North East independent chartered accountancy and business advisory firm UNW is celebrating after its Employment Taxes Team was named 'Best Specialist Team in a Law or Accounting Firm' at the national Tolley’s Taxation Awards 2023.
Considered a marker of excellence in the UK tax profession, the annual Tolley’s Taxation Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals and firms across the industry. Award categories at this year’s highly prestigious ceremony, which was held on Thursday the 18th of May at the Royal Lancaster London, covered a broad spectrum of the profession, with prizes on offer to professional practices of all sizes, specialist firms, and those working in-house or in the public sector.
Newcastle-based UNW fought off strong competition from other specialist teams from firms throughout the UK to take home the trophy in what was a highly contested category. The judging panel commented that UNW’s submission clearly demonstrated how the regional firm ‘is operating at the highest level and attracting a client base which would be the envy of many larger firms.’
Forming part of the firm’s wider tax offering, UNW’s specialist Employment Taxes Team delivers comprehensive advice and support on all aspects of employment tax, from both a compliance and advisory perspective. Operating primarily out of its office base in Newcastle upon Tyne city centre, but with strong networks across the Midlands and the South West, the team guides its clients through a range of matters including salary sacrifice and employee benefits and expenses, termination pay, employment status, share options as well as overseas and expatriate advice.
The team is led by Lee Muter, the only employment taxes partner based in the North East and a former ‘Big 4’ Human Capital Director. Working alongside Lee is Paul Tucker, the current Vice-Chair of the CIOT Employment Tax subcommittee, David Paul, a former ‘Big 4’ Associate Partner, and Becky Hood, a First Class Accounting and Finance graduate who is currently enrolled on a ground-breaking employment tax apprenticeship at UNW.
Lee Muter, Employment Taxes Partner at UNW, said: “We were delighted to represent the firm at this national award ceremony and were absolutely thrilled to be announced as winners of the ‘best specialist team’ category.
“At UNW, we always set ourselves the highest standards and take great pride in the excellent feedback we regularly receive from clients. For our efforts to also be recognised on a national level by fellow tax professionals really does demonstrate the quality of the team and the expertise they possess. I count myself very fortunate to work alongside Paul, David and Becky who all inspire me to continue to look for ways to provide outstanding service to clients.
“We certainly have no appetite to stand still and have started to extend our reach beyond our traditional North East market. It is our belief that geography should not be a barrier to delivering the very best service to clients, and we now work with several businesses across the UK. It is our ambition to increase this number further, which in turn will enable us to open more opportunities to our existing people and continue to grow the team.”
