, , ,

Two Alexander Knight & Co clients achieve prestigious ‘Sunday Times Hundred 2024’ status

Alexander Knight & Co is thrilled to see that two of our clients, Think Hire and Open Communication Partners, have been recognised among the top 100 fastest growing companies in the UK by The Sunday Times.

This achievement highlights our commitment to supporting fast-growing, ambitious businesses and cements our reputation as the advisors of choice for entrepreneurs.

We are proud that of only 7 companies from Greater Manchester who made the top 100 list of the Sunday Times Hundred 2024  – two of them are clients of our practice.

Think Hire

Think Hire, based in Oldham, secured the impressive 30th position on the full list with a growth rate of 130.17 percent. Their innovative solutions and dedication to excellence have propelled them to new heights in the industry. We have had the pleasure of working closely with Think Hire, providing the financial and strategic accountancy guidance necessary to support their rapid expansion as it looks to build on its turnover of £6.5m.

Open Communication Partners 

Open Communication Partners, headquartered in Manchester, claimed the 33rd spot on the full list with a remarkable growth rate of 124.41 percent. Its commitment to delivering top-notch communication, data and marketing solutions has set them apart in a competitive market. We are proud to have played a part in the journey, offering expert advice and accountancy services tailored to their needs as the company continues to evolve and build upon its latest reported turnover of £29.5m.

Accountants for entrepreneurs

The inclusion of our clients Think Hire and Open Communication Partners in The Sunday Times Hundred 2024 is certainly a testament to the hard work and dedication of their management teams and their people. It also underscores the value of our partnership with them.

At Alexander Knight & Co, we are dedicated to helping businesses achieve their full potential through our comprehensive accounting and advisory services.

Murray Patt, founder of Alexander Knight & Co, said:

“We are incredibly proud of Think Hire and Open Communication Partners for their outstanding growth and success. Their inclusion in The Sunday Times Hundred 2024 is a well-deserved recognition of their hard work and innovation. At Alexander Knight & Co, we strive to provide the best possible support for our clients, and it’s hugely gratifying to see their success stories unfold.”

Looking ahead

As we celebrate the success of Think Hire and Open Communication Partners, we remain committed to fostering the growth of all our clients.

Our goal is to continue being the trusted advisors for fast-growing, ambitious companies across the UK. We believe that with the right guidance and support, there are no limits to what our clients can achieve.

Congratulations to Think Hire and Open Communication Partners, and here’s to many more years of shared success and growth!

/by
, , ,

Collaboration is key

Alexander Knight & Co is a member of MGI Worldwide, a Top 20 international accounting network of independent audit, accounting, tax, legal, and consulting firms, which brings together the expertise of over 8,000 professionals in some 400 locations around the world.

Our membership enables us to keep abreast of important new developments, while providing a seamless international service to any of our clients looking for support abroad.

Joining the network has undoubtedly bolstered our international trade links and has enabled us to collaborate with accountancy firms in other jurisdictions.

Multiple companies headquartered in Canada, Sweden, USA, Germany, Holland, Greece, Denmark, Switzerland, Malaysia and Singapore have appointed our team to support them with a number of specialist services that we provide including Audit, Tax and Advisory.

Our UK-based practice has even picked up an award for our work relating to the clients of MGI Worldwide members. At the 2023 MGI UK & Ireland conference for partners & managers, which was held recently in Edinburgh, Scotland our team collected the award for ‘International Client Experience of the Year 2023’.

We were very pleased to have developed our international links and delighted to have won this award. It’s great recognition for our staff who are providing a fantastic service for our clients headquartered in the UK and abroad.

Case study

A good example of international collaboration is our positive relationship with fellow MGI Worldwide member Revideco AB based in Sweden.

Its team reached out to us to assist one of their clients who needed some UK specific advice relating to a subsidiary in England. The Revideco team has offices in Stockholm, Skellefteå, Sundsvall and Göteborg. Revideco are authorised accountants and auditors and have provided accounting, audit and consultancy services in Sweden since 1994.  

As a result of the introduction by partners at Revideco we were able to assist a Cheshire-based company which manufactures and retails all-natural supplements for dogs, in its annual Audit requirements. We were delighted to have been appointed by the client to undertake this activity and we are pleased that the relationship has developed positively.

“We are pleased with the relationship we have created with Alexander Knight & Co in the United Kingdom and it is pleasing to see that through our membership of MGI Worldwide we are able to identify high quality collaboration partners who can assist our clients with UK accountancy requirements.”
Antti Niemi
Partner, Revideco AB
"We are delighted to have been referred by our MGI Worldwide colleagues in Sweden. It’s a really good example of how likeminded accountants from different jurisdictions can operate effectively and develop strong and trusted relationships through the association. We would like to thank the Revideco team. We are looking forward to developing our professional relationship even more in 2024 and beyond."
Murray Patt of Alexander Knight & Co.
Murray Patt
Founder, Alexander Knight & Co
"Alexander Knight & Co shows the true value of being part of the MGI Worldwide global network. Clients want a ‘safe pair of hands’ they can trust and access as needed, wherever they choose to do business. This collaboration is a prime example of how two firms can work together seamlessly, providing high-quality support and advice to international clients in the UK."
Maxine Brock
Chief Marketing Officer, MGI Worldwide

TALK TO US ABOUT OUR INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTANCY WORK

If you are an international company that operates subsidiary companies in the UK we are perfectly placed to advise on accounting, tax and advisory work that is required to be undertaken.
Contact Murray Patt now
/by

Our ESG policy

Alexander Knight & Co is proud to publish our ESG Policy. We are committed to working with our staff and partners to implement best practice and to work towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We work within our direct organisation and with our suppliers and partners to go beyond these requirements where possible and make all of our products, operations and workplaces the very best for our workers and the environment.

 

Environmental Conduct

 

1.A. The Environment

Alexander Knight & Co is committed to promoting a prosperous and healthy environment

for people, animals and planet. All employees, suppliers and/or partners are required to

treat the environment with respect and adopt a credible, proactive approach to preventing

negative impacts on the environment. We are committed to minimizing natural resource

depletion through optimizing our processes and proactively tracking, assessing and reducing

our negative impact on the environment. All suppliers/partners are required to be honest

and transparent about the environmental impact of their activities.

Alexander Knight & Co is committed to working with suppliers/partners to identify and

prioritise areas of action and improvement.

 

1.B. Carbon Footprint

Alexander Knight & Co commits to continuously monitor its energy usage, water usage,

dependence on non-renewable resources, disposal of waste and carbon footprint. We

commit to taking progressive action to reduce our waste, water, plastic (specifically single

use) and non-renewable energy use by 2030.

 

1.C. Equipment and Materials

Alexander Knight & Co commits to recycling all applicable materials such as paper, plastic,

glass and metals and to promote repair and reuse of all its direct products/equipment

where possible.

 

1.D. Animal Testing

There will be no testing on animals with Alexander Knight & Co’s direct business, or that of

its suppliers/partners.

 

1.E. Travel

Alexander Knight & Co encourages its staff to travel to work via the most sustainable means

[car sharing, public transport, cycling walking] and will only travel for additional work commitments when we believe it is absolutely necessary.

Social Conduct

 

2.A. Equal Opportunity

We are an equal employment opportunity employer. Employment opportunities are

available regardless of race, colour, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability or other

legally protected status. This principle applies to all aspects of the employment relationship,

including recruiting, hiring, training, work assignment, promotion, transfer, termination, and

wage and salary administration.

 

2.B. Employment is freely chosen

Alexander Knight & Co and its partners/suppliers will ensure there shall be no forced,

compulsory or involuntary labour including bonded, slave and prison labour in accordance

with The Modern Slavery Act and other applicable human rights legislation. Workers must

not be required to lodge deposits or identity papers on commencement of employment.

Workers must be free to leave their employer after reasonable notice. Suppliers are

required to monitor any third-party entity which assists them in recruiting or hiring

employees, to ensure employees are not compelled to work through coercion, force,

deception or punishment.

 

2.C. Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining

Alexander Knight & Co and its suppliers/partners commit to respect the right of all workers

throughout its supply chain to form and join trade unions or worker organisations of their

choice. Their right to bargain collectively shall be recognised without harassment,

interference or retaliation. Grievance mechanisms must be implemented to address and

resolve employee complaints and/or disputes and ensure respectful transparent

communication between all representatives involved.

 

2.D. Child Labour

No person under the age of 15 or under the age for mandatory completion of higher

education [whichever is higher] will be employed by the company directly or any of its

partners/suppliers. Juvenile workers [aged 15 – 17] shall not perform work which, by its

nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to compromise their health,

safety or morals.

 

2.E. Wages

Alexander Knight & Co suppliers and partners commit that its wages for a standard working

week must meet, as a minimum, national legal requirements/national living wages or

industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. They must always be sufficient to meet

the basic needs of workers and their families and provide some discretionary income.

Deductions from wages for disciplinary measures must not be permitted. Deduction of

wages for not meeting targets is also not permitted. Employers shall respect equal pay

between men and women for work of equal value. All workers must be provided with

written and understandable information about the conditions of their wages before they

enter employment.

 

2.F. Hours of Work

 

Alexander Knight & Co commits to ensuring all its direct workers and those of its suppliers

will not work excessive hours. Hours of work must comply with applicable laws and industry

standards. Workers must not, on a regular basis, be required to work in excess of 48 hours

per week and must be provided with at least one day off for every 7 day period.

 

Any overtime given must be voluntary. The maximum sum of contracted and overtime

hours in a week must not exceed 60 hours, or the maximum allowed by law in the country

of operation, whichever is less. Accurate attendance, payroll and production records shall

be maintained.

 

2.G. Harassment & Abuse

Every employee should be treated with respect, dignity and fairness. Any form of physical,

sexual, verbal or psychological abuse is strictly prohibited alongside monetary fines, abuse

or embarrassing acts as a disciplinary measure.

 

2.H. Health and Safety

The company and its partners are committed to an injury-free and illness-free workplace. A

safe, clean and hygienic environment shall be provided, and best occupational health and

safety practices will be implemented, taking in to account the specific hazards of the

industry and relevant safety laws. All premises should have an appointed Health and Safety

Representative. Workers should also receive regular, recorded health and safety training

and appropriate PPE will be provided where necessary.

 

2.I. Employment Relationship

All workers must be provided with an official contract of employment in their first language.

Regular employment must not be avoided or replaced with labour-only contracting

arrangements or apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or

provide regular employment. Workers must be given the opportunity to participate in

education and training programmes upon request.

 

Governance Conduct

 

3.A. Legal Compliance

All employees, suppliers and/or partners are required to protect the company’s legality and

therefore commit to comply with the legal system of the country in which they are based

and/or operate.

 

3.B. Corruption & Bribery

Alexander Knight & Co is committed to acting with integrity and honesty in all its

operations. Alexander Knight & Co does not permit any form of corruption, extortion or

bribery including any payment or other form of benefit given to secure undue advantage or

influence decision making. Business is obtained solely based on the merits of Alexander Knight & Co’s services.

 

 

3.C. Money Laundering

 

Alexander Knight & Co plays its part in keeping our societies safe. As gatekeepers to the financial system, we are the first line of defence to prevent illicit funds finding their way into the economy.

 

Our professional staff receive regular training on money laundering and bound by the rules of our governing body, The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

 

 

3.D. Conflict of Interests

 

All Alexander Knight & Co employees and those of our partners/suppliers are expected to

avoid any personal, financial or other interests which may hinder their ability or willingness

to fulfil their job duties and make fair decisions.

 

3.E. Company Property

 

All Alexander Knight & Co employees, and those of partners/suppliers commit to treating

the company’s property with care and respect. This includes but is not limited to company

equipment, intellectual property such as copyright and trademarks, company facilities and

company materials.

 

3.F. Data Protection and GDPR Compliance

 

Alexander Knight & Co is committed to ensuring protection of all personal

information that we hold, and to provide and to protect all such data. We recognise our

obligations in updating and expanding this program to meet the requirements of GDPR.

 

Alexander Knight & Co is dedicated to safeguarding the personal information under

our control and in maintaining a system that meets our obligations under the new

regulations.

 

3.G. Subcontracting

Subcontracting is strictly prohibited unless prior and written approval is provided by Alexander Knight & Co. Should contracting be approved, suppliers/partners must ensure all

subcontractors and sub-suppliers meet Alexander Knight & Co’s code of conduct and any

applicable laws.

 

3.H. Community

Alexander Knight & Co aims to establish long-term relationships with staff, suppliers and/or

partners who uphold the same values and practices as us. We encourage all our colleagues

and affiliates to go beyond this Code of Conduct and promote the highest environmental,

social and governance standards. We welcome any feedback on this code of conduct. We

also encourage all staff, suppliers, and partners, here possible, to participate in

philanthropic and community initiatives that help promote the UN Sustainable Development

Goals.

 

3.I. Political, Social and Charitable Activity and Donations

Alexander Knight & Co as a company does not participate in or support political activity.

Alexander Knight & Co may, with approval of relevant corporate bodies, donate moderate

amounts of money or goods to support education, science, arts, culture or social welfare.

 

3.J. Compliance with the code

 

It is the personal responsibility of every employee, supplier, and partner to understand and

comply with this code of conduct alongside all applicable laws in the country of operation

and any collective bargaining agreements. Any doubts towards interpretation or

understanding, as well as suggestions should be duly highlighted to your senior colleague or

regular point of contact. If employees, suppliers and/or partners fail to comply with this

code of conduct, applicable laws and/or any relevant collective bargaining agreements,

disciplinary action may be taken including but not limited to reprimanding, trial of conduct,

dismissal and/or termination of business.

 

If any employee supplier, or partner has a concern about this code, or believe

their rights are being violated Alexander Knight & Co would like to be made

aware of it. Please contact us using the email below. Please feel free to write

in your local language. All information will be confidential, and your identity

will be protected.

 

Alexander Knight & Co

Key contact for ESG: alison@alexanderknightaccountants

/by
, ,

Dan Williams qualifies as a Professional Accounting & Taxation Technician

Murray and Dan

We are delighted to confirm that our colleague Dan Williams has qualified as a Professional Accounting & Taxation Technician (following the completion of his Level 4 Apprenticeship) and has received his official certificate.

The ATT is the leading professional body for those providing UK tax compliance services. It has over 9,800 Members and Fellows, together with over 7,000 students.

We are committed to investing in the next generation of accountants. Well done Dan.

/by
,

Experienced corporate finance professional Steve Connelly joins us as a consultant

We are delighted to have engaged highly experienced Corporate Finance professional Steve Connelly on a consultancy basis for our clients.

Steve is a highly skilled and experienced professional with 15 years’ senior management experience in industry after a 20-year career in accountancy practices including Arthur Anderson and Baker Tilly.

Steve’s experience includes leading all types of transactions, principally acquisitions, disposals and buyouts, for a wide range of owner-managed businesses. Steve also has significant experience of fundraising, both bank and equity finance, in support of transactions.

This vast experience in leading Corporate Finance teams and transactions is a fantastic asset to our team and our client base. Great to be working with you Steve!

/by

Baby update!

We are pleased to report that our colleague Danielle Cresswell and her family are doing well since the birth of baby Tessa. She’s now 6 months old and we were sent some brilliant pictures of Danielle with the baby.

We can’t wait to see little Tessa again in the office and we are looking forward to welcoming Danielle back to our team in due course.

Thank you, Danielle, for allowing us to share this sweet photo of you both!

 

/by
, , ,

SIC codes come under scrutiny by HMRC

The UK Standard Industrial Classification of economic activities, abbreviated as UK SIC, is a five-digit classification that you normally select upon registering your company.

It has been well publicised that HMRC is targeting non-compliance within the Research and Development tax credits regime and is placing a company’s SIC code under greater scrutiny.

A more reactive element of HM Revenue and Customs strategy lies within its approach to the enquiries being raised. They have published a list of sectors that are actively being targeted as they are deemed to be unlikely to undertake genuine Research and Development activities.

These are:

  • Care Homes
  • Childcare Providers
  • Personal Trainers
  • Wholesalers and Retailers
  • Pubs
  • Restaurants

We are also aware that unofficially certain other sectors are also subject to scrutiny and we believe these to include:

  • Estate Agents
  • Textile Industries
  • Construction Sector
  • Educational Institutions
  • Consultancy Firms

Part of this strategy is for R&D tax credit claimants to require more robust procedures both before submitting a claim and as part of the actual claim itself.

We actively work with our clients who undertake Research and Development activities to ensure that these obligations are fully met.

HMRC uses the SIC code as shown on public record at Companies House to identify whether a company falls into one of the sectors above. We are aware that companies initially select this code upon incorporation based upon the business plan for company at that time. The activities of a company will naturally change over the course of its life and thus over time the SIC code may not best represent the current activities of a company.

The SIC code should be periodically reviewed to ensure the most appropriate code has been selected and we would recommend that this review is part of any planning for a Research and Development claim.

If you are unsure of your SIC code and wish to discuss these issues, please do not hesitate to contact our team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/by

Companies House fee increase confirmed

Companies House is increasing the fee charged for the Confirmation Statement from £13 to £34. We are surprised it’s not a round figure such as £30.

For a complete list of disbursements you can go to the Companies House website here and here’s a selection of other fees for your reference.

Incorporation (Digital) £50
Incorporation (paper) £71
Confirmation Statement (Digital) £34
Confirmation Statement (Paper) £62
Change of Name (Digital) £20
Change of Name (Paper) £30
Voluntary Strike Off (Digital) £33
Voluntary Strike Off (Paper) £44
Registration of a Charge (Digital) £15
Registration of a Charge (Paper) £24

 

 

/by

Our international work continues to grow

We are delighted to continue receiving referrals from fellow MGI members from across the world. Our successful award-winning accountancy work for international-based clients who have operations in the UK is going strong.

We became a member of the MGI Worldwide in 2020. Member firms, which comprise 8,500 professionals  operate in more than 100 countries.

Joining the network has bolstered our international trade links and has enabled us to collaborate with accountancy firms in other jurisdictions.

Multiple companies headquartered in Canada, USA, Germany, Holland, Greece, Denmark, Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore and more recently Sweden have appointed our team to support them with a number of specialist services that we provide.

You may remember that at the 2023 MGI UK & Ireland conference for partners & managers, which was held recently in Edinburgh, Murray and Kate collected an award on behalf of Alexander Knight & Co for ‘International Client Experience of the Year 2023’.

We are delighted to continue our success in this area in 2024. Thank you to the MGI members who place their trust in us to deliver for their clients here in the UK.

 

/by