VT Final Accounts has this approval statement for signing for sole trader accounts :
Approval statement
I approve the accounts which comprise of the Profit and Loss Account, the Balance Sheet and the related notes. I acknowledge my responsibility for the accounts, including the appropriateness of the applicable financial reporting framework as set out in note 1, and for providing with all information and explanations necessary for their compilation.
The Notes to the Accounts also include the following :
Accounting basis
The accounts have been compiled on a basis that enables profits to be calculated in accordance with UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice and that provides sufficient and relevant information to enable the completion of a tax return.
Is that any use for you?
Incidentally the note 1 referred to is "Accounting basis"
This might be better way to explain it - the sample accounts :
I'm not sure this is something that is required in formal sole trader accounts........and the one example I have found
from a fairly large accountants who produced accounts for a client previously talks about being 'in accordance with our engagement
letter of [date]'.
The rest of it is pretty much a disclaimer and stating 'you have approved the accounts.....etc etc.....and signature.
Similarly, on the balance sheet page, there is narrative stating that 'in accordance with the engagement letter etc' and an approval
and acknowledgement of responsibility by the client (and signature) .
Is the disclaimer part adequate to print out a set of accounts for signing? Is there an accepted format/content?? I don't provide engagement letter unfortunately, so the 'In accordance with' I can't do!!
If anyone could point me in the direction of a prescribed format, I would be grateful. I don't supose the accounts themselves need to be formatted in a specific way as they are sole trader accounts and not accounts that need to be filed.