Regulator gives green light on Big Four plans for audit separation February 23, 2021 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has given the go ahead for the Big Four firms to press on with the next stage of separating their audit divisions from the rest of the business. The Big Four – Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC – were asked by the regulator to submit their plans for operational separation [...]
Begbies Traynor shares defy market slump to rise five per cent following good results February 23, 2021 Begbies Traynor defied London’s market slump today, with shares rising five per cent following encouraging results. In a Q3 update the professional services firm said it was “confident” of the outcome of its full year results, although it gave no actual figures. The business has enjoyed something of an acquisition spree this year. Earlier this [...]
Governments expected to come down hard on tax enforcement in coming years February 23, 2021 Business leaders have predicted greater tax enforcement in the next three years, as governments look to balance their books following pandemic pressures. More than half (53%) of business leaders in tax expected greater tax enforcement in the near future, according to research carried out by EY. They anticipated a far more diverse tax risk environment [...]
Gig economy workers to nab 20 per cent of financial services jobs February 22, 2021 Gig economy workers will soon make up between 15 and 20 per cent of the workforce at financial services firms, up from the current five per cent of workers. In the next three to five years so-called ‘gig workers’ will become increasingly common at financial services firms, more than half (52%) of financial services firms [...]
Businesses should be wary of class action lawsuits as groundbreaking Shell decision has global reach February 22, 2021 Class action lawsuits are becoming increasingly popular in the UK, and a combination of the coronavirus, Brexit and previous claimant-favourable outcomes will mean UK companies see more action against them in the coming years. Britain is part of something of a third wave of class action lawsuit popularity. The practice of collective claims started in [...]
Changes in Family Law due to Covid February 19, 2021 | City Talk The drastic measures ushered in as a result of the Covid pandemic have affected all aspects of our way of life. This includes the practical changes to the way the family justice system operates, which are unprecedented in such a short space of time. Most family Court hearings are now by telephone or video link [...]
KPMG creates 200 jobs in Belfast February 17, 2021 Big Four firm KPMG is creating 200 jobs in a new “centre of excellence” in Belfast. The new investment will deliver services in cyber security, applied intelligence and digital transformation. The new centre is a joint initiative between KPMG in Ireland and in the UK, and has the support of InvestNI and the Department of [...]
More than a third of UK small businesses pushing to trade overseas in 2021 February 16, 2021 More than a third of UK small businesses are likely to trade overseas this year, according to a YouGov survey. Lawbite surveyed 791 small businesses and found that 38 per cent are planning to trade overseas this year, which would equate to a market size of 2.28m firms. However, despite the effects of Brexit border [...]
Court papers detail Grant Thornton’s alleged errors in Patisserie Valerie audits February 14, 2021 FRP Advisory has reportedly filed legal documents detailing Grant Thornton’s alleged errors in its auditing of Patisserie Valerie after launching a £225m court claim against the professional services firm. FRP Advisory, liquidator to the cafe chain, said the auditor’s negligence meant Patisserie Valerie bosses were unaware the firm had run out of funds. It alleges [...]
Exclusive: Britain’s 10,000 law firms largely spared from pandemic onslaught February 12, 2021 Despite the pandemic, the number of law firms has remained steady, with 10,080 currently registered in the UK, according to new research. The number of firms is down only 2 per cent compared to last year, as 10,278 firms were registered in December 2019, according to accountancy and business advisory firm Hazlewoods. Though many firms’ [...]