What SMH Group does

SMH Group is a privately-held regional professional services firm headquartered in Renishaw, Derbyshire, operating twelve offices across Yorkshire and Derbyshire through its parent SMH Holdings Ltd. The group delivers multi-disciplinary financial services spanning chartered accountancy, audit and assurance, corporate finance, tax advisory, financial planning, commercial finance (asset, bridging, invoice, development finance), residential mortgages, payroll, and wills & probate. It serves small and medium enterprises, private individuals, charities, contractors, and larger corporate clients, with niche regulatory exposure via its SMH Reed Smith subsidiary — one of only nine UK-recognised verifiers under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation scheme since 2011.

The group monetises primarily through time-based professional services billing (rates reflecting skill and responsibility), with retainer-style engagements such as payroll and bookkeeping settled via monthly Direct Debit; invoices are net 30 with interest charged at 4% above Bank of England base rate on overdue balances. Go-to-market is sales-led and partner-driven across the regional office network, supported by content marketing (blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram), community sponsorships (Chesterfield FC stadium, Thomas Rotherham College academy), and a free initial consultation offer that converts via website enquiry forms. Underlying technology is cloud accounting platforms — Xero, where SMH holds Platinum Champion Partner status — and IRIS OpenSpace for secure client document exchange.

Growth is executed almost exclusively through M&A: at least eight mergers since 2018, including Howard Matthews Partnership (January 2024), Sheards (April 2024), and Mitchells Chartered Accountants (November 2025). Acquired firms retain their local trading names and senior staff, with the SMH Group brand layered on top. Leadership comprises CEO Jonathon Dickens FCA (partner since 2014, joined 2005) and a Transformation Director appointed in April 2026 to formalise acquisition integration and technology operations across the platform.

Name

SMH Group

Legal name

SMH Holdings Ltd

Website

https://smh.group

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SMH Group is a privately-held UK regional professional services firm delivering chartered accountancy, audit, tax, corporate finance, financial planning, mortgages, and wills & probate to SMEs, individuals, charities, and contractors across Yorkshire and Derbyshire through twelve offices and 150+ staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Accounting & Business Advisory: Annual accounts preparation, bookkeeping, business start-up advice, cloud accounting, company secretarial, contractors, financial planning, tax compliance, VAT returns, self-assessment, and year-end accounts for businesses and individuals.
2. Audit & Assurance: UK limited company audits, UK subsidiary audits, charity audits, grant audits, solicitors SRA audits, and UK group audits.
3. Corporate Finance: Business valuations, buying and selling a business, due diligence, financial forecasting, grant funding, strategic planning, and transaction tax planning.
4. Commercial Finance: Asset finance, bridging loans, business loans, development finance, and invoice finance.
5. Financial Planning Services: Company director benefits, employee benefits, pensions & retirement planning, personal financial solutions, personal investment strategy, and tax planning.
6. Payroll Services: Payroll processing, auto-enrolment, and outsourced payroll management.
7. Residential Mortgages: Buy-to-let mortgages, first-time buyer mortgages, home mover mortgages, and stamp duty land tax advice.
8. Wills & Probate: Estate tax planning, lasting powers of attorney, probate & estate administration, and wills, trusts & estate planning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SMH Group is a UK regional chartered accountancy and financial services group providing accounting, audit, tax, financial planning, commercial finance, residential mortgages, payroll, and wills & probate services to SMEs, private individuals, large corporations, and charities. The firm operates across 12 offices in Yorkshire and Derbyshire under multiple retained regional brands acquired through a systematic merger strategy since 2018, delivering services through partner-led client teams under ICAEW regulation.

Product overview

SMH Group is a multi-disciplined professional services company offering a unified platform of financial services across multiple offices in Yorkshire and Derbyshire. The group operates through eight core service lines (Accounting & Business Advisory, Audit and Assurance, Commercial Finance, Corporate Finance, Financial Services, Payroll Services, Residential Mortgages, and Wills & Probate) delivered under multiple regional brand names acquired through mergers since 2018. The portfolio includes acquired brands such as SMH Reed Smith (Barnsley), SMH Sutton McGrath Hartley (Sheffield), SMH Haywoods (Rotherham), SMH Bullock Woodburn (Buxton), SMH Jolliffe Cork (Wakefield), SMH BCL Accountants (Leeds), SMH Howard Matthews (Harrogate/Garforth), SMH Sheards (Huddersfield), and SMH Mitchells (Chesterfield). The group employs over 150 staff across 12 offices and is regulated by ICAEW.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accounting & Business Advisory Comprehensive chartered accountancy and business advisory service covering annual accounts, bookkeeping, business start-up, cloud accounting, tax planning, VAT returns, year-end accounts, R&D tax relief and Patent Box, Making Tax Digital compliance, contractor accounting, and company secretarial services for SMEs and individuals across Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
• Audit and Assurance Independent audit and assurance services including UK limited company audits, group audits, charity audits and independent examinations, grant audits, solicitors SRA audits, and assurance reports, delivered under ICAEW audit registration.
• Commercial Finance Commercial finance brokerage arranging asset finance, bridging loans, business loans, development finance, and invoice finance for SMEs and growing businesses across Yorkshire and Derbyshire.
• Corporate Finance Corporate finance advisory covering business valuations, buying and selling a business, due diligence, financial forecasting, grant funding, strategic planning, and transaction tax planning for owner-managed businesses and corporates.
• Financial Services (Financial Planning) Personal and corporate financial planning including company director benefits, employee benefits, pensions and retirement planning, personal financial solutions, personal investment strategy, and tax planning for individuals and businesses.
• Payroll Services Outsourced payroll bureau delivering accurate, on-time payroll processing, auto-enrolment support, and employee services for SMEs across the UK.
• Residential Mortgages Cost-effective residential mortgage advice for first-time buyers, home movers, and buy-to-let investors, including stamp duty land tax guidance.
• Wills & Probate Estate planning, wills, trusts, lasting powers of attorney, and probate and estate administration services for individuals and families.
• RTFO Verification Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) verification service for businesses participating in the UK RTFO scheme, operated by SMH Reed Smith since 2011 as one of only nine recognised UK verifiers.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of only nine UK-recognised verifiers for the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) scheme — serving as verifier since 2011

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chesterfield FCcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2026SMH Group stadium sponsorship deal with Chesterfield FC keeping the venue named the SMH Group Stadium. Partnership began in 2023 and was renewed for a further three years in 2026. Supports the club's community initiatives and local presence, with Chesterfield FC chairman describing the support as instrumental to the club's operations.
• CMP LegalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 23 April 2024Legal advisors providing guidance and expertise throughout the legal proceedings of the Sheards merger into SMH Group in April 2024.
• Ramsdens SolicitorsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 23 April 2024Legal advisors providing guidance and expertise throughout the legal proceedings of the Sheards merger into SMH Group in April 2024.
• CMP LegalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 15 January 2024Legal advisors (Anna Catee at CMP Legal) advising on all legal aspects of the Howard Matthews Partnership merger into SMH Group in January 2024.
• Taylor & Emmet LLPminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 15 January 2024Legal advisors (Philip Jordan of Taylor & Emmet LLP) advising on all legal aspects of the Howard Matthews Partnership merger into SMH Group in January 2024.
• CMP LegalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 15 January 2024Legal advisors (Anna Catee at CMP Legal) providing legal guidance for the Howard Matthews Partnership merger deal.
• Thomas Rotherham CollegeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 November 2018Sutton McGrath Hartley (part of SMH Group) shirt sponsors of the GOAL football Academy at Thomas Rotherham College, linked to Rotherham United FC. Representatives from the firm met players and provided sponsorship enabling brand exposure to the Rotherham community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BDO UK: Top-5 global accountancy network's UK member firm offering audit, tax, corporate finance, and advisory across all major UK regions; competes for the same SME and mid-market clients as SMH but at meaningfully larger scale.
• RSM UK: Mid-tier UK accountancy and advisory firm serving SMEs, mid-market, and large corporates with audit, tax, and consulting; overlaps with SMH on SME audit and advisory work but operates nationally and globally.

Direct peers

• Azets: UK and Nordic-focused chartered accountancy consolidator that grew through acquiring regional firms; offers the same multi-disciplinary accounting, tax, audit, and advisory platform to SMEs as SMH Group, with materially larger scale.
• Crowe UK: Top-10 UK accountancy and advisory firm offering audit, tax, corporate finance, and consulting to SMEs and mid-market clients across multiple UK regions; comparable in service breadth and target market.
• FRP Advisory: UK-focused advisory firm providing corporate finance, restructuring, and forensic services to SMEs and mid-market clients — overlapping with SMH's corporate finance and restructuring offering, with similar regional SME client base.
• Moore Kingston Smith: UK mid-tier chartered accountancy firm serving SMEs, private clients, and not-for-profits with audit, tax, and advisory services — directly comparable in service mix and SME client orientation to SMH Group.
• Price Bailey: UK regional chartered accountancy firm providing accounting, tax, audit, and advisory to SMEs and private clients — directly comparable to SMH in service mix, client segments, and regional UK positioning.
• Begbies Traynor Group: UK-listed professional services firm with accountancy, restructuring, and advisory services built on regional acquisitions; similar roll-up heritage and SME-to-mid-market focus.
• K3 Capital Group: UK-listed professional services group built by acquiring regional accountancy and advisory firms; closely comparable to SMH's roll-up model and SME advisory focus.

Regional players

• PM+M (part of the Calcura Group): North-West England-based chartered accountancy firm serving SMEs with accounting, tax, and advisory; similar regional accountancy positioning and SME client base as SMH but focused on a different UK geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GroupSMH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smhgroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/the.smh.group
• Xx.com/groupsmh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries25 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 SMH Group