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Business Risk Services
Our Business Risk Services team deliver practical and pragmatic solutions that support clients in growing and protecting the inherent value of their businesses.
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Corporate Finance and Deal Advisory
We offer a dedicated team of experienced individuals with a focus on successfully executing transactions for corporates and financial institutions. We offer an integrated approach, with our corporate finance specialists working seamlessly with tax and other specialists to ensure that every angle is covered.
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Economic Advisory
Our all-island Economics Advisory team combines expertise in economics and business with a wealth of experience across the public and private sectors.
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Forensic Accounting
We have a different way of doing business by delivering real insight through a combination of technical rigour, commercial experience and intuitive judgment. We take pride in delivering responsive and tailored solutions to all our clients, capitalising on the wealth of experience housed within our Belfast and wider Forensics team
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People and Change Consulting
The Grant Thornton People & Change Consulting practice works with clients on these issues as well as on all aspects of how they attract, retain, engage develop, deploy and lead their people.
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Restructuring
We work with a wide variety of clients and stakeholders such as high street banks, private equity funds, directors, government agencies and creditors to implement solutions which provide the best possible outcomes.
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Technology Consulting
Motivating and assisting our clients to pursue, maintain and secure the benefits of digital solutions is at the core of our Digital Transformation teams' agenda and goals. We work with business leaders to deliver efficient digital strategies and operating models that provide new or enhanced capabilities.
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Corporate and International Tax
Northern Ireland businesses face further challenges as they operate in the only part of the UK that has a land border with a country offering a lower tax rate.
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Employer Solutions
Our team specialises in remuneration and incentive planning and works closely with employers, shareholders and employees to ensure that business strategies are aligned and goals achieved in the most tax efficient, cost-effective manner.
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Entrepreneur and Private Client Taxes
Our team of experienced advisors are on hand to guide you through any decision or transaction ranging from the establishment of new business ventures, to realising value on exit, to succession planning and providing for loved ones.
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Global Mobility Services
Grant Thornton Ireland offer a different approach to managing global mobility. We have brought together specialists from our tax, global payroll, people and change and financial accounting teams across Ireland and Northern Ireland, while drawing on the knowledge and insights of our global network of over 143 offices of mobility professionals to provide you with a holistic approach to managing global mobility.
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Outsourced Payroll
Our outsourced service provides valued service to over 150 separate PAYE schemes. These ranging from 1 to 1000 employees, working for micro, SME and global employers. The service is supported by the integrated network of tax and global mobility teams and the wider Grant Thornton network delivering a seamless service. Experienced staff deliver a personal service built around your business needs.
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Tax Disputes and Investigations
Our Tax Disputes and Investigation team is made up of tax experts and former HMRC investigators who have years of experience in dealing with a variety of tax investigations. Our expertise and insight can guide you through all interactions, keeping your cost at a minimum while allowing you to continue with the day to day running of your business.
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VAT and Indirect Taxes
At Grant Thornton (NI) LLP, our team helps Northern Ireland businesses manage their UK and global indirect tax risks which, as transactional taxes, can quickly become big liabilities.
A new hope… or are you ready for more
09 Feb 2021Employers across the four home nations and beyond would universally welcome a return to normal after almost a year of adapting to change brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we approach the first anniversary of the first COVID-related lockdown, this is a good time to look ahead at a few important changes for employers to note.
The current evolution of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (‘CJRS’) (announced in November 2020) was due to end on 31st March, but has now been extended to April 2021. The benefits of the scheme are well known; that is true for employee and employer alike. As an employer, you have a separate administrative duty in keeping detailed records for review. We await the publishing of CJRS data on Gov.uk which will allow your employees to locate their employer and identify if a CJRS claim has been made in their name towards the end of February. The overwhelming majority of businesses have nothing to fear from this measure, having kept to the letter and spirit of the regulations; undoubtedly a minority could be exposed. HMRC already publish the names of those who fail to pay National Minimum Wage rates and it doesn’t take a huge leap of imagination to see the potential for a similar CJRS process being applied in the months ahead.
April will bring a new tax year and, as before, we have been given notice of some changes ahead of the Budget that we should be ready for. One significant change is the reduction in age from 25 to 23 to qualify for the National Living Wage. The rate payable increases to £8.91 with a larger cohort of employees included.
You can also expect some changes to the Higher Rate tax band and NIC thresholds, with this being included in the November HM Treasury spending review. The administrative changes are lessened when using payroll software that should be updated in advance of the new tax year. An adjustment based on the CPI rate (September) will be applied to these thresholds and also the personal tax free allowance.
You may have missed the update to The Pension Regulator (TPR) website and guidance for compliance duties during the disruption and challenges brought by the lockdowns. As we have observed, TPR are not shy when it comes to using their powers to issue daily penalties. They have updated their advice to remind employers that duties remain the same, and timelines for compliance unchanged. They do note that they will apply a proportionate and risk-based approach to enforcement decisions.
As your employees may continue to be absent due to COVID infections or the need to self-isolate for some time, a reminder that Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is due from day one of any related absence, instead of the usual 3-day waiting day period applied for other absences. Employers can also reclaim two weeks of SSP per employee. Employers are encouraged to keep detailed absence records as they may impact and support CJRS claims.
See our Tax & Payroll services
