What Fortus does

Fortus is a Yorkshire-based accounting and business advisory firm founded in 2020, headquartered in York with additional offices in Leeds and Scarborough. The firm operates through six legal entities — Fortus Ltd (core accountancy and advisory), Fortus Tax Ltd, Fortus Audit LLP, Fortus Wealth Management Ltd, Fortus Business Finance Ltd, and the Fortus Foundation registered charity — delivering 14 in-house service lines spanning audit, accounts and business advisory, tax compliance and advisory, payroll, capital allowances, company secretarial, R&D tax reliefs, sustainability advisory, VAT, wealth management, business finance, international services, and outsourced FD. Fortus serves over 4,500 SME clients and supports 14,500 business leaders across Yorkshire, with specialist vertical teams in healthcare, charities/not-for-profit, rural economy, and service charge management. Revenue is generated primarily through professional services fees for accountancy and advisory engagements, complemented by transaction commissions from £300M+ in bridging finance brokerage and regulated wealth management fees earned as an Appointed Representative of Julian Harris Adviser Network.

The firm employs 115 staff across six regulated entities and has been ranked among the Top 75 UK accountancy firms; it is also named a Top 50 SME Apprenticeship Employer. Its technology foundation consists of cloud-based accounting platforms and GDPR-compliant data infrastructure (hardware safeguards, access controls, monitoring, and cyber-attack defence testing), with marketing automation via Mailchimp and Force24. GTM is sales-led and partner-driven: acquisition occurs through face-to-face, relationship-based engagement with ambitious owner-managed businesses in the Yorkshire region, rather than self-serve or digital channels. The firm has completed five acquisitions to date as part of a buy-and-build strategy and in June 2026 received growth investment from LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group, with LDC representatives Anthony West and Dan Smith joining as non-executive directors and Neil Cox as chair; founders Craig Herbert (CEO), Andy Northern (COO), and Rich Burnett (CMO) retain operational control.

Name

Fortus

Legal name

Fortus Limited

Website

https://fortus.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting and Business Advisory Services

NAICS

Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services (54121), Management Consulting Services (54161), Professional Employer Organizations (561330), Farm Management Services (115116)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm Financial Management & Recordkeeping Services (AFACAJAC)

Keywords

• Accounting and auditing services
• Business advisory services
• Tax compliance advisory
• Payroll bureau services
• Wealth management advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Accountancy and Business Advisory Services: Professional services fees for accounting, tax, audit, and business advisory services delivered to SMEs. Revenue generated through recurring service engagements with fixed fee arrangements or time-based billing.
2. Business Finance Brokerage: Commission and fees from arranging bridging finance, commercial mortgages, and business lending solutions. Receives payments from finance providers when clients enter into agreements.
3. Wealth Management: Financial advisory services for pensions, investments, mortgages, protection and insurance, operating as an Appointed Representative of Julian Harris Adviser Network Limited.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fortus is a Yorkshire-based accounting and business advisory firm delivering 14 in-house service lines covering audit, accounts preparation, tax compliance and advisory, payroll, business finance brokerage, wealth management, R&D tax reliefs, capital allowances, company secretarial, international services, outsourced financial director, sustainability advisory, and VAT to SMEs across York, Leeds, and Scarborough. The firm operates through wholly owned subsidiaries including Fortus Tax Ltd, Fortus Audit LLP, Fortus Wealth Management Ltd, and Fortus Business Finance Ltd, serving over 4,500 SME clients with a team of 115 employees.

Product overview

Fortus is a Yorkshire-based accounting and business advisory group comprising six distinct legal entities operating as a unified professional services firm. The core offering centers on Fortus Ltd providing audit, accounts, tax compliance, payroll, and business advisory services to SMEs. This is supported by specialized sub-brands: Fortus Tax Ltd (corporate and personal tax advisory), Fortus Audit LLP (statutory audit services), Fortus Wealth Management Ltd (wealth planning and investments), Fortus Business Finance Ltd (commercial finance and bridging loans), and Fortus Foundation (charitable giving). The group also operates Fortus Academy, an in-house training program offering professional qualifications (AAT, ATT, CTA). Services span 14 core disciplines including audit, business finance, capital allowances, company secretarial, international services, outsourced FD, payroll, R&D tax reliefs, sustainability advisory, tax advisory, tax compliance, VAT, and wealth management. The group serves over 4,500 SME clients from offices in York, Leeds, and Scarborough, with a team of 115 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Audit Statutory audit services delivered by Fortus Audit LLP, registered by ICAEW to carry out audit work in the UK, supporting clients with FRS 102 and IFRS reporting requirements across medium and large firms.
• Accounts and Business Advisory Services Comprehensive accounting and business advisory services supporting owner-managed businesses with financial reporting, accounts preparation, and strategic decision-making across Yorkshire.
• Business Finance Business finance brokerage arranging lending solutions including bridging finance, development funding, commercial mortgages, property development transactions, portfolio investment deals, and acquisition financing for SME businesses, with over £300 million in bridging finance arranged to date.
• Capital Allowances Specialist service helping businesses identify and claim capital allowance deductions on qualifying expenditure.
• Company Secretarial Company secretarial services supporting businesses with compliance, filing requirements, and corporate governance obligations.
• International Services Services supporting businesses with cross-border operations, international tax, and global expansion requirements.
• Outsourced Financial Director Virtual CFO service providing senior financial leadership and strategic guidance to businesses without an in-house finance director.
• Payroll Payroll bureau services supporting businesses with payroll processing, compliance, and related advisory, delivered by a dedicated Head of Payroll team.
• R&D Tax Reliefs Research and development tax credit advisory service helping innovative businesses claim qualifying R&D expenditure against their tax liability.
• Sustainability Sustainability advisory services including Sustainability Starter Assessments for SMEs, helping businesses measure emissions and develop sustainability strategies.
• Tax Advisory Strategic tax planning and advisory services covering business and personal tax planning, delivered by the firm's tax advisory specialists.
• Tax Compliance Tax compliance services handling personal and trust tax returns, capital gains tax, and inheritance tax computations.
• VAT VAT advisory and compliance services including complex VAT matters and indirect tax specialism.
• Wealth Management Wealth management and financial planning services providing bespoke advice for individuals, families, and trusts, operating as an Appointed Representative of Julian Harris Adviser Network Limited (FRN 985590) and covering pensions, investments, mortgages, protection, and insurance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% client retention rate demonstrates exceptional service quality and client satisfaction
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales)coreOthersFortus companies are regulated by ICAEW. Fortus Audit LLP is registered to carry out audit work in the UK by ICAEW. Fortus Tax Ltd also holds ICAEW registration.
• Bridging Lenders NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFortus Business Finance has longstanding relationships with reputable bridging lenders, including access to preferential rates. The firm arranges bridging finance, development funding, and commercial mortgages through this lender network.
• Training Providers and Professional BodiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFortus has developed strong relationships with training providers and Professional Bodies to support apprentice and trainee development through the Fortus Academy programme.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Mazars UK: Top 10 international audit, tax and advisory firm with UK regional presence serving SMEs through to listed entities — comparable in service offering though operating at significantly larger scale.
• BDO UK: Top 5 UK accountancy and advisory firm with national coverage and broad service portfolio — relevant incumbent benchmark for service-line breadth and pricing power, though much larger and operating at enterprise segment as well.
• RSM UK: Top 6 UK audit, tax and consulting firm with national reach serving mid-market and owner-managed businesses — comparable in target segment but with substantially broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• PKF Smith Cooper: Mid-tier UK accountancy firm with multi-office regional presence and full-service advisory offering, with a comparable mix of compliance and advisory work for owner-managed businesses.
• Azets: UK and Nordic regional accountancy and advisory group of comparable size to Fortus, operating a multi-service platform with strong M&A roll-up history backed by private equity — directly comparable in business model, scale, and growth trajectory.
• Moore Kingston Smith: London and South East-based Top 30 UK accountancy firm offering audit, tax, advisory and outsourced services to SMEs and not-for-profits — comparable in client segmentation and service breadth.
• Armstrong Watson: Regional UK accountancy firm serving SMEs across the North of England with a comparable multi-service platform including wealth management and business finance — directly comparable regional and segment profile.
• MHA MacIntyre Hudson: Top 20 UK accountancy and advisory firm with multi-discipline offering (audit, tax, advisory, wealth) and regional office network — closely comparable in service breadth and SME-to-mid-market client focus.
• Crowe UK: UK mid-tier accountancy firm providing audit, tax, advisory, and outsourcing services to SMEs and mid-market clients, with comparable multi-service model and similar ranking tier to Fortus.
• Saffery Champness: Top 20 UK chartered accountancy firm offering audit, tax, advisory and wealth management with strong SME, private client and not-for-profit focus — comparable in client mix and multi-service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Fortus-Ltd/61559702968830
• Xx.com/fortusadvisors

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Fortus