The Independent Examiner's Report: Worked Example and What to Include

When a charity's gross income exceeds £25,000, trustees must arrange external scrutiny of the accounts: either an independent examination or a statutory audit. The independent examiner's report is the document that comes out of an examination. It is the examiner's formal statement, attached to the accounts, that they have carried out the examination and have applied the required procedures. This post explains the required sections, who must sign the report, how it differs from an audit opinion, and what to watch for in practice.

What an independent examiner's report is

The independent examiner's report is a short formal document the examiner attaches to the charity's accounts. It states that the examiner has examined the accounts, sets out the basis on which they did so, and gives a negative-assurance conclusion: nothing has come to their attention during the examination giving cause for concern on the specific matters they are required to consider. It is required, under the Charities Act and the Charity Commission's CC31 guidance, once a charity's gross income exceeds £25,000 in a financial year, unless the audit thresholds apply instead. At or below £25,000, the Act requires no external scrutiny (though a governing document may impose one independently).

The report is not a free-form letter. It contains prescribed statements that the examiner must make. Those statements are set out in the Commission's CC32 guidance for examiners. The overview of what an independent examination is covers the broader process; this post focuses on the report document itself.

When you need one

The audit vs independent examination guide covers the thresholds in full, but the key gates are these. Once gross income exceeds £25,000, independent examination or audit is required. Independent examination remains available until the audit thresholds are reached: a statutory audit is mandatory where income exceeds £1 million, or where income exceeds £250,000 and gross assets exceed £3.26 million. Above those gates, an independent examination is not permitted. You can also use the IE vs audit checker to confirm which applies to your charity's figures.

The CC31 guidance also notes that a governing document or funder contract can require an audit below the statutory thresholds; in that case the audit obligation overrides the statutory option to examine.

Scotland: Scottish charities are regulated by OSCR, which operates a separate scrutiny regime with different thresholds. This post covers England and Wales only.

What the report must contain, section by section

The required content of an independent examiner's report flows from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the directions issued by the Charity Commission under those Regulations (published in CC32). The table below describes each section, what it states, and the most common errors. The exact prescribed wording must be taken from CC32; the descriptions below are a guide to the structure and purpose of each element, not a verbatim substitute.

Section	What it states	Common error
Examiner's name and status	The full name of the examiner and, where gross income exceeds £250,000 (£500,000 for financial years ending on or after 30 Sep 2026), the professional body they belong to. The report must make clear the examiner is independent of the charity.	Omitting the professional-body membership where income is above £250,000, or not stating the basis of independence.
Respective responsibilities	A statement that the trustees are responsible for preparing the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act, and that the examiner's responsibility is to examine those accounts and report in accordance with the Act.	Conflating trustee and examiner responsibilities, or omitting this section entirely on the assumption it is implied.
Basis of examination	A statement that the examination was carried out in accordance with the directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011 (or the relevant provision in force). This tells the reader what standard the examiner worked to.	Citing a different or outdated legislative reference, or describing the procedures informally rather than referencing the Commission's directions.
Negative-assurance conclusion	The core statement: nothing has come to the examiner's attention giving cause for concern that the accounts do not comply with the applicable accounting requirements, or that they are inconsistent with the accounts and information provided by the trustees. The exact phrasing follows the CC32 directions.	Giving positive assurance ("the accounts give a true and fair view") rather than negative assurance. That is an audit opinion, not an IE conclusion.
Matters to bring to attention (if any)	If the examiner has found matters they are required to disclose (under the specific grounds listed in the Commission's directions), they state them here. If there are none, this section is omitted or confirms no such matters arose.	Confusing a minor procedural observation (which may not need to be stated) with a matter the examiner is required to bring to attention under the directions.
Signature, date and address	The examiner's signature, the date the report was signed, and the examiner's address. The date should be on or after the date the examination procedures were completed.	Dating the report before the examination was finished, or omitting the examiner's address.

A worked example: what the report looks like

This example is illustrative only. It is designed to show the structure and typical content of an independent examiner's report so that trustees understand what to expect and examiners can see how the sections fit together. It is not a legally sufficient fill-in template. The prescribed statements must be taken from the Charity Commission's CC32 guidance, which an examiner should consult directly before drafting or signing any report. Do not reproduce the wording below as a final report without that verification.

The following blocks make up a standard independent examiner's report. Each block is annotated.

1. Heading and addressee. The report is headed "Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of [Full Registered Name of Charity] (Charity Registration Number [XXXXXX])". It is addressed to the trustees of the charity, not to the Charity Commission or to third parties.
2. Examiner's independence and status. A statement such as: "I report on the accounts of [Charity Name] for the year ended [Date], which are set out on pages [X] to [Y]. I am independent of the charity [and I confirm that I am a member of [Professional Body], which is one of the bodies listed in the Charities Act 2011, this sentence is required where gross income exceeds £250,000 (£500,000 for financial years ending on or after 30 September 2026); omit it at or below that threshold where no listed-body membership is needed]."
3. Respective responsibilities. A statement along the lines of: "The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. I have been appointed as independent examiner to examine the accounts and to report in accordance with the Charities Act 2011." The exact wording required by the Commission's directions should be taken from CC32.
4. Basis of examination. A statement that the examination was carried out in accordance with the directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011, and describing at a high level what those directions require the examiner to do (review the accounting records; compare the accounts with those records; seek explanations for anything unclear). CC32 sets out the exact procedural framing.
5. Negative-assurance conclusion. The core of the report. In substance: "In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act 2011 have not been met, or to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have not been complied with; or (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached." The precise CC32 wording governs.
6. Matters to bring to attention (if any). Where the examiner is required under the CC32 directions to draw a matter to the trustees' attention, it is stated here. If no such matter arose, this block is omitted from the report, or the conclusion at step 5 stands unqualified.
7. Signature, date and address. The report is signed by the examiner in their own name, with their address and the date. The date must not pre-date the completion of the examination procedures.

The report is placed immediately after the trustee annual report and before the accounts pages. It does not go to the Charity Commission separately; it forms part of the accounts package submitted with the annual return when income exceeds £25,000.

Who can sign the report

At or below the qualified-examiner threshold of £250,000 gross income (£500,000 for financial years ending on or after 30 September 2026), any person who is independent of the charity and has the requisite ability and practical experience to examine the accounts may act as examiner. They do not need to be a member of a professional body. "Independent" means not a trustee, employee or connected person.

Above £250,000 gross income, the examiner must be a member of one of the 13 bodies listed in the Charities Act: ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI, ACCA, AAPA, AAT, AIA, CIMA, the Chartered Governance Institute, CIPFA, ACIE, IFA and CPAA. A person who is experienced but not a member of one of these bodies cannot examine a charity above this threshold, even if they are otherwise qualified.

The guide to who can do an independent examination covers eligibility in full, including what "requisite ability and practical experience" means in practice for smaller charities.

Note that the audit thresholds above the IE band (income over £1 million, or income over £250,000 with gross assets over £3.26 million; £1.5 million, £500,000 and £5 million for financial years ending on or after 30 September 2026) mean independent examination is not available at all at that scale. Our independent examination service covers the full range from the examination gate up to the audit threshold.

How the report differs from an audit report

The fundamental difference is the type of assurance given.

• An audit report gives positive assurance: the auditor states whether, in their opinion, the accounts give a true and fair view. This follows a full audit under auditing standards (ISAs), involving substantive testing, analytical procedures and a much higher volume of work.
• An independent examiner's report gives negative assurance: the examiner states that nothing has come to their attention giving cause for concern. The examiner applies the directions in CC32, which require a review of accounting records and comparison with the accounts, but the procedures are less extensive than a full audit.

This difference in assurance level is why independent examination is only available below the statutory audit thresholds. Once income or assets reach the audit gate, the Act requires the higher standard. The two reports are not interchangeable: a charity above the audit threshold cannot substitute an examiner's report for an audit, whatever the examiner's qualifications.

If you are deciding which applies to your charity, the audit vs independent examination guide covers the decision in detail.

Common mistakes in independent examiner's reports

• Using audit language. Phrases like "the accounts give a true and fair view" are audit conclusions. An examiner's report gives negative assurance; copying audit wording is factually wrong and may mislead readers.
• Omitting the basis-of-examination paragraph. This section, which references the CC32 directions, is required. Examiners sometimes treat it as boilerplate and leave it out.
• Not stating the examiner's independence. The report must make clear the examiner is independent of the charity. A bare signature with a name is insufficient.
• Missing or wrong professional-body statement above £250,000. Above the threshold, the examiner's listed-body membership must appear in the report. Below it, it is not required. Getting this backwards (or omitting it above £250,000) is a compliance failure.
• Dating the report before the work is done. The date must reflect when the examination was actually completed, not when the accounts were drafted or when the trustees wanted the report by.
• Reproducing a prior-year report unchanged. The date, accounting period and page references must all be updated. Copying last year's report without amendment is one of the most common errors and produces a report that is factually wrong on its face.
• Confusing a matter to flag with a matter requiring a report to the Commission. The CC32 directions distinguish between matters the examiner brings to the trustees' attention in the report and matters serious enough to warrant a separate report to the Charity Commission. These are different obligations and should not be confused.

Frequently asked questions

What does an independent examiner's report look like?

It is a short formal document, usually one or two pages, covering the examiner's name and independence, the respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner, the basis of examination, the negative-assurance conclusion, and any matters the examiner is required to bring to attention. It is attached to the charity's accounts.

Is there an official template for the independent examiner's report?

The Charity Commission publishes directions and guidance for examiners in CC32, which sets out the required content and the prescribed statements. There is no single mandatory fill-in template, but the CC32 document is the authoritative reference that every examiner should use when drafting the report.

What must the report include?

The report must state: the examiner's name and that they are independent of the charity; the respective responsibilities of the trustees and the examiner; the basis on which the examination was carried out (by reference to the CC32 directions); the negative-assurance conclusion; and any matters the examiner is required to draw to the trustees' attention.

Who signs the independent examiner's report?

The independent examiner signs it. Where gross income exceeds £250,000 (£500,000 for financial years ending on or after 30 September 2026), the examiner must be a member of one of 13 bodies listed in the Charities Act, including ICAEW, ACCA, ICAS, AAT and CIMA. Below that threshold, any suitably experienced independent person may sign.

Does the report go to the Charity Commission?

The report forms part of the charity's accounts, which are submitted with the annual return when gross income exceeds £25,000. The report is not sent separately to the Commission; it accompanies the accounts package. If the examiner identifies a serious concern, they have a separate statutory power to report directly to the Commission under the Charities Act.

How is it different from an audit report?

An audit gives positive assurance: the auditor states the accounts give a true and fair view. An independent examiner's report gives negative assurance: nothing has come to the examiner's attention that gives cause for concern on the specific matters they must consider. The examination procedures are also less extensive than a full audit.

Can a trustee write the report?

No. The examiner must be independent of the charity, which means they cannot be a trustee, employee or connected person. A trustee cannot examine the charity's own accounts.

What is negative assurance?

Negative assurance means the examiner states they have not found anything giving cause for concern, rather than positively confirming the accounts are correct in all respects. It is a lower level of assurance than an audit opinion, which is why independent examination is only permitted below the statutory audit thresholds.