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v3.20.4

Costs of services and general and administrative costs - Summary of Operating Costs (Detail) - GBP (£) £ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Analysis of income and expense [abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |
Costs of services | [1] | £ 10,825.1 | £ 10,559.1 | [2] | £ 10,481.6 | [2]
General and administrative costs | [1] | 1,113.1 | 1,242.3 | [2] | 1,086.9 | [2]
Costs of services and general and administrative costs |  | 11,938.2 | 11,801.4 |  | 11,568.5 |
Costs of services and general and administrative costs include: |  |  |  |  |  |
Staff costs (note 5) |  | 7,090.6 | 6,950.6 | [2] | 7,065.1 | [2]
Establishment costs |  | 672.9 | 756.6 |  | 769.5 |
Media pass-through costs |  | 1,656.2 | 1,458.0 |  | 1,429.4 |
Other costs of services and general and administrative costs | [3] | 2,518.5 | 2,636.2 |  | 2,304.5 |
Goodwill impairment (note 14) | [4] | 47.7 | 176.5 | [2] | 27.1 | [2]
Investment write-downs |  | 7.5 | 2.0 |  | 91.7 |
Restructuring and transformation costs |  | 153.5 | 265.5 |  | 56.8 |
Litigation settlement |  | (16.8) |  |  |  |
Gain on sale of freehold property in New York | [1] | (7.9) |  |  |  |
Amortisation and impairment of acquired intangible assets |  | 121.5 | 201.8 |  | 138.0 |
Amortisation of other intangible assets |  | 21.2 | 20.7 |  | 20.1 |
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment |  | 185.5 | 188.6 |  | 189.0 |
Depreciation of right-of-use assets |  | 301.6 |  |  |  |
Losses on sale of property, plant and equipment |  | 3.2 | 0.6 |  | 1.2 |
Gains on disposal of investments and subsidiaries |  | (40.4) | (237.9) |  | (98.7) |
(Gains)/losses on remeasurement of equity interests arising from a change in scope of ownership |  | (0.4) | (2.0) |  | 0.3 |
Net foreign exchange losses/(gains) |  | 6.1 | £ (13.0) |  | £ 8.0 |
Short-term lease expense |  | 83.8 |  |  |  |
Low-value lease expense |  | £ 2.9 |  |  |  |
[1] | Figures have been restated, as described in the accounting policies.
[2] | Prior year figures have been re-presented in accordance with IFRS 5 Non-current Assets Held for Sale and Discontinued Operations, as described in the accounting policies.
[3] | Other costs of services and general and administrative costs include £731.4 million (2018: £713.0 million, 2017: £573.1 million) of other pass-through costs.
[4] | Figures in 2018 have been restated, as described in the accounting policies.

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