trust When you choose an accountant, you need someone you can trust. This trust does not come from a job title - it needs to be earned.

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2 about us

3 trust When you choose an accountant, you need someone you can trust. This trust does not come from a job title - it needs to be earned. At Duncan & Toplis we understand this and our clients trust us because we have some of the best business advisers in the region, an excellent network of offices serving local communities and a depth of resource to support businesses of all sizes.

4 strength For some businesses a sense of organisational capability is a prerequisite to choosing an accountancy practice. We are one of the strongest firms in the region with a team of exceptionally skilled and experienced advisers. Whether a client needs a respected auditor, specialist taxation adviser or a partner to guide them through a major acquisition or disposal, we can help. We will gather together a team of considerable strength that will meet the exact expectations of business owners, directors, shareholders and stakeholders.

5 direction All of our clients have a particular route they would like to take. This could be the profitable growth of a business, the development of a new idea or building a solid financial position for their family. We listen to our clients and ensure that we fully understand what their goals are. This then allows us to help them realise their ambitions.

6 value Value is important to everyone. A sense of value comes from a belief that the investment required is matched or exceeded by the services provided. We provide value to clients through our expertise and our depth of resource, by maintaining a network of professional contacts that clients benefit from, through our undoubted commitment to service and, of course, by keeping costs under control.

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8 our services We offer an array of services that meet the needs of clients, ranging from international organisations through to well established family businesses, new business start-ups and private individuals. The services listed within this brochure are by no means exhaustive but do provide a brief introduction to our practice.

9 audit For many organisations an audit is a regulatory requirement or something that has been specified by a third party, such as a bank or other investor. For some this can appear to be a necessary but process-driven exercise. Our approach to auditing and assurance is to add benefit wherever we can. Each audit is led by an experienced audit partner who, as a matter of course, will look to provide useful observations drawn from their experience of working with similar businesses. The credibility of the auditor is an important consideration. We are one of the largest, most established and respected auditors in the region. Nationally we are also highly ranked in comparative lists of accountancy practices. Our clients therefore benefit not only from our reputation and depth of resource but also from our substantial audit and assurance experience. This results in confidence in the outcome of the audit process. management accounts For many of our small to medium sized clients who have limited in-business accountancy capability, we provide financial information to meet their operational and statutory needs. These clients benefit from the regular support of one of our specialists who are often seen as a valuable addition to the clients management team. We are able to provide useful information on key business indicators and provide advice on what aspects of the financial performance of the business to concentrate on. Clients who use this service often make use of our outsourced HR & payroll services and receive both business and personal taxation advice for the senior management team of the business.

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12 payroll & HR outsourcing Businesses that prefer to allocate all their resources to their core business may want to consider using our outsourced HR and payroll service. The team is ideally placed to take away the administrative burden of payroll management. We are also able to advise on issues relating to employment law, effective and efficient resourcing policies and HR best practice. We can ensure that your payroll is administered in line with the latest regulations and that all documentation and taxation requirements are met. By outsourcing your payroll you benefit from increased data security with sensitive information stored off-site. The payroll software module we use for year end submission is one of HM Revenue & Customs accredited payroll software products. By appointing us to manage and administer your software you will benefit from opportunity cost savings, reduced cost as compared to dedicated internal resources, reduced administrative burden, peace of mind and additional time to concentrate on your core business. taxation and VAT Regulations relating to corporate and personal taxation are always changing and it can be difficult for businesses and individuals to keep pace with these changes. Our team of specialist advisers can provide valuable support to clients looking to ensure that they are meeting regulatory requirements in the most tax efficient manner. Some clients who come to us after using generalist small accountants find the support of a specialist to be revealing and useful. We can support you with all aspects relating to VAT including preparation of returns and checking assessments through to preparation of appeals. We are able to deal with VAT schemes including partial exemption, retail schemes, flat rate schemes and cash accounting. Perfectly well run businesses now find themselves subject to an investigation. Should this be the case we can guide you through the process and represent your interests and help minimise the operational and emotional disruption an investigation can create. Having the pooled resources of a team of specialists is often invaluable when dealing with complex regulations, HM Revenue & Customs queries and investigations. Our experience and depth of cover is also extremely useful for directors who are looking to secure a tax efficient sale or exit from a business.

13 business exit Central to the objectives of many business owners is a tax efficient, staged and rewarding exit from a business. This can be achieved in many ways. We encourage owners to share their plans with us at an early stage so we can advise them on the preparatory steps required for an efficient and smooth exit. The options open to owners are many and varied and choosing the most appropriate route requires a consideration of the personal aims of the individual. Our team has extensive experience of guiding owners through the exit of their business, whether this is through succession planning or via the sale of the business. Some new clients approach us specifically to guide them through the sale of their business having not worked with us in the past. This can be motivated by a belief that their existing accountant does not have the required skill set or network of contacts or simply because of the capability we have within our team. business acquisitions & corporate finance Buying a business is a major undertaking, irrespective of size. Verifying the financial position of the prospective acquisition often requires considerable diligence on the part of the buyer to ensure that value is ensured and risk minimised. Our team works closely with clients during the acquisition and due diligence stages through to the practical integration of financial systems. As one of the largest practices in the region we can draw on our wide range of experience to advise clients as to the benefits of the potential purchase, any potential pitfalls and provide rounded information on value. This is seen by our clients as adding significant value to the services we provide. We also assist our clients by maintaining strong links with providers of corporate finance for growth. We are well known by most of the banks in the UK and can introduce clients to our sister corporate finance specialist, Bishopsgate Corporate Finance Limited.

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16 personal taxation We provide a full personal tax service for individuals who range from private individuals to directors, through to major landowners. In addition to helping clients compile their annual tax returns we are also able to assist individuals with tax planning at the different stages in their life. This could include the tax efficient management of legacies or advice on the handling of their assets and income streams. Lloyd s names Lloyd s names have particular issues relating to tax that should be handled by a specialist. We have been at the forefront of providing tax advice to Lloyd s names and are one of only a few firms that specialise in this area. We are able to provide advice on Limited Liability Partnerships as they apply to Lloyd s names as well as providing on-going and year end taxation advice.

17 our community As one of the largest firms in the region we have exceptionally strong local community links. Our approach is one that values local level decentralised decision making. This means that our office teams have a good understanding of the local business environment and maintain extensive links with useful business and community contacts. Whilst we have common procedures and values, we think it is important that our offices reflect the needs of the local community. We actively encourage local community participation from our employees and support numerous local causes. From a recruitment perspective we are one of the larger employers in the region and, where possible, work closely with local educational establishments to recruit local talent.

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19 it s all about the things you do

20 depth We work with businesses across many sectors as well as with private individuals. We have the depth of resource needed to accommodate a wide range of needs and the local infrastructure to provide a personal service to clients of all sizes. family-run businesses Many of our clients are family-run businesses, perhaps with several generations of the family working within the business. For these clients issues relating to tax efficient succession planning and business structures are of family wide importance. We have worked with many family businesses and are seen as a long standing trusted adviser not only to the business but also in relation to the financial needs and aspirations of the family as a whole.

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23 developing your business The needs of our clients vary as their business grows and matures. We are able to help people with an exciting new business idea, realise the commercial potential of the idea, whether it be the launch of a new product, service or business venture. From the outset we can remove some of the financial and administrative burden on the business through the provision of our management accounts, payroll, tax return and HR services. As the business grows we can assist the management team by looking at business structures, funding, taxation, audits and, if required, guide clients through any investigation procedures. Later in the development of the business we can assist with potential mergers and acquisitions and ultimately through tax efficient succession planning or business exit. We are therefore seen by many of our clients as an extension of their own management team that provides, flexible, scalable support through the different stages in the development of the business.

24 it s about service Excellent client service is at the heart of everything we do. Our biggest source of new clients is recommendations from existing clients or other professionals. Our ability to generate these recommendations is tied closely to what our clients feel about the services we offer. We employ some of the most talented individuals within the region and have a network of offices which means we have a knowledge pool and the geographical coverage to meet a wide range of client needs. We understand that it is often the little things that can make a big difference. To make sure we understand the needs of our clients we regularly ask for feedback on our services and encourage clients to let us know how our services can be improved. This information is then used as a central part of our business planning and appraisal systems.

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27 adding real value for our clients We have several sister businesses that are able to meet the varying operational and financial needs of our clients. Datcom LLP is an IT solutions business specialising in supporting SMEs who require on-tap IT support. Castlegate Financial Management Limited is one of the most respected independent financial advisory firms in the East Midlands. Queensgate Management (East Midlands) LLP provides high-level financial management and turnaround support for businesses as well as providing Finance Director services. Bishopsgate Corporate Finance Limited provides corporate finance advice to businesses typically valued between 2million and 50million. Clients include public companies, venture capitalists, private companies and large multi-nationals.

28 Accountancy & Audit Bookkeeping Business Advice Business Planning Company Formation Company Secretarial Computer Services Forensic Accounting HR Litigation Support Management Accounts Payroll Share & Company Valuations Tax Compliance Tax Planning Tax Return Completion Trusts & Personal Estates VAT Administration & Compliance VAT Planning This firm is not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 but we are able in certain circumstances to offer a limited range of investment services to clients because we are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. We can provide these investment services if they are an incidental part of the professional services we have been engaged to provide. Castlegate Financial Management Limited and Bishopsgate Corporate Finance Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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