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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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Digital Risk
Grant Thornton offers solutions to the digital risk issues you are sure to face. Our skilled and experienced security team can helping by advising and consulting, giving you peace of mind, clear value for money and an enhanced ability to react to attacks.
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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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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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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 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.
Article 50 Court Case Judgement – Update
Yesterday the High Court ruled that Parliament, not Government, has the constitutional power to trigger Article 50
This is not the end of Brexit
This does not mean that the UK will not leave the European Union. All that has changed is that instead of Theresa May alone deciding to trigger Article 50 (the formal mechanism for leaving the European Union) it will now require a vote in Parliament. The House of Commons and the House of Lords both have a majority of members who were in favour of remaining in the EU during the referendum, but it is highly unlikely that they would vote point blank against the referendum verdict.
It may mean a slower and possibly ‘softer’ Brexit
The judgement may mean that Article 50 is not triggered by March 2017, as previously stated by the Prime Minister. Government will want certainty of a vote in favour of Article 50 and will take some time to get all its ducks in a row in Parliament. Equally MPs and Lords may debate the issues at length and, in particular, they may want more information on the Government’s negotiating position before agreeing to a vote on Article 50.
It is up for debate whether Parliament will stand down from the Government’s position on control of immigration and reclaiming sovereignty from the European Court of Justice. This means that continued membership of the Single Market remains in the balance. That said, MPs and Lords may seek to debate the issues in greater detail and make agreement to Article 50 dependent on specific conditions that could ‘soften’ the government approach. These could include:
- guarantees around the process for negotiating the UK’s new relationship with the EU alongside Article 50 negotiations;
- (Article 50 is simply the process for leaving – i.e. the ‘divorce settlement’; our future relationship with the EU is a separate, albeit related, negotiation);
- priorities and 'red lines’ for the UK's negotiating position;
- potential transitional arrangements;
- assurances for EU citizens living and working in the UK and UK citizens enjoying reciprocal arrangements abroad; and
- the role of Parliament in the negotiating process – perhaps requiring parliamentary approval at key stages.
What does this mean for business and other organisations in the UK?
In the short term this creates greater uncertainty and instability: the timing and approach to Brexit is now less clear cut. In the longer term the decision may be beneficial to ensure more time is taken in preparation for Brexit negotiations. The pound rose following the news, based on an expectation that more debate and scrutiny on the detail of Brexit will allow for a better outcome and more opportunities for organisations across the economy and society to inform the UK’s negotiating position.
Organisations should continue to plan on a ‘hard Brexit’ by March 2019 scenario, whilst keeping this under review as events develop over the coming months.
