deferred tax has been calculated based on a 
rate of 23% to the extent that the related temporary or timing differences are expected to reverse.

On 5 December 2012 the Government announced its intention to further reduce the UK corporation tax rate to 21% by April 2014. It has not yet 
been possible to quantify the full anticipated effect of the announced further 2% reduction, although this will further reduce the Group’s future 
tax charge and reduce the Group’s deferred tax assets and liabilities accordingly.

77

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking  
 
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

24. Contingent liabilities and commitments
Capital commitments
At 31 December 2012, the Group and Company had no capital commitments (2011: £nil).

Credit commitments
At  31  December  2012,  the  Group  had  commitments  of  £1,218,000  and  the  Company  had  commitments  of  £943,000  (2011:  £924,000  and 
£787,000 respectively) to extend credit to customers.

The future aggregate lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:

Group 

Operating leases which expire: 
Within 1 year 
Between 1 year and 5 years 
Over 5 years 

Company 

Operating leases which expire: 
Within 1 year 
Between 1 year and 5 years 
Over 5 years 

2012 

2011

Land and 
Buildings 
£000 

19 
492 
29 
540 

2012 

Land and 
Buildings 
£000 

 –  
 –  
360 
360 

Other 
£000 

212 
118 
 –  
330 

Other 
£000 

212 
118 
 –  
330 

Land and 
Buildings 
£000 

14 
 –  
 –  
14 

2011

Land and 
Buildings 
£000 

14 
 –  
 –  
14 

Other 
£000

104
130
 – 
234

Other 
£000

104
130
 – 
234

There are 31 leases under Land and Buildings in 2012 (2011: 1 branch). Other leases include motor vehicles and computer hardware.

Other commitments
At  31  December  2012  a  commitment  exists  to  make  further  payments  with  regard  to  the  Financial  Compensation  Scheme  Levy  for  2013 
and thereafter. Due to uncertainties regarding the calculation of the levy and the Group’s share thereof, the Directors consider this cost to be 
unquantifiable.

25. Share capital

At 1 January 2011 
Consolidation of ordinary shares 
Sub-division of ordinary shares 
Shares issued during year 
At 31 December 2011 
Shares issued during year 
At 31 December 2012 

78

Number of 
shares 

5,000,000  
(2,500,000) 
10,000,000  
1,666,667  
14,166,667  
1,481,482  
15,648,149  

Ordinary 
shares 
£000

5,000 
– 
– 
667 
5,667 
592 
6,259 

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
25. Share capital continued
On 27 October 2011 an ordinary resolution of the Company was passed such that each of the existing 5,000,000 ordinary shares of £1 per share 
be consolidated into 2,500,000 ordinary shares of £2 per share and then subsequently each of the 2,500,000 ordinary shares of £2 per share 
be sub-divided by 5 into 12,500,000 ordinary shares of 40 pence each.

On 2 November 2011, an additional 1,666,667 40 pence ordinary shares were allotted and the gross proceeds on the issue of these shares were 
£12,000,000. Transaction costs of £1,786,000 were incurred as part of the share issue and have been net against the share premium account, 
whilst £536,000 was incurred as part of the consequent share listing and have been expensed.

On 20 November 2012 an ordinary resolution of the Company proposing the placing of 1,481,482 new ordinary shares at 1350 pence each was 
passed.

On 7 December 2012, an additional 1,481,482 ordinary shares were placed and admitted to trading on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), 
raising £20 million. Following the admission of the new shares, the Company had 15,648,149 ordinary shares of 40 pence each in issue.

26. Share based payments
On 17 October 2011, the Group established the Share Option Scheme entitling key management personnel and senior employees to purchase 
shares in the Company.

The  performance  conditions  of  the  Scheme  are  that  for  the  duration  of  the  vesting  period,  the  dividends  paid  by  the  Company  must  have 
increased in percentage terms when compared to an assumed dividend of £8 million in respect of the financial year ending 31 December 2012, 
by a minimum of the higher of:

a) 

the increase in the Retail Prices Index during that period; or

b)  5% per annum during that period.

All dividends paid by the Company each year during the vesting period must be paid from the Company’s earnings referable to that year. Also 
from the grant date to the date the Option is exercised, there must be no public criticism by any regulatory authority on the operation of the 
Company or any of its subsidiaries which has a material impact on the business of the Company.

Options  are  forfeited  if  they  remain  unexercised  after  a  period  of  more  than  10  years  from  the  date  of  grant.  If  the  participant  ceases  to  be 
employed by the Group by reason of injury, disability, ill-health or redundancy; or because his employing company ceases to be a shareholder 
of the Group; or because his employing business is being transferred out of the Group, his option may be exercised within 6 months after such 
cessation. In the event of the death of a participant, the personal representatives of a participant may exercise an option, to the extent exercisable 
at the date of death, within 6 months after the death of the participant.

On  cessation  of  employment  for  any  other  reason  (or  when  a  participant  serves,  or  has  been  served  with,  notice  of  termination  of  such 
employment), the option will lapse although the Remuneration Committee has discretion to allow the exercise of the option for a period not 
exceeding 6 months from the date of such cessation.

In such circumstances, the performance conditions may be modified or waived as the Remuneration Committee, acting fairly and reasonably 
and taking due consideration of the circumstances, thinks fit. The number of Ordinary Shares which can be acquired on exercise will be pro-rated 
on a time elapsed basis, unless the Remuneration Committee, acting fairly and reasonably and taking due consideration of the circumstances, 
decides otherwise. In determining whether to exercise its discretion in these respects, the Remuneration Committee must satisfy itself that the 
early exercise of an option does not constitute a reward for failure.

On 2 November 2011 934,998 share options were granted at an exercise price of £7.20 per share. Half of the share options are exercisable on  
2 November 2014 with the remainder exercisable on 2 November 2016.

79

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingNotes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

26. Share based payments continued
During 2011 the Share Option Scheme was established as a share settled scheme with an expense recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive 
Income and a corresponding movement within reserves during the year of £70,000. In 2012 the Scheme was changed to be a cash settled 
Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP). An expense has been recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income of £1,610,000. The prior year’s 
reserves movement has been reversed.

Key management personnel 
Senior management 
Share Options in issue 

Exercise price (£) 
Current share price (£) 
Market consensus share price (£) 
Expected volatitlity 
Risk free 5 year UK gilt rate 
Liability at 31 December (£,000) 

No. 

LTIP1 

LTIP2 

2012

Total

3 
5 
8 

318,750   
141,666 
460,416 

318,749  
141,666 
460,415  

637,499 
283,332
920,831

7.20 
15.70 
15.61 
10% 
0.86% 
1,108  

7.20
15.70
15.56
10%
0.86%

572  

1,680 

27. Cash and cash equivalents
For  the  purposes  of  the  cash  flow  statement,  cash  and  cash  equivalents  comprises  of  the  following  balances  with  less  than  three  months 
maturity from the date of acquisition.

Group 

Loans and advances to banks (Note 11) 

Company 

Loans and advances to banks (Note 11) 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

94,015  
94,015  

119,545 
119,545 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000

92,348  
92,348  

119,545 
119,545 

80

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
28. Related-party transactions
Related  parties  of  the  Company  and  Group  include  subsidiaries,  Key  Management  Personnel,  close  family  members  of  Key  Management 
Personnel and entities which are controlled, jointly controlled or significantly influenced, or for which significant voting power is held, by Key 
Management Personnel or their close family members.

A number of banking transactions are entered into with related parties in the normal course of business on normal commercial terms. These 
include loans and deposits. Except for the directors’ disclosures, there were no other Key Management Personnel disclosures; therefore the 
tables below relate to directors.

Loans 
Loans outstanding at 1 January 
Interest capitalised 
Loan repayments during the year 
Loans outstanding at 31 December 
Interest income earned 

Deposits 
Deposits outstanding at 1 January 
Interest applied 
Additional deposits made during the year 
Deposit reclassification 
Deposits outstanding at 31 December 
Interest expense on deposits 

Directors

2012 
£000 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

158  
6  
135  
 –  
299  
6  

2011 
£000

229 
3 
(232)
 – 
3 

312 
8 
 – 
(162)
158 
8 

The deposit reclassification in 2011 relates to directors who resigned during the year.

The above transactions arose during the normal course of business and are on substantially the same terms as for comparable transactions 
with third parties.

Deposits held with Group Companies 

Deposits made during the year 
Deposit repayments during the year 
Balance at 31 December 
Interest income earned 

2012 
£000 

 –  
 –  
 –  
 –  

2011 
£000

3,000 
(3,000)
 – 
5 

81

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking  
  
  
  
 
  
 
 
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

28. Related-party transactions continued
The Company undertook the following transactions with other companies in the Arbuthnot Banking Group:

Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Ltd – recharge income of shared services 
Arbuthnot Latham & Co., Ltd – interest income on call account 
Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC – group recharges 
Everyday Lending Limited – interest income on loan receivable 
Secure Homes Services Limited – building rental paid 

2012 
£000 

(212) 
(121) 
300  
(1,597) 
360  
(1,270) 

For convenience the loans and advances with, and amounts receivable and payable to, related companies are noted below:

2012 
£000 

24,859  
1,994  
8  
(640) 
 –  
26,221  

2012 
£000 

24,859  
1,994  
8  
94,936  
 –  
(640) 
 –  
121,157  

Group 

Loans and advances to related companies 
Amounts receivable from ultimate parent undertaking 
Amounts receivable from related companies 
Amounts payable to related companies 
Subordinated loan from ultimate parent undertaking 

Company 

Loans and advances to related companies 
Amounts receivable from ultimate parent undertaking 
Amounts receivable from related companies 
Amounts receivable from subsidiary undertakings 
Amounts payable to subsidiary undertakings 
Amounts payable to related companies 
Subordinated loan from ultimate parent undertaking 

82

2011 
£000

(136)
(77)
1,781 
 – 
360 
1,928 

2011 
£000

81,601 
4,745 
50 
(1,305)
(3,000)
82,091 

2011 
£000

81,601 
4,745 
50 
16,537 
(101)
(1,309)
(3,000)
98,523 

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
  
  
  
  
  
28. Related-party transactions continued
Directors’ remuneration
The directors’ emoluments (including pension contributions and benefits in kind) for the year were as follows:

Other emoluments 
Pension contributions 

2012 
£000 

1,252  
60  
1,312  

2011 
£000

1,079 
104 
1,183 

The emoluments of Mr Angest and Mr Salmon are paid by Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC and disclosed in the Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC 
consolidated financial statements.

The aggregate emoluments of the highest paid director were £870,000 for the period ended 31 December 2012 (2011: £685,728), including 
£35,000 (2011: £35,000) of contributions made to a money purchase scheme on their behalf.

No share options were exercised or were exercisable as at 31 December 2012 (2011: none).

On  2  November  2011,  Mr  Lynam  and  Mr  Salmon  were  both  granted  an  option  to  subscribe  between  2  November  2014  and  1  November 
2021  for  141,666  ordinary  40p  shares  in  the  Company  at  720p  a  share,  as  well  as  an  option  to  subscribe  between  2  November  2016  and  
1 November 2021 for 141,667 ordinary 40p shares in the Company at 720p a share.

On 2 November 2011, Mr Kapur was granted an option to subscribe between 2 November 2014 and 1 November 2021 for 35,416 ordinary 40p 
shares in the Company at 720p a share, as well as an option to subscribe between 2 November 2016 and 1 November 2021 for 35,417 ordinary 
40p shares in the Company at 720p a share.

During 2012 the Share Option Scheme was modified to become cash-settled rather than equity settled.

The  interests  of  any  directors  whom  hold  shares  in  the  ultimate  parent  company  are  shown  in  the  Directors’  Report  of  the  ultimate  parent 
company.

At the year end the ordinary shares held by the directors (including non-executive directors) were:

N Kapur 
P A Lynam 
P Marrow 
A A Salmon 
C F Sergeant 

At 1 January 
2012 

Acquired during 
the year 

At 31 December 2012 
and 20 March 2013

–  
6,600  
–  
–  
6,600  

1,000  
2,200  
5,440  
7,500  
–  

1,000 
8,800 
5,440 
7,500 
6,600 

83

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking 
 
 
 
  
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

29. Operating segments
The Group is organised into five main operating segments, which consist of the different products available, disclosed below:

1) Personal lending – Unsecured consumer loans sold to existing customers via brokers and affinity partners.

2) Everyday Loans – An acquired entity during the period. A provider of unsecured loans.

3) Motor finance – Hire purchase agreements secured against the vehicle being financed.

4) Retail finance – Point of sale unsecured finance for in-store and online retailers.

5) One Bill – An account designed to aid customers with their household budgeting and payments process.

The only transaction between the operating segments was loan interest paid by Everyday Loans to the Company. Management review these 
segments by looking at the income, size and growth rate of the loan books, impairments and customer numbers. Except for these items no costs 
or balance sheet items are allocated to the segments.

Year ended 31 December 2012 

Interest revenue 
Fee and commission income 
Revenue from external customers 

Personal 
Lending 
£000 

8,683 
 –  
8,683 

Everyday 
Loans 
£000 

12,751 
2,717 
15,468 

Motor 
Finance 
£000 

16,889 
 –  
16,889 

Retail 
Finance 
£000 

5,790 
 –  
5,790 

One Bill 
£000 

 –  
8,947 
8,947 

Other 
£000 

780 
4,124 
4,904 

Group 
Total 
£000

44,893
15,788
60,681

Impairment losses 

2,634 

2,722 

2,701 

721 

(90) 

258 

8,946

Lending balances 

68,175 

73,806 

89,620 

64,189 

384 

1,457 

297,631

Year ended 31 December 2011 

Interest revenue 
Fee and commission income 
Revenue from external customers 

Impairment losses 

Lending balances 

Personal 
Lending 
£000 

5,993 
 –  
5,993 

2,089 

43,601 

Everyday 
Loans 
£000 

 –  
 –  
 –  

 –  

 –  

Motor 
Finance 
£000 

9,941 
 –  
9,941 

Retail 
Finance 
£000 

3,554 
 –  
3,554 

One Bill 
£000 

 –  
9,644 
9,644 

Other 
£000 

3,348 
3,018 
6,366 

Group 
Total 
£000

22,836
12,662
35,498

2,253 

260 

(87) 

86 

4,601

63,376 

42,608 

2,316 

2,684 

154,585

The “Other” segment above includes segments below the quantitative threshold for separate disclosure and fulfils the requirement of IFRS 8 28 
by reconciling operating segments to the amounts reported in the financial statements.

As interest and operating expenses are not aligned to operating segments for day-to-day management of the business and cannot be allocated 
on a reliable basis, profit by operating segment has not been disclosed.

All the Group’s operations are conducted wholly within the United Kingdom and geographical information is therefore not presented.

84

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. Acquisition of Everyday Loans
On 8 June 2012 Secure Trust Bank PLC (STB) acquired 100% of the shares in Everyday Loans Holdings Limited and its wholly owned subsidiaries 
Everyday Loans Limited and Everyday Lending Limited (together “EDL”). EDL was previously controlled by its management team and Alchemy 
Partners  Nominees  Limited.  The  acquisition  of  Everyday  Loans  represents  a  significant  strategic  development  for  STB  and  will  enable  the 
Company to broaden its distribution channels to a wider market.

The acquisition resulted in a gain from a bargain purchase as STB acquired EDL for consideration of £1. This was because upon acquisition STB 
provided funding so that EDL could redeem the remaining £34 million of subordinated debt principally held by Alchemy and also provided a loan 
facility of £37 million to refinance EDL’s existing bank debt and to fund future loans. A payment of £1.5 million will be made to the management 
team of EDL, and has been included in accruals in 2012, if the team met certain performance targets in 2012.

The revenue included in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income since 8 June 2012 contributed by EDL was £15.5 million and EDL 
also contributed profit of £1.8 million during the same period. Had EDL been consolidated from 1 January 2012, the consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income would have included revenue of £28.8 million and profit of £4.3 million.

The costs of the acquisition, which are included in operating expenses, totalled £0.8 million.

Intangible assets 
Property, plant and equipment 
Loans and advances to customers 
Cash at bank 
Other assets 
Prepayments and accrued income 
Deferred tax asset * 
Total assets 

Loans and debt securities 
Other liabilities 
Accruals and deferred income 
Deferred tax liabilities 
Total liabilities 

Net identifiable (liabilities)/assets 

Consideration £1 

Gain from a bargain purchase 

Acquired  
assets/ 
liabilities 
£’000 

50 
491 
63,720 
991 
24 
2,939 
–  
68,215 

71,618 
960 
1,741 
–  
74,319 

Fair value 
adjustments 
£’000 

Recognised 
values on 
acquisition 
£’000

5,115 
–  
7,545 
–  
–  
–  
6,313 
18,973 

–  
–  
–  
3,039 
3,039 

5,165
491
71,265
991
24
2,939
6,313
87,188

71,618
960
1,741
3,039
77,358

(6,104) 

15,934 

9,830

– 

9,830

* The deferred tax asset has increased by £913,000 when compared to the interim accounts for the period ending 30 June 2012.  This is due to a revision to the amount of losses acquired.

31. Immediate and ultimate parent company
The  Directors  regard  Arbuthnot  Banking  Group  PLC,  a  Company  registered  in  England  and  Wales,  as  the  immediate  and  ultimate  parent 
company. Henry Angest, the Group Chairman and Chief Executive has a beneficial interest in 53.6% of the issued share capital of Arbuthnot 
Banking  Group  PLC  and  is  regarded  by  the  directors  as  the  ultimate  controlling  party.  A  copy  of  the  consolidated  financial  statements  of 
Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC may be obtained from the Secretary, Arbuthnot Banking Group PLC, One Arleston Way, Solihull, B90 4LH.

85

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Continued

32. Events after the balance sheet date
On 2 January 2013 the Company acquired 100% of the ordinary share capital of V12 Finance Group Limited, which along with its wholly owned 
subsidiaries,  V12  Retail  Finance  Limited  and  V12  Personal  Finance  Limited  provide  retail  point  of  sale  loans,  typically  for  12  months  on  an 
unsecured basis to consumers who are predominantly classified as prime borrowers. The acquisition is complementary to the Group’s existing 
retail finance proposition and the V12 management team will continue in the business.

The cash consideration of £3.5 million was paid on completion and the Group provided funding such that the V12 Group could redeem £7 million 
of subordinated debt and also could repay existing bank finance amounting to £28.5 million.

The acquisition of V12 Finance Group Limited is accounted for in accordance with IFRS 3 ‘Business Combinations’, which requires the recognition 
of the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their acquisition date fair values. As part of this process, it is also necessary to 
identify and recognise certain assets and liabilities which are not included on the acquiree’s balance sheet, for example intangible assets. The 
exercise to fair value the balance sheet is inherently subjective and required management to make a number of assumptions and estimates.

The unaudited net assets being acquired are expected to be fair valued at £3.4 million and the associated costs incurred by STB to complete the 
transaction are expected to be £0.7 million.

On 15 January 2013 the Company acquired the businesses of Debt Managers Holdings Ltd, Debt Managers (AB) Limited and Debt Managers 
Limited (together “Debt Managers”). Debt Managers collects delinquent debt on behalf of a range of clients including banks and utility companies. 
Key benefits of this acquisition to STB include:

•  Broadening the income base of STB without the requirement for large amounts of capital;

• 

• 

The acquisition of a scalable collections platform through which STB intends to channel its delinquent debt; and

The acquisition of the latest call centre and collections technology, including market leading dialler capability, IVR technology and payment 
websites.

STB acquired Debt Managers for an initial cash payment of £0.4 million paid on completion of the transaction which includes payment for the 
estimated book value of the net assets of £14,000. In addition deferred consideration of up to £0.4 million in cash is payable by STB one year 
after completion subject in part to the business achieving certain income criteria. The assets acquired are expected to be fair valued at circa 
£0.8 million after completion.

Debt  Managers  generated  an  unaudited  loss  before  tax  of  £0.1  million  under  UK  GAAP  for  the  year  ended  31  August  2012.  No  material 
differences are anticipated under IFRS. The acquisition is initially expected to be earnings neutral.

The initial cash consideration was funded from STB’s existing cash resources and the additional regulatory capital requirements arising as a 
result of this acquisition are expected to be minimal. No regulatory approvals were required in relation to the transaction. STB also funded the 
repayment of Debt Managers’ outstanding overdraft of £1.7 million.

86

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCFive year summary  
(unaudited)

Profit for the year 
Interest and similar income 
Interest expense and similar charges 
Net interest income 
Net fee and commission income 
Operating income 
Impairment losses on loans and advances 
Gain from a bargain purchase 
Other income 
Exceptional costs 
Arbuthnot Banking Group recharges 
Operating expenses 
Profit before income tax 

Earnings per share for profit attributable to the equity holders  
of the Group during the year
(expressed in pence per share)
– basic and diluted 

Financial position 
Loans and advances to banks 
Loans and advances to customers 
Debt securities 
Other assets 
Total assets 

Deposits from customers 
Other liabilities 
Total shareholders’ equity 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000 

2010 
£000 

2009 
£000 

2008 
£000

44,893  
(10,467) 
34,426  
12,582  
47,008  
(8,946) 
9,830  
37  
(1,397) 
(91) 
(29,276) 
17,165  

22,836  
(5,609) 
17,227  
11,233  
28,460  
(4,601) 
 –  
36  
(536) 
(1,781) 
(14,298) 
7,280  

15,891  
(3,419) 
12,472  
11,750  
24,222  
(2,168) 
 –  
982  
 –  
(960) 
(13,390) 
8,686  

9,935  
(1,345) 
8,590  
13,119  
21,709  
(1,173) 
 –  
41  
(693) 
(320) 
(11,468) 
8,096  

3,420 
(830)
2,590 
15,423 
18,013 
(533)
 – 
121 
 – 
 – 
(12,567)
5,034 

108.9 

39.6 

50.0 

46.4 

28.0

155,301  
297,631  
 –  
21,667  
474,599  

398,891  
19,787  
55,921  
474,599  

139,498  
154,585  
 –  
13,757  
307,840  

272,063  
11,962  
23,815  
307,840  

42,577  
89,482  
25,627  
23,013  
180,699  

153,778  
11,125  
15,796  
180,699  

39,334  
51,440  
11,000  
14,021  
115,795  

93,342  
10,405  
12,048  
115,795  

12,882 
12,551 
14,293 
13,473 
53,199 

35,828 
8,624 
8,747 
53,199 

87

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward banking  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
Notice of Meeting

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the fifty eighth Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at Arbuthnot House, 20 Ropemaker Street, 
London EC2Y 9AR on Wednesday, 8 May 2013 at 3pm for the following purposes:

ORDINARY BUSINESS

To consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions which will be proposed as ordinary resolutions:

1.  To receive and adopt the report of the directors and the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2012.

2.  To receive the report of the Remuneration Committee.

3.  To declare a final dividend in respect of the year ended 31 December 2012 which the directors propose should be 43p per ordinary share, 

payable on 10 May 2013 to shareholders on the register of members at the close of business on 12 April 2013.

4.  To re-elect Mr. P. Marrow as a director who retires by rotation in accordance with Article 82 of the Articles of Association and offers himself 

for re-election.

5.  To re-appoint KPMG Audit Plc as Auditors and to authorise the directors to fix their remuneration.

SPECIAL BUSINESS

To consider and, if thought fit, pass the following resolutions which, in the case of resolution 6, will be proposed as an ordinary resolution and, 
in the case of resolutions 7 and 8, will be proposed as special resolutions:

6.  That for the purposes of section 551 of the Companies Act 2006 the directors be and are hereby generally and unconditionally authorised 
in accordance with Article 6 of the Articles of Association of the Company to allot shares in the Company or grant rights to subscribe for 
or to convert any security into shares in the Company up to a nominal amount of £312,000 in substitution for any existing authorities of the 
Company (being the “Section 551 Amount” for the purposes of such Article 6) such authority to expire on 31 May 2014, or if earlier on the 
conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company (the “prescribed period” for the purposes of such Article 6), save that the 
Company may before such expiry make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted after such expiry 
and the directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of such an offer or agreement as if the authority conferred hereby had not expired.

7.  THAT subject to and conditionally upon the passing of resolution 6 above:

A.  Article 6.2(B) of the Articles of Association of the Company shall be deleted and the following substituted therefor;

“The Board shall be empowered during each prescribed period to allot equity securities (as defined in section 560(1) of the Companies 
Act 2006 (the Act)) wholly for cash in accordance with the said authority and, independently of such power, shall be empowered to sell 
treasury shares (within the meaning of section 724(5) of the Act), in each case as if section 561(1) of the 2006 Act did not apply to such 
allotment or sale provided that such powers shall be limited to the allotment or sale of equity securities wholly for cash:

I. 

 in conjunction with a pre-emptive issue; and

II.  otherwise than in connection with a pre-emptive issue, up to an aggregate amount equal to the section 561 Amount;” and

B. 

in substitution for all subsisting authorities, the directors be and they are hereby empowered pursuant to section 570 of the Act and in 
accordance with Article 6 of the Articles of Association of the Company to allot equity securities (as defined in section 560(1) of the Act) 
wholly for cash as if section 561(1) did not apply to such allotment during the prescribed period, referred to in resolution 6 above, up to 
an aggregate nominal amount of £312,000 (being the “Section 561 Amount” for the purposes of such Article 6), save that the Company 
may before the expiry of the prescribed period make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted 
after such expiry and the directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of such an offer or agreement as if the authority conferred 
hereby had not expired.

88

SECURE TRUST BANK PLC8.  That the Company be and is hereby generally and unconditionally authorised to make market purchases (as defined in section 693(4) of the 

Companies Act 2006) of ordinary shares of 40p each in the capital of the Company (“ordinary shares”) provided that:

(a) 

the maximum number of ordinary shares hereby authorised to be purchased shall be 1,564,800 (being approximately 10% of the issued 
share capital of the Company as at 20 March 2013);

(b) 

the minimum price which may be paid for an ordinary share shall be 40p;

(c) 

the maximum price which may be paid for an ordinary share shall be 5% above the average of the closing middle market price of the 
ordinary shares (as derived from the London Stock Exchange Daily Official List) for the 10 business days prior to the day the purchase 
is made; 

(d) 

the authority hereby conferred shall expire on 31 May 2014 or, if earlier, on the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the 
Company unless such authority is renewed prior to such time; and

(e) 

the Company may enter into contracts to purchase ordinary shares under the authority hereby conferred prior to the expiry of such 
authority,  which  contracts  will  or  may  be  executed  wholly  or  partly  after  the  expiry  of  such  authority,  and  may  make  purchases  of 
ordinary shares pursuant to any such contracts.

By order of the Board 
J.R. Kaye  
Secretary 
5 April 2013

NOTES:

Registered Office 
One Arleston Way 
Solihull B90 4LH 

1. 

In accordance with Regulation 41 of the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 2001, the Company gives notice that only those shareholders 
entered on the relevant register of members (the “Register”) for certificated or uncertificated shares of the Company (as the case may be) at  
6 p.m. on 6 May 2013 (“the Specified Time”) will be entitled to attend or vote at the Annual General Meeting in respect of the number of 
shares registered in their name at that time. Changes to entries on the Register after the Specified Time will be disregarded in determining 
the rights of any person to attend or vote at the Annual General Meeting. Should the Annual General Meeting be adjourned to a time not 
more than 48 hours after the Specified Time, that time will also apply for the purpose of determining the entitlement of members to attend 
and vote (and for the purpose of determining the number of votes they may cast) at the adjourned Annual General Meeting. Should the 
Annual General Meeting be adjourned for a longer period, then to be so entitled, members must be entered on the Register at the time which 
is 48 hours before the time fixed for the adjourned Annual General Meeting, or, if the Company gives notice of the adjourned Annual General 
Meeting, at the time specified in the notice.

2.  Members who want to attend and vote should either attend in person or appoint a proxy or corporate representative to attend, speak and 
vote on his/her behalf. A member may appoint more than one proxy in relation to the Annual General Meeting provided that each proxy is 
appointed to exercise the rights attached to a different share or shares of the member, but must attend the meeting in person. A proxy need 
not be a member. A paper Form of Proxy is enclosed. Please read carefully the instructions on how to complete the form. Forms of Proxy, 
together with the power of attorney or other authority (if any) under which it is signed or a notarially certified copy of such power of attorney 
or other authority, must be lodged with the Registrars or submitted not later than 48 hours before the time for which the Annual General 
Meeting  is  convened.  Completion  of  the  appropriate  Form  of  Proxy  does  not  prevent  a  member  from  attending  and  voting  in  person  if  
he/she is entitled to do so and so wishes.

3.  There are no service contracts of directors other than ones which may be terminated on up to 12 months’ notice at any time. Copies of 
these service agreements will be available for inspection at the registered office during usual business hours on any weekday (Saturdays and 
public holidays excepted) from the date of this notice until the date of the Annual General Meeting and at the place of the Annual General 
Meeting for 15 minutes prior to and during the Annual General Meeting.

89

REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2012Simple, straightforward bankingCorporate contacts & advisers

Secretary & Registered Office
J R Kaye FCIS
One Arleston Way
Solihull B90 4LH
T 0121 693 9100
F 0121 693 9124

Advisers
Independent Auditor:
KPMG Audit Plc
Chartered Accountants
One Snowhill
Snow Hill Queensway
Birmingham
B4 6GH

Principal Banker:
Barclays Bank PLC
38 Hagley Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B16 8NY

Stockbroker:
Canaccord Genuity Limited
88 Wood Street
London
EC2V 7QR

Nominated Adviser:
Canaccord Genuity Limited
41 Lothbury
London
EC2R 7AE

Registrar:
Capita Registrars Limited
The Registry
34 Beckenham Road
Beckenham
Kent
BR3 4TU

90

SECURE TRUST BANK PLCSecure Trust Bank PLC
One Arleston Way
Shirley
Solihull
West Midlands
B90 4LH

T 0121 693 9100
www.securetrustbank.com

Registration No. 00541132

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