What UNW does

UNW is a chartered accountancy and business advisory firm headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, operating as a limited liability partnership (LLP) founded in 1996. The firm delivers a full-service suite across audit and assurance, tax (corporate and personal), deal advisory (corporate finance), accounting, and sector-specialist services — including VAT, employment taxes, payroll, R&D tax credits, and grant support. Its client base spans UK owner-managed businesses and SMEs, charities and not-for-profit organisations, dental practices, high-net-worth individuals, and businesses approaching growth or exit events. Internationally, UNW operates as the UK member of BKR International, a global accounting association spanning more than 80 countries, providing cross-border reach without owned overseas infrastructure.

The firm runs a traditional professional services revenue model combining recurring compliance work (statutory audit, accounts preparation, payroll, tax compliance) with episodic advisory projects (corporate finance transactions, R&D claims, grant applications, Employee Ownership Trust structuring). UNW has built deep vertical specialisations, most notably in the dental sector where it serves over 300 practices, and in the charity/NFP segment, with named relationships including Simpsons Malt, Bamford Dental, Direct Business Solutions, Ryder Architecture, Ramside Hall, and The Alnwick Garden. The firm uses Caseware Cloud as its practice management and audit platform; no proprietary technology product or AI capability is disclosed. UNW has executed a sustained Big Four talent acquisition strategy since 2022, recruiting senior partners from PwC, KPMG, EY, and Deloitte, and appointed a first-ever CFO/COO in 2025, signalling organisational professionalisation consistent with a growth-oriented mid-tier UK accountancy platform.

Name

UNW

Legal name

UNW LLP

Website

https://unw.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

UNW is a Newcastle-based chartered accountancy and business advisory LLP, founded 1996, delivering audit, tax, deal advisory, and accounting services to UK SMEs, charities, dental practices, and high-net-worth individuals, with international reach via BKR International membership across 80+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newcastle Upon Tyne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Audit & Assurance Services: Recurring audit and assurance engagements for businesses, charities, and not-for-profit organisations. Revenue is generated through annual audit fees based on client size and complexity.
2. Tax Advisory Services: Corporate tax, personal tax, employment taxes, VAT, and customs advisory services. Includes both compliance and advisory work.
3. Deal Advisory / Corporate Finance: M&A advisory, due diligence, succession planning, and EOT transitions. Revenue is generated through transaction-based fees for deal execution and advisory retainers for ongoing counsel.
4. Accounting Services: Outsourced accounting, bookkeeping, management accounts, and payroll services for businesses of all sizes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UNW is a chartered accountancy and business advisory firm that delivers Audit & Assurance, Accounting Services, Deal Advisory (corporate finance, M&A, due diligence), and Tax advisory and compliance work. It also offers specialist practices covering VAT and Customs, Employment Taxes, Payroll, Grant Support, UNW Dental, and Charity and Not-for-Profit advisory to businesses, charities, and individuals across the UK.

Product overview

UNW is a chartered accountancy and business advisory firm offering a comprehensive suite of professional services. The core service portfolio includes Audit & Assurance, Accounting Services, Deal Advisory (corporate finance and M&A), and Tax advisory. These are complemented by specialist services covering VAT and Customs, Employment Taxes, Payroll processing, Grant Support, UNW Dental (specialist dental practice advisory), and Charity and Not-for-Profit services. The firm serves businesses of all shapes and sizes, charities, not-for-profit organisations, and individuals, with expertise spanning audit, accounting, transaction advisory, and taxation across multiple industry sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UNW Dental: Specialist accounting and advisory services for dental practices, including practice purchases/sales, accounts, NHS contracts, and tax affairs.

Products and services

• Audit & Assurance Statutory audit, independent examination, and assurance services for businesses, charities, and not-for-profit organizations ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Served by partners including Fern Rivett, Ian Kelsall, Martin Cross, Dave Redhead, Anne Hallowell, Nicola Coleman, Peter Sym, and Andrew Wilson.
• Accounting Services Comprehensive accounting support including bookkeeping, management accounts, and year-end accounts preparation for businesses of all sizes, including outsourced finance services such as those delivered for Direct Business Solutions.
• Deal Advisory Corporate finance, M&A advisory, due diligence, and transaction support services for businesses navigating mergers, acquisitions, and disposals, plus valuations and EOT transitions such as the Ryder Architecture EOT transition.
• Tax Corporate and personal tax advisory, compliance, and planning services covering all aspects of UK taxation, delivered by tax partners including David Ward, Steve Lant, Alastair Wilson, Andrew Fitton, Alastair Murray and Charles Linaker. The firm was recognised at the 2025 Tolley Taxation Awards.
• VAT and Customs Specialist VAT advice and customs duty guidance for complex indirect tax matters, including tribunal representation, led by Mark Hetherington, VAT Partner with 35+ years' experience and a former HMRC VAT Inspector.
• Employment Taxes Employment tax compliance and advisory services including salary sacrifice schemes, IR35, the Construction Industry Scheme, termination payments, and HMRC employer compliance reviews, led by Employment Taxes Partner Lee Muter.
• Payroll Outsourced payroll processing services with data protection compliance for client employees, delivered through the firm's specialist payroll team.
• Grant Support Grant funding advisory services including application support, due diligence for grant awarding bodies, and subsidy control technical advice, delivered by the Deal Advisory team's specialist grant support senior manager Lara Marshall.
• UNW Dental Specialist accounting, tax, and advisory services for dental practices including accounts, practice purchases, sales, restructuring, NHS contract advice, and exit/retirement planning, led by Mike Blenkharn with over 300 practice clients.
• Charity and Not-for-Profit Services Specialist support for charities, academy trusts, and not-for-profit entities including governance advice, audit, accounting, trustee training, and seasonal sector bulletins, led by Anne Hallowell who holds the Diploma in Charity Accounting.

Quantifiable outcome

• UNW helped North East businesses claim more than £100 million in R&D tax credits over the years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• BKR InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNW is a member of BKR International, a leading global association of independent accounting and advisory firms. This membership provides UNW with direct access to trusted local expertise in more than 80 countries, enabling the firm to support clients with international trade and expansion. Through this partnership, UNW combines its proven technical knowledge with on-the-ground insight from BKR colleagues worldwide.
• CasewaresupportingTechnology or IntegrationUNW uses Caseware Cloud as its practice management and client portal solution. Clients access UNW services through the Caseware Cloud platform for document sharing and collaboration.
• ICAEWcoreOthersUNW LLP is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). UNW is registered to carry on audit work in the UK by ICAEW and is subject to their Code of Ethics.
• ACCAsupportingOthersUNW holds ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) accreditation, demonstrating commitment to professional standards.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MHA (MacIntyre Hudson): Top 20 UK accountancy and advisory firm with strong regional presence and a comparable multi-service mix of audit, tax, deal advisory, and specialist sector practices. Directly competes for UK mid-market owner-managed business clients and pursues a similar strategy of hiring Big Four partners.
• Azets: Top 20 UK and Nordic accountancy firm offering audit, tax, and business advisory services with strong regional coverage. Directly competes for the same SME and owner-managed business segments UNW serves, with a similar partner-led growth model.
• Crowe UK: Top 10 UK accountancy firm providing audit, tax, advisory, and risk services to mid-market and owner-managed businesses. Comparable in service breadth, client segment focus, and partner-led engagement model.
• Moore Kingston Smith: Mid-tier UK accountancy and advisory firm providing audit, tax, and advisory services to owner-managed businesses, charities, and not-for-profit organisations — directly mirroring UNW's core segments and specialisms, especially the charity practice.
• PKF Smith Cooper: Regional UK accountancy and advisory firm with comparable audit, tax, deal advisory, and specialist services. Competes for the same mid-market and owner-managed business clients across similar industry verticals including property, manufacturing, and professional services.
• Menzies LLP: Regional UK accountancy firm offering audit, tax, and advisory services to owner-managed businesses and SMEs. Comparable in size, service mix, and partner-led engagement model, with overlapping sector specialisms.
• Saffery Champness: Top 20 UK chartered accountancy firm with a strong private client, owner-managed business, and mid-market audit/tax/advisory practice. Comparable in clientele mix and emphasis on long-term relationship-driven service to HNW individuals and their businesses.

Broad incumbents

• Mazars (Forvis Mazars): Global top-10 audit and advisory firm with a meaningful UK mid-market practice. Overlaps with UNW in audit, tax, and advisory for owner-managed businesses but operates at a broader scale with international infrastructure rather than a regional UK focus.
• BDO UK: Top 5 UK audit, tax, and advisory firm with an extensive mid-market practice. Competes with UNW in audit, tax, and corporate finance for owner-managed businesses and corporate clients, but operates at significantly broader scale with national and international footprint.
• RSM UK: Top 6 UK audit, tax, and consulting firm with a strong mid-market and owner-managed business practice. Comparable in service mix (audit, tax, deal advisory, consulting) but operates as a national firm with substantially larger scale and broader geographic coverage than UNW's North East base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unwllp
• YouTubevimeo.com/unwllp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unw-llp

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UNW