Independent Reviewer

In some circumstances, ASA rulings can be challenged by an advertiser or complainant when there is evidence that we have not got the decision right or there was a flaw in our processes. Find out more about the Independent Review process.

Rachel Childs

Interim Independent Reviewer

Rachel has wide experience of regulation. A former headteacher and school leader across primary and secondary settings, she was an ASA Council member between 2011 and 2018, taking on the role of Senior Independent Director for her final three years. She subsequently sat on the Advertising Advisory Committee, providing a consumer perspective to the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP and BCAP) on the broadcast and non-broadcast advertising codes until January of this year.

Rachel has extensive experience of complaint handling and review. She is the current Chair of the Independent Complaints Panel at the Portman Group and is an Independent Complaints Assessor for the Department for Transport. She also acts as a Fitness to Practise and Investigating Committee Chair for a number of different healthcare regulators.

ASA Report on 2024 Independent Review outcomes

Eligible Independent Review requests were exceptionally low in numbers in 2024.

We published 280 Rulings in 2024 (331 in 2023). A further 114 cases were closed as NAICD* (201 in 2023). The following table puts Independent Review requests accepted by the Independent Reviewer into the context of all the cases eligible for review.

All review cases received by Independent Reviewer in 2024

Eligible Independent Review requests received by Independent Reviewer (25 in 2023) Of which:

Five were of Rulings, 1.8% of all Rulings in 2024; (3.6% in 2023)

Five were of NAICD cases, 4.4% of all NAICD cases in 2024; (6.4% in 2023)

Number of Formal Investigation review requests the Independent Reviewer recommended for corrective action

0.7% of all Rulings in 2024; (down from 2.1% in 2023)

Number of NAICD case review requests the Independent Reviewer recommended for corrective action

0% of all NAICD cases in 2024; (down from 0.5% in 2023)

We commit to deliver against a quality target of there being no more than 3% of our Rulings that are considered by the Independent Reviewer to require any form of corrective action. We met this target with just 0.7% of Rulings referred for a form of corrective action.

Two cases recommended for corrective action out of 10 reviewed eligible requests means that the Independent Reviewer recommended some form of corrective action in 20% of all review requests.

*No additional investigation after Council Decision