DDPT026 Reporting Accountant for Housing Benefit (Subsidy) Assurance Process (HBAP)

Derbyshire Dales District Council (the Council) requires a suitably experienced and qualified reporting accountant (external auditor) to audit and certify their Housing Benefit (HB) Subsidy Grant claims in England, commencing with the subsidy period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 (equivalent dates for any extension period), to meet the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) requirements to give the DWP assurance of a valid and true claim. The reporting accountant will conduct testing of all Housing Benefit Assurance Process (HBAP) aspects of the audit. A condition of participation is that you must be currently registered on the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW) register of licensed local auditors Local Auditor Register. The initial contract period is for the audit relating to the housing benefit subsidy claim for 2024/25; the contract is estimated to commence 5 May 2025 and expire 4 May 2026. There will be an option to extend the contract for up to four years in 2 yearly increments subject to satisfactory performance and business needs, to meet the 2025/26, 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 audit requirements. The maximum contract period is five years.