The Local Audit (Amendment of Definition of Smaller Authority) Regulations 2025

Made: 16th September 2025

Coming into force: 17th September 2025

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 6(5) of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014[^f00001].

A draft of this instrument was laid before and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament in accordance with section 43(3) of that Act.

Citation, commencement and extent

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Local Audit (Amendment of Definition of Smaller Authority) Regulations 2025 and come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.

• (2) These Regulations extend to England and Wales.

Amendment of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014

2

For section 6(2) (meaning of “smaller authority”) of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, substitute—

(2) The qualifying condition is met for a relevant authority and a financial year— (a) beginning on or before 1st April 2024, if the higher of the authority’s gross income for the year and its gross expenditure for the year does not exceed £6.5 million; (b) beginning on or after 1st April 2025, if the higher of the authority’s gross income for the year and its gross expenditure for the year does not exceed £15 million.

Signed

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Alison McGovern — Minister of State — Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government — 16th September 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

These Regulations amend the definition of “smaller authority” in section 6 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (“the 2014 Act”).

Under section 6 of the 2014 Act, a relevant authority (as defined in section 2 of the 2014 Act) is a smaller authority for a financial year if the ‘qualifying condition’ (set out in section 6(2)) is met in respect of that financial year, or in either of the two prior financial years, where relevant. Regulation 2 of these Regulations provides that in respect of a financial year beginning on or after 1st April 2025, the ‘qualifying condition’ is that the higher of the authority’s gross income and gross expenditure for that year does not exceed £15 million. In respect of a financial year beginning on or before 1st April 2024, the qualifying condition remains that the higher of the authority’s gross income and gross expenditure for that year does not exceed £6.5 million.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, public or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 2014 c. 2.