UK
Ireland
Audit services
Not exactly sure where to start?
Start the conversation
Our team are here to help. Reach out and one of our experts will be in touch as soon as possible.
Our audit and assurance offering
Our audit and assurance services are tailored to your circumstances, with a bespoke risk-based approach and a focus on delivering value to meet your desired outcome. Whatever type of assurance is required, our specialists will make a genuine difference for your organisation.
Statutory audit
S&W’s audit team delivers high quality, robust audits of statutory financial statements, complete with clear communication and strong project management, and led by our partners and directors. Discover how S&W’s statutory audit services go above and beyond simple compliance, supporting your business through our tailored offering.
Financial reporting
Understand the impact of current and future financial reporting requirements on your business. We compile financial statements that meet the requirements of today’s complex financial reporting regimes in the UK, Europe and internationally. Discover how S&W’s specialised team of accountants can assist with preparing your statutory year-end financial statements.
Assurance services
S&W’s assurance services include standards-based assurance, non-statutory audit services and assurance on all aspects of accounting and corporate reporting. Whether a stakeholder requires external assurance on your financial information, or a lender is seeking comfort on your performance, let our external assurance specialists enhance trust and uncover gaps in your finance function.
Royalty audit
Protect your intellectual property (IP) with our in-depth royalty audit services, harnessing expertise and identifying revenue detection improvements within recording, publishing and distribution deals.
Pensions audit
Navigate the complexities of the pension environment with our expert pension audit support for trustees, enhancing investment strategy, compliance, accounting, systems and processes, governance and risk management. Our team of specialists possess decades of experience working with trustees of some of the UK’s largest pension schemes. Learn how we can unlock real value in your pension audit.
The things that impressed me most about the team were their knowledge of our market, their customer service orientation and their technical skills that enable compliance with our UK tax, accounting and auditing obligations.
What are the types of problems audit can help solve?
Dynamic businesses continually face new opportunities and challenges, both internally and externally, and they need to react and evolve to them accordingly. As a leader, be that a CFO, FD, owner, or an audit committee chair, you need assurance that your team and the business is prepared to meet those changes, and that you understand the impact on your financial position. It is therefore critical you have the right audit specialists and accounting advisers who can meet those needs.
For a business like yours, audit and assurance are more than simple compliance. When you combine the right team and experience with expert execution, they can produce valuable insights into your systems and processes, internal reporting structure and team. You also get a deeper insight into the broader issues you are facing, not only now but also in the future.
At S&W, our audit accounting experts combine a wealth of experience with leading edge tools and our own bespoke methodologies, as well as a collaborative approach to working with their peers. Our senior leaders are involved and engaged in your business, and together, we can provide robust assurance while unlocking insight that really matters.
What makes S&W’s approach different?
-
Proactive, engaged leadership
Our partners, directors and senior management pride themselves on leading your work from the front. There is no point in having a strong team if they are not actively collaborating with both your team and ours.
-
Focussing on what matters when it matters
We spend ample time planning, understanding your business, and identifying risks to prepare audit analytics and tests that meet our collective goals and that you understand. The most serious issues are spotlighted and resolved efficiently and quickly.
-
Communication, communication, communication
We simplify these conversations by adhering to an approach that works best for our clients. Through experience, we’ve found regular check-ins and structured milestone meetings, whether in-person or remotely, greatly benefit the process. As always, we’re flexible to desires and requirements.
-
Utilising the latest cutting-edge audit technology
Our audit technologies harness the latest data analytic capabilities, AI, benchmarking, cloud accounting and secure portals to ensure our use of data is responsive and co-ordinated. Our focus on value-generating technologies, embedded into our proprietary audit methodology, means our audit experts focus on high-risk areas that require judgement or human overlay.
"S&W’s auditors are proactive and pick up the phone to discuss issues rather than relying on written communications. They have given me guidance over my team's performance and that has helped me shape personnel and processes."
CFO, Medium-sized, fast-growth tech company with private-equity investment
"We have a great working relationship with S&W. They are always available to discuss business changes and ideas. The team are all very personable, challenging appropriately but not judging before having all of the facts."
FD, Leading PE-backed technology solutions provider, based in the UK
"The willingness and enthusiasm of the team have really affirmed our decision to move auditors. The team has been professional, responsive and proactive throughout, and in a short space of time I feel we have already built a strong working relationship."
FD, Privately-owned automotive company >1,000 employees
"S&W invested the time to understand our group and the complexity of our consumer lending operations. By combining cutting-edge data analytics with risk expertise, they delivered clarity and confidence across millions of transactions, transforming highly manual processes into efficient solutions."
CFO, Fast-growth consumer lending firm, based in the UK
View our latest insights on audit and assurance
Article
Navigating the new reality of international audits: Clarity, coordination and networks
As businesses scale across borders, their audit requirements scale with them. The past few years have seen a significant, but often understated, shift in how international audits are planned and delivered.
Article
Unlocking value: How audit and data analytics strengthen business confidence
Harnessing data-driven insight to elevate risk assessment, audit quality and commercial decision‑making.
Article
Macroeconomic uncertainty through the audit lens: How Middle East tensions are reshaping business risk
Recent geopolitical shocks, most notably the Iran conflict, have introduced a new wave of economic uncertainty for UK organisations. What should management teams, boards and audit committees be focusing on now?
Mark and his team have delivered one of the best audits I have ever been involved in – despite it being the transition year from the Big Four. They have challenged us in a proactive, efficient and pragmatic way, while providing robust and insightful feedback.
Get in touch
Frequently asked questions
How can an audit actually help a business grow?
An audit does far more than validate your financial statements. Done well, it creates confidence across your stakeholder ecosystem – from investors and lenders to customers and suppliers – helping unlock funding, strengthen credibility and support your growth ambitions.
More importantly, it provides insight and unlocks real value. By understanding your systems, controls and data at a deeper level, a forward-thinking audit identifies opportunities to improve performance both now and in the future. This includes highlighting where processes may struggle as you scale, how your data can better support decision-making, and what “good” looks like as your strategy evolves. The result is not just assurance, but practical, future-focused advice that helps you make better decisions and grow sustainably.
How do I prepare my business for its first financial audit?
Preparing for your first audit is about building a solid foundation of accurate, accessible information and robust processes. Start by ensuring your financial data is complete, well-organised and supported by clear documentation. Strong data integrity is critical – leadership teams rely on this information to make decisions, so it needs to be right.
Beyond the numbers, review your internal controls and processes. An audit will examine how your business operates, not just what it reports. Clear ownership, consistent processes and well-documented systems will streamline the audit and reduce disruption. Most importantly, treat the process as a collaboration. Engaging early with your auditors allows you to address gaps in advance and gain valuable insights that can strengthen your business as it continues to grow.
What is a statutory audit and why does my business need it?
A statutory audit is a legally required independent review of your financial statements, designed to confirm they present a true and fair view of your business’s performance and position. For many organisations, it is triggered by size thresholds or regulatory requirements. More information can be found via our insight article here.
However, even where it is not mandatory, an audit (or voluntary audit) can still play a vital role. Investors, lenders and other stakeholders often require audited accounts as a condition of funding or partnership. It enhances transparency, strengthens governance and builds trust in your financial reporting. For growing businesses, it also lays the groundwork for future transactions, whether that’s securing investment, expanding internationally or preparing for an exit.
What should I look for when choosing an external auditor?
Choosing the right auditor goes beyond technical compliance. You should look for a firm that understands your business model, sector and growth ambitions – and can engage with you at a strategic level, not just a transactional one.
A good auditor will combine technical rigour with a collaborative, people-focused approach. They should provide clear communication, practical insights and a willingness to challenge constructively. Importantly, they should look beyond the general ledger to understand your wider operations, systems and risks. This broader perspective allows them to identify opportunities as well as issues, turning the audit into a value-adding exercise rather than a compliance burden.
How does our methodology compare to other auditors?
S&W’s approach goes beyond a traditional audit. While many firms focus primarily on financial statements, we take a broader view of your business – including systems, processes, operations and regulatory environment. Simply put, should you work with us, you get an S&W audit on our methodology.
We combine Big Four-level technical capability with an agile, tailored approach. Our audits are technology-enabled, people-centric and designed around your specific business, rather than relying on standardised checklists. This allows us to focus on what matters most: integrating our audit methodology into our systems, delivering risk-focused, data driven, tech enabled advice that focuses on identifying gaps, complying with auditing standards and saving you and your finance team time and resources.
By engaging with your teams and understanding how your business really works, we deliver an audit that supports better decision-making and long-term success.