A defined conclusion for a specific reporting need
Limited Assurance Engagements
An organisation or report recipient may need assurance over a particular piece of information. We assess whether a limited assurance engagement is appropriate, what evidence exists and what the intended report needs to address.
When limited assurance may be appropriate
A funder, board or other intended user may seek a defined assurance conclusion on specified financial information or reporting. The first question is what decision that report is intended to support and whether limited assurance is actually the required form of work.
We consider proposed engagements case by case. A request for a general approval, certification of everything or guaranteed accuracy is not a suitable scope.
Make the reporting need concrete
- Subject matter: precisely what information is being assessed.
- Criteria: the suitable basis against which it can be evaluated.
- Intended users: who will rely on the report and for what purpose.
- Evidence: the records available and any restrictions.
- Reporting form: the expected conclusion, distribution and limitations.
What limited assurance means
The nature, timing and extent of procedures differ from reasonable assurance. The engagement is designed to obtain evidence for an appropriate limited-assurance conclusion, not to establish certainty.
It is not a statutory audit and does not provide reasonable assurance. The report must be read with the agreed subject matter, criteria, procedures and limitations.
Discuss the recipient’s wording before committing
If a third party has prescribed a certificate or report, provide a non-sensitive description of its purpose first. We need to consider the exact requirement, applicable standard, competence and available evidence before agreeing a report format.
A recipient’s request does not itself make the proposed wording appropriate or establish that Delakazzi can sign it. Any changes or clarifications are settled before substantive work.
What information will we need?
Start with a brief description of the organisation, the support required, the relevant period and any deadline. If we can take the matter forward, the records requested may include:
- Responsible party, intended recipient and purpose of the proposed report.
- Description of the subject matter and relevant period.
- Proposed criteria or reporting requirements.
- Outline of available evidence and known access restrictions.
- Any prescribed wording and formal deadline, supplied securely when appropriate.
Do not include confidential records, identity documents, bank information, passwords, detailed allegations or legally privileged material in the public form. We agree a secure method for documents after the relevant acceptance checks.
Important professional boundaries
Limited assurance is not certainty.
This is not statutory audit or reasonable assurance. No engagement promises detection of every error, omission, control failure or irregularity. A conclusion is reached only after the relevant evidence has been assessed.
Specialist assignments are subject to eligibility, conflicts, independence, competence, capacity and deadline checks. Where records or detailed circumstances need review before a full assignment can be agreed, a paid scoping stage is required and agreed first.
Receipt of an enquiry does not mean that Delakazzi has accepted the assignment or agreed to act. Work begins only under written engagement terms.
From first contact to useful work
Our process
- 01
Understand the purpose
Clarify why assurance is requested and who will use it.
- 02
Assess suitability
Consider criteria, evidence, independence and professional scope.
- 03
Agree the engagement
Set procedures, reporting form, responsibilities and fees.
- 04
Examine the evidence
Carry out the agreed limited-assurance procedures.
- 05
Issue the report
State the conclusion in its proper scope and context.
Your questions
Limited assurance: useful answers
Is a limited assurance report suitable for any funder?
No. The funder’s precise requirement, reporting criteria and intended use must be established. The required report may be a different type of engagement or outside Delakazzi’s scope.
Can you certify that all our figures are correct?
No blanket guarantee is offered. A limited assurance engagement concerns defined subject matter, suitable criteria and an agreed reporting purpose.
What if we have a report template to sign?
We review the requested wording before acceptance. The template may require clarification or a different authorised provider; it is not a commitment that Delakazzi can sign it.
A considered next step
Start with a specialist conversation.
Tell us the service you need, your organisation and any deadline. We will explain the next step and whether an initial review is appropriate.