Issues Collective and Individual Services
The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) has issued Collective and Individual Services (Amendments to IPSAS 19), which addresses a wide range of significant government expenditures that directly impact the lives of citizens globally.
Last January, the IPSASB issued IPSAS 42, Social Benefits, providing much-needed guidance on accounting for social benefits expenditure. This new guidance complements IPSAS 42 by providing requirements for accounting for collective services (such as defense at national-levels and street lighting at sub-national levels) and individual services (such as healthcare and education). Collective and Individual Services requires that an expense is recognized at the point of service delivery.
IPSASB Chair, Ian Carruthers, said “I am pleased that, with the publication of Collective and Individual Services (Amendments to IPSAS 19), which complements IPSAS 42, Social Benefits, the IPSASB now has a full set of requirements and guidance on accounting for the most important programs of government.”
About the IPSASB
The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) works to strengthen public financial management globally through developing and maintaining accrual-based International Public Sector Accounting Standards® (IPSAS®) and other high-quality financial reporting guidance for use by governments and other public sector entities. It also raises awareness of IPSAS and the benefits of accrual adoption. The Board receives support from the Asian Development Bank, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, the New Zealand External Reporting Board, and the governments of Canada and New Zealand. The structures and processes that support the operations of the IPSASB are facilitated by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). For copyright, trademark, and permissions information, please go to permissions or contact permissions@ifac.org.
About the Public Interest Committee
The governance and standard-setting activities of the IPSASB are overseen by the Public Interest Committee (PIC), to ensure that they follow due process and reflect the public interest. The PIC is comprised of individuals with expertise in public sector or financial reporting, and professional engagement in organizations that have an interest in promoting high-quality and internationally comparable financial information.