The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) has been prominently featured in a new review by the National Audit Office (NAO), which examines implementation of new climate-related annual reporting requirements across central government.
The report, Implementation of climate-related reporting in central government annual reports, marks the first assessment of early phases of mandatory disclosures aligned with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework – a key pillar of the UK’s approach to meeting its 2050 net-zero and climate resilience commitments.
The NAO’s findings suggest that when public bodies engage meaningfully with TCFD-aligned reporting, it can enhance senior-level engagement with climate-related issues, strengthen understanding of governmental exposure to climate risks, and support better-informed decision-making. Several departments that have prepared disclosures reported that the exercise had encouraged fresh analysis of risks – including physical risks to estates and service-delivery, and potential financial and strategic impacts.
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In drawing attention to GAD’s role, the NAO underscores that actuarial-style risk analysis and scenario modelling – not simply standard financial or environmental reporting – will be central to climate-related disclosures in government. GAD’s support services – including bespoke scenario modelling, assessment of financial impacts, risk identification, and quality assurance of disclosures – are highlighted as critical enablers for departments working to meet their obligations.
The review also makes clear that delivering on TCFD-aligned reporting at scale will require sustained effort: central departments will need ongoing support, clarity on scope and methodology, and stronger internal capability for climate risk assessment and reporting. The NAO recommends that HM Treasury (HMT) and other central bodies agree a long-term plan for quality assurance, scenario-modelling standards, gap reviews and training, with GAD and other expert agencies playing a central role.
As government departments prepare for their first full disclosures (from 2025-26 onwards), there is likely to be rising demand for digital platforms and workflows that can capture climate-risk data, support scenario-based analysis, and enable audit-ready disclosures.
