Find out how and why we use attestations as a supervisory tool.
An attestation is a firm's formal statement that it will take, or has taken, an action we require. We use attestations as a supervisory tool to ensure that regulated firms - and senior individuals within them – are clearly accountable for taking the actions we require, often without our ongoing regulatory involvement.
The most usual situations when we ask for attestations include:
- Notification – The most appropriate senior individual(s) within a firm attest to notify us if an emerging risk changes in its nature or magnitude. They are therefore responsible for ensuring the firm appropriately monitors the risk.
- Undertaking – The most appropriate senior individual(s) within a firm attest to complete actions within a specified timescale, however, they are not required to confirm to us that they have been completed.
- Self-certification – The most appropriate senior individual(s) within a firm attest to undertake the completion of actions within a specified timescale. They are also required to confirm that they have been completed.
- Verification – The most appropriate senior individual(s) within a firm attest to undertake the completion of actions within a specified timescale. They are then required to provide verification that the risks identified have been mitigated and resolved.
Quarterly information
We publish information on how often we request attestations on a quarterly basis.
2025/26
: Editorial amendment Quarterly information listed as pdfs
: Information changed Quarterly information updated
: Information changed Updated historic attestations pdf
: Information changed Quarterly information updated
: Information added Latest quarterly information.
: Editorial amendment Updates to page features for website refresh.
: Information changed Quarterly information Table 1, Table 2 and notes to tables. Updated data spreadsheet.
: Information changed Quarterly information Table 1, Table 2 and notes to tables. Updated data spreadsheet.
: Document update Number of attestations by sector and conduct classification
: Information changed Quarterly information Table 1, Table 2 and notes to tables. Updated data spreadsheet.