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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.
Budget 2017: Serious Business beneath the banter
28 Nov 2017Now that the laughter has faded since the Chancellor delivered his first Autumn Budget, with humorous references to Top Gear and cough sweets, attention turns to the measures he announced in seeking to address Britain’s lagging productivity.
As expected, it was a Budget with limited changes, reflecting the Office of Budget Responsibility’s downgrading of economic forecasts and uncertainty surrounding the ongoing Brexit negotiations. Mr Hammond, however, announced the need to invest now to grow our economy for tomorrow, revealing plans to spend nearly £25bn on a range of measures.
For Northern Ireland, there was a welcome announcement of an additional £650 million for the Northern Ireland Executive to invest in future infrastructure projects here. Additionally, reviews to the VAT rate applied on tourism activities (currently 20% in NI compared to a 9% rate which applies in the Republic of Ireland) and Air Passenger Duty rates were announced, with further updates expected next Autumn.
The Chancellor put tackling the housing crisis at the heart of the Budget, pledging moves to build more homes and to help more young adults on the property ladder by cutting stamp duty for first-time buyers on purchases up to £300,000.
One of the other key focuses was the support for innovation, with those businesses benefiting from the Research and Development Expenditure Credit (mainly available to large companies) increasing from 11% to 12% for ‘qualifying expenditure’ incurred on or after 1 January 2018. There were also pledges of investment in technology for driverless cars, zero/low emission vehicles and a 5G network.
Whilst it was disappointing that the VAT system was not simplified, to allow for a reduction in administration for small businesses, the threshold for VAT registration was frozen for the first time in nearly 30 years at £85,000 until 2020 following fears of a potential threshold decrease.
From 1 January 2018, the indexation allowance will no longer be available for companies disposing of capital assets and aligns the capital gains calculation to that for individuals. Companies will no longer receive relief for any increase in an asset’s value due to inflation although individuals can still avail of the annual capital gains increase to £11,700 from April 2018.
Finally, as with all recent budgets, there were further anti-avoidance measures announced which are expected to collect a further £4.8 billion over the course of the next four years. This includes introducing a requirement to notify HMRC of the creation of certain offshore structures, which can be used to avoid tax and collection of withholding taxes on royalties which are paid to to low/non taxing jurisdictions.
With two budget announcements in 2017, there is a much needed break until next year’s Autumn Budget. In the meantime, if you or your business wish to discuss any of the changes announced please do not hesitate to get in touch.