Earlier certification of the Home Office resource accounts

Issue(s)

Financial management

Financial audit

Parent department

Home Office

Related documents

Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2013-14

We certified the 2013-14 Home Office group accounts almost three weeks earlier than the 2012-13 accounts.

 

Impact: The early certification of the accounts meant that less Home Office and NAO staff time was spent on the audit in a period of considerable change in the Home Office finance function, and Parliament (and the public) had more timely financial information on the department's activities. We were also able to reduce our audit fees compared with those of 2013-14 by taking a more efficient approach and cutting out unnecessary work. It was a combination of our more efficient and collaborative approach and management's positive engagement with the audit that enabled the earlier certification.