Audit Firm Resources (overview)
Published: 23 February 2024
2 minute read
As an improvement regulator by promoting continuous improvement in audit firms, we have set up a resource hub for PIE audit firms to get easier access to FRC audit-related publications.
Thematic reviews
To help promote continuous improvement in audit firms, we publish anonymous thematic reviews by comparing and contrasting between firms on a specific area or aspect of the audit or firm-wide procedures to identify good practice and improvement areas.
We have also published ‘What Makes a Good Audit’ and ‘What Makes a Good Smaller PIE Audit Firm’, setting out our expectations of the key elements that make up a good audit, and of an audit firm that plans to enter the PIE audit market or has a small PIE audit portfolio in performing high-quality audits.
Culture and conduct
The right culture at audit firms drives the desirable behaviours and mindsets that are necessary for delivering high-quality audits.
Operational resilience
Operational resilience is fundamental to the ability of an audit firm to withstand risks and threats to its viability and, therefore its ability to deliver audits.
Letters to audit firms
As part of our supervisory activities we write to the Chief Executives and/or Heads of Audit at the Tier 1 audit firms on topical matters. These letters can serve a number of purposes, including:
- To highlight areas of audit quality concern on which we want the firms to take immediate action.
- To ask questions regarding matters or themes that have come to our attention at one or more firms, that we wish to explore with other firms.
- To seek assurances from firms in relation to quickly emerging matters that could present a risk to audit quality, or the resilience of firms and/or the audit market.
- To provide updates on progress made in areas we have raised with firms in the past.
These letters may be of interest to all audit firms, both those that audit public interest entities (PIEs) and non-PIEs, and other stakeholders including other regulators and so we publish the letters on our website.
| Name | Exam cheating (December 2022) |
|---|---|
| Publication date | 21 December 2022 |
| Type | Letter |
| Format | PDF, 175.0 KB |
| Name | Risk of climate change |
| Publication date | 15 December 2022 |
| Type | Letter |
| Format | PDF, 274.3 KB |
| Name | Exams cheating (July 2022) |
| Publication date | 15 July 2022 |
| Type | Letter |
| Format | PDF, 139.2 KB |
| Name | Challenge of Management |
| Publication date | 8 December 2020 |
| Type | Letter |
| Format | PDF, 312.2 KB |
| Name | Going Concern (November 2020) |
| Publication date | 24 November 2020 |
| Type | Letter |
| Format | PDF, 193.9 KB |
| Name | Going Concern (June 2020) |
| Publication date | 2 July 2020 |
| Type | Letter |
| Format | PDF, 186.5 KB |
| Name | Achieving high quality audits |
| Publication date | 18 December 2019 |
| Type | Letter |
| Format | PDF, 180.1 KB |
Scalebox
We have launched the Scalebox to assist firms develop and maintain audit quality as they start out in the PIE audit market and as they grow.