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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.
As the Covid-19 lockdown took hold, the news initially focussed on the measures that the government was taking to support businesses in terms of furloughing staff and the government-backed loan scheme. The news also, quite rightly, focussed on the demands on our public services, and in particular, the challenging and vital role being played by the National Health Service and its critical workers.
However, forgotten at this time was the crucial role played in our society by the charitable sector, and the massive impact that the pandemic was having on their finances at a time when many of its services were at peak demand. This was, to an extent, remedied by the Chancellor’s announcement of a £750m funding package for charities. This was welcomed when it was announced in April, but even the Chancellor admitted that this help could not make good the losses the sector will suffer.
It is an unfortunate consequence of the pandemic that two of the key funding streams for charities have been affected. Firstly, many businesses have cut back on all non-core spend, with charitable donations and sponsorship often the first things cut. Secondly, charities have not been able to run large fundraising events, which are held annually and which have become core contributors to their funding budget. When this is added to the uncertain outlook over the next few years with regard to the funding charities receive from central and local government, then it is clear that managing the finances of any charity has become extremely difficult, and has placed the responsibilities borne by Trustees into stark relief.
Charities may have reserves built up, but these are split into two categories: unrestricted reserves, which can be used to fund any expenditure of the charity, and restricted reserves, which can only be spent on specific items or initiatives and generally cannot be used to meet shortfalls in core funding. As a result, Trustees have been faced with the choice of spending their remaining unrestricted reserves in a bid to continue delivering their services during this crisis, leaving them in a precarious financial position going forward.
So what can businesses do at this time to support charities, even if their own ability to make donations has been curtailed? The good news is that there is an underlying enthusiasm within society and hence all workforces, to raise funds for charitable organisations. Businesses can play their part by liaising with their staff to choose their charity partner and make sure that all the fundraising undertaken by their staff is focussed on this one charity to deliver maximum benefit. Above all, never under estimate how generous your staff will be, how committed to helping charities in their community they are, and the number of ingenious fundraising ideas they can come up with. All you have to do is listen!