Our strategy 2018-2019 to 2020-2021 sets out how the NAO will meet new challenges and maximise our effectiveness to support Parliament in holding government to account and improving public services, and the resources we need to do this.

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We help Parliament hold government to account for spending public money and, in so doing, drive improvements in public services. To achieve this, we provide system‑wide, integrated and independent public audit, drawing on the distinctive framework of rights set out for us by Parliament.

In this document, we set out the NAO’s strategy for between 2018-19 and 2020‑21. We describe progress against our long-standing objectives – to apply knowledge, increase our influence, and be a high-performing organisation – and how we can best serve Parliament and respond to changes in the external environment that affect us and the bodies we audit.

Our four main priorities for the coming strategy period are to serve Parliament by:

  • adapting our work to address the issues that matter to government and Parliament in the current environment, particularly in light of the decision to leave the EU
  • innovating and adapting to developments in the audit industry so we continue as ever to deliver high-quality work with the best of the audit profession
  • responding to feedback from public bodies for further cross-government insights and deepening our engagement with those we audit
  • making sure we continue to be a professional, innovative and data-led organisation that uses management information well and embedding our investment in new digital technology into our ways of working.

By producing high-quality, relevant work, the recommendations from our work are more likely to result in financial savings for the taxpayer and positive changes in how government runs itself, public services and major projects and programmes. Our interventions now look at programmes earlier in their lifecycle and at the planning stage as failure can become built in at an early stage of a project. Our recommendations help put in place governance and financial management practices, contributing to the success of these projects. We aim for this to continue over the period of this strategy.

December 2017

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