Is current BRC Certificate lost if critical defect found at the audit?

If our BRC Certificate expires on April and in January we get a critical, do we lose our certificate from previous year, or it will still be valid until April?

Based on the standard it does look like it potentially should be (which isn't entirely surprising) - see page 71 in part III (Audit Protocol) of the current standard:

The grading of non-conformities will be reviewed by the independent certification process of the certification body as soon as possible after the audit. Where the review confirms that a certificate cannot be awarded, the site will be required to undertake another full audit before assessment for certification.

Due to the nature and number of non-conformities, it is unlikely that these non-conformities can be addressed and fully effective improvements implemented and established within a 28-calendar-day period – although there may be some exceptions. Therefore, the re-audit shall not take place any earlier than 28 calendar days from the audit date. Where this occurs at a certificated site, certification must be immediately withdrawn.

Hello,

if you got a critical NC, then you have no more certificate....

best regards,

Leila