PSAA sets the fee scale annually, and publishes the individual scale fee for each opted-in body. If an auditor subsequently considers that substantially more or less work is required to deliver their responsibilities, they can submit a fee variation proposal to PSAA.
The statutory framework for audit fees and variations is set out in the Local Audit (Appointing Person) Regulations 2015 and the Local Audit (Appointing Person) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (‘the Regulations’). Regulation 17(2) provides for the auditor to propose to PSAA (as the Appointing Person) that fees should be varied where the work involved in a particular audit was substantially more or less than envisaged by the appropriate scale. We consider the reasonableness of the explanations provided by auditors before agreeing to any variation to the scale fee.