Sumer Northern Ireland

Well done to our Sumer NI team who took part in yesterday’s Business Fives 5-A-Side Football Tournament at Stormont PlayBall.

Competing alongside businesses from across Northern Ireland, the team progressed to the Champions League stage and reached the quarter-finals following a series of impressive performances.

The tournament provided a great opportunity to support Tommy's , raise funds for a worthwhile cause, and spend time with colleagues outside the workplace while building new connections across the business community.

Thank you to the organisers for putting on another fantastic event. We were proud to be involved and thoroughly enjoyed the day. ⚽👏

🎉 Congratulations to our Chartered Accountants Ireland trainees receiving their FAE exam results today!🎉

The hard work, dedication and commitment you've put in alongside your day-to-day responsibilities have paid off, and we're incredibly proud of what you've achieved. Your investment in learning and professional development continues to strengthen both your own career and the future of our business.

Enjoy the moment, you've earned it!

An additional thank you to the colleagues and mentors who supported them along the way.

We're also especially delighted to celebrate a Sumer NI 100% pass rate, a fantastic achievement that reflects the talent, determination and resilience of our trainees, as well as the support they receive across the business.

A big thank you to Vicky Kell and the team at for inviting Sumer NI to present at this morning's workshop for Invest NI Client Executives.

The session, delivered by Phil Chambers PhD, was attended by colleagues both in person at Invest NI's Belfast headquarters and online, provided an overview of R&D Tax Relief and the Patent Box regime, highlighting how these incentives can complement Invest NI's funding support.

The workshop focused on the synergies between upfront grant funding and tax reliefs, demonstrating how innovative businesses can use both to maximise investment, extend the impact of funding and support growth. By understanding the full range of support available, companies can unlock additional value from their innovation and development activities.

The session was followed by insights from David Stewart OBE of HMRC, who discussed the role of the Northern Ireland Corporation Tax Office, why it is based in Northern Ireland and the support available to businesses engaging with the R&D tax relief regime.

Attendees also heard about HMRC's targeted assurance programme for first-time R&D claimants, as well as opportunities for companies to seek assurance on projects where eligibility may be less straightforward or where greater certainty is beneficial.

It was great to engage with Invest NI's client-facing teams, whose conversations with businesses across Northern Ireland play an important role in helping companies identify and access the support available to them.

Many businesses are unaware of the full range of innovation incentives available to them. To discuss R&D Tax Relief, Patent Box and grant funding, and explore whether these may be relevant to your organisation's circumstances, contact our Innovation team at [email protected]

Who says ice cream is only for sunny days? 🍦🌧️

To help mark the end of summer, Sumer NI teamed up with Carson McDowell to treat our staff to complimentary ice creams. While the weather wasn't quite tropical, it was a fantastic opportunity to step away from our desks, spend time with colleagues and enjoy a well-deserved break.

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Join our next FRS 102 webinar series

Following the strong engagement and positive feedback from our earlier sessions, we are pleased to launch the next part of our FRS 102 webinar series.

These webinars will take a deeper dive into Fair Value and other key changes introduced by the latest FRS 102 amendments, with dedicated sessions for corporates, higher education institutions and charities.

Our specialists will explore:
✅ The key accounting changes to be aware of
✅ What the updates could mean for your organisation
✅ Practical considerations for implementation
✅ How to prepare with confidence

📅 Upcoming webinars:
• 9 September 2026 – Fair Value and other FRS 102 changes for corporates
• 16 September 2026 – Fair Value and other changes impacting the SORP for Higher Education
• 23 September 2026 – Fair Value and other changes impacting the SORP for Charities

Whether you're working in finance, governance or reporting, these practical sessions are designed to provide clarity on the changes ahead and help your organisation prepare effectively.

Register for the webinar most relevant to you via our FRS 102 webpage: https://bit.ly/4xo3nEv

☀️ BANK HOLIDAY ☀️

Our office is closed today and will reopen on 01 September from 8:45am.

❓ Did You Know? Sumer NI Has One of Northern Ireland's Fastest Growing Audit Teams

At Sumer NI, we've built one of Northern Ireland's fastest growing audit teams, with more than 60 audit professionals supporting businesses across a wide range of sectors.

But growth isn't just about numbers. It's about delivering a better experience for our clients.

When you work with Sumer Audit, you benefit from:

✅ Direct access to experienced audit managers and partners
✅ A friendly, approachable team that takes the time to understand your business
✅ Practical guidance and support throughout the audit process
✅ Continuity of staff and long-term relationships
✅ A responsive team with the capacity to meet your deadlines

As part of the wider Sumer Group, we combine local expertise with the strength of a national network. This gives our clients access to specialist knowledge, industry insights and innovative technology, helping us deliver audits that are efficient, high-quality and focused on adding value.

Whether you're reviewing your current audit arrangements or planning for future growth, we're here to support your business every step of the way.

Get in touch with Sumer Audit today to find out how we can help.

📧[email protected]
📧[email protected]

🌐 www.sumerni.co.uk

❗️Audit Tip: Don't Underestimate Your PBC List

A well-prepared PBC (Prepared By Client) list can make the difference between a smooth, efficient audit and one filled with delays, disruption and unnecessary queries.

The sooner you engage in the planning process and begin compiling the information requested by your auditors, the better positioned you'll be to keep the audit on track and minimise pressures on your finance team.

Your PBC schedules should be:
✅ Complete and submitted on time
✅ Fully reconciled to the trial balance
✅ Clearly labelled and easy to follow
✅ Supported by appropriate documentation and evidence

Remember, every missing schedule, unreconciled balance or unclear explanation creates additional audit queries, increasing the time and effort required from both your team and the auditors.

Businesses that invest time in preparing a robust PBC response benefit from a more efficient audit process, fewer follow-up requests and reduced disruption to day-to-day operations.

If you're preparing for your first audit or you annual upcoming audit and need support with your PBC requirements or just want to experience our tailored approach, our experienced team can help ensure you're audit-ready and avoid common pitfalls.

📧[email protected]
📧[email protected]

🌐 www.sumerni.co.uk

Many business owners still see audit as a compliance exercise. The reality is that it can be so much more.

In a rapidly changing economic landscape, access to reliable financial information and robust controls can provide the confidence needed to make better business decisions.

A quality audit can help businesses identify risks early, strengthen governance, improve processes, and build trust with key stakeholders.

At Sumer NI, we're seeing audit become an increasingly valuable tool for SMEs looking to navigate uncertainty and support long-term growth.

Read our latest article at www.sumerni.co.uk/insights to learn more.

👏 Another great ADS Northern Ireland Summer BBQ; and we were delighted to sponsor this year's event, now in its fifth year and stronger than ever.

It was wonderful to see such a strong turnout from industry, government, academia, and wider stakeholders, all committed to growing Northern Ireland's aerospace, security, and space sectors.

ADS Northern Ireland continues to grow in scale and membership, with its companies making an ever-increasing contribution to jobs, innovation, and economic value across Northern Ireland and events like this really showcase the strength of our local ecosystem and the power of collaboration.

At Sumer NI, we've been supporting Northern Ireland businesses for over 30 years. Our growing Belfast team has a particular focus on research and development (R&D) tax relief and innovation support, and we're very proud to work alongside ADS members and partners such as Invest Northern Ireland to help companies access the funding and tax incentives available and to continue building resilient local supply chains.

Thank you to everyone who joined us — it was great to catch up with familiar faces and meet new ones — and to the ADS Northern Ireland team, Joseph Reffitt, Kevin Brien and Lisa Losty, for putting on such a great evening.

If we didn't get a chance to speak and you'd like to discuss R&D tax relief, growth plans, or collaboration opportunities, please do contact us.

🌐www.sumerni.co.uk

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