November 2024
Summary
This publication sets out the fee scale for 2024/25 audits for opted-in bodies and a summary of the outcome of our statutory consultation.
We are acutely aware of the financial pressures facing bodies and understand that increased audit fees are an unwelcome additional budgetary pressure. Our strong view is that work on reforming accounting and auditing frameworks must reduce the volume of local audit work needed to make it more proportionate and relevant for users. We welcome the Government’s recognition that the local audit system is broken and their commitment to overhaul the system to provide better value for money for bodies and taxpayers. The absence of a proportionate local audit system and financial reporting framework has been a major contributor to the significant audit delays and the current audit opinion backlog. The Government and key system partners are now taking action which initially involves modified opinions on a scale that is unprecedented globally.
Our consultation took place during September-October 2024. It set out a proposed increase of 9.5% in total scale fees to cover additional audit work under revised standards and a contractual inflationary increase payable to audit firms. The new work relates to revised auditing standard ISA (UK) 315 (risks of material misstatement) and linked work on ISA (UK) 240 (fraud). Incorporating fee increases into scale fees provides more certainty on expected fees and without this consolidation such changes would be payable as fee variations.
Responses to the consultation understandably raise concerns about the need for an increase in audit fees given the financial pressures on opted-in bodies. We received 128 substantive responses to the consultation (25% of consultees), with 124 responses (97%) from opted-in bodies and four (3%) from other stakeholders. Of those who expressed a view, 53% agree with the proposed fee scale and 47% do not. Most responses also raise concerns about aspects of the proposed fee scale.
We thank all those who took the time to provide their views. The PSAA Board has reflected carefully on the consultation outcome and takes very seriously the views expressed. It has confirmed the final 2024/25 fee scale as proposed in the consultation but resolved to continue to press for change in local audit to address the issues raised. It noted that many of the issues raised in the consultation responses are complex and call for action that is outside our remit. For example, we cannot change the scope of local audits, direct auditors on the amount or timing of their work or commit additional funding for higher fees.
We will therefore continue to feed the concerns raised by bodies into the work MHCLG is leading on the forthcoming overhaul of the local audit system. We have long lobbied for change and bodies’ feedback on the areas to address this is invaluable.
We are required under local audit regulations to consult on and set the 2024/25 fee scale before 1 December 2024. Audit work under this fee scale is likely from March 2025 to February 2026 under the dates set out in a statement on the local audit backlog published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in July 2024 and confirmed in the Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
Our information paper for 2023/24 audits identifies the impact of changes in a range of standards and provides information on how opted-in bodies and auditors can work together to mitigate the amount of additional audit work needed.