Assurance

It’s necessary for firms to maintain and present clear and meaningful data to their stakeholders and they need data integrity to introduce new technologies, systems and controls.

UK regulators have made the importance of accurate and timely reporting very clear. Their Transforming Data Collection Plan set out in 2021 aims to deliver improvements in data collection over this decade. Firms can expect increased scrutiny from the PRA and FCA on the quality of their data submissions (including Regulatory Reporting and CMAR) and the regulators will continue to engage Skilled Persons to make improvements in this area.

In addition to established CASS audit requirements, the FCA has recently introduced a requirement for Safeguarding Audits for payments firms whose accounts are audited. As with the CASS audit, the Safeguarding Audit is a “reasonable assurance opinion” report.

Tackling financial crime and market abuse continues to be a top priority for the UK. Banks providing services to MSB and PSP/EMI clients are increasingly requiring an independent review of these clients’ financial crime framework as part of their onboarding and periodic review due diligence processes.

Our Approach

Our team can provide you with a range of assurance and audit services that will allow you to be more transparent with your stakeholders and give you confidence in your reporting processes and outcomes. We’ll take time to understand how your business works and work with you to enhance the process and controls around your reporting. This will strengthen the trust between you and your many stakeholders. Our team’s diverse backgrounds and their specialist technical skills means we can carry out independent assurance reviews and gap analysis with existing standards in financial, regulatory and other niche areas of your business.

Our Services

Internal Audit For firms looking to outsource some of all of their third lines of defence / internal audit activity, we can provide either subject matter specific assistance, deliver a full scope multi-year IA programme, or provide strategic and planning advice to Heads of IA. Financial Crime assurance to meet banking providers requirements As a Financial Crime Skilled Person panel firm, we’ve financial crime experts who can provide independent reviews as agreed upon procedures (minimising cost) or a review and recommend report (providing additional advice and insight). Safeguarding Audits Our team supports businesses ensuring appropriate safeguarding of customers’ money, and we can carry out Safeguarding Audits under the relevant international and UK standards in line with FCA requirements. Assurance of Detriment and Redress Our team has experience of past business reviews (PBRs) where customers have suffered some form of detriment. In addition to advising on PBR programme design and execution, we can provide assurance over the detriment and redress calculations to ensure regulatory expectations are met. Our team has years of experience providing assurance in different formats. We’ll work closely with you to ensure that you can have confidence in your data going forward.