Audit fee increases, firm by firm
Across 14,229 UK companies with two years of audit fees on file, the median rise was 5.0%. 20.0% saw a rise above 20%. Firm by firm, from +10.6% to 0.0%.
By firm
Firms with fifty or more clients carrying two years of fees. The median change is the middle client, so one large re-scoping does not move it.
Median year-on-year fee change by firm
| Firm | Tier | Clients with two years | Median change | Rose over 20% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price Bailey LLP | Challenger firm | 64 | +10.6% | 28.1% |
| Pierce C A Limited | Independent firm | 51 | +9.8% | 21.6% |
| Armstrong Watson Audit Limited | Challenger firm | 65 | +8.0% | 23.1% |
| Menzies LLP | Challenger firm | 196 | +6.7% | 18.4% |
| Mitchell Charlesworth (Audit) Limited | Independent firm | 72 | +6.5% | 16.7% |
| Ensors | Challenger firm | 80 | +6.4% | 21.3% |
| Shaw Gibbs (Audit) Limited | Independent firm | 94 | +6.3% | 22.3% |
| Azets Audit Services | Challenger firm | 793 | +6.1% | 20.3% |
| PKF Smith Cooper Audit Limited | Challenger firm | 50 | +6.1% | 18.0% |
| Rickard Luckin Limited | Independent firm | 54 | +6.1% | 25.9% |
| DJH Audit Limited | Independent firm | 154 | +5.9% | 26.6% |
| Mercer & Hole LLP | Independent firm | 65 | +5.6% | 18.5% |
| Sumer Audit | Challenger firm | 88 | +5.5% | 20.5% |
| WR Partners | Independent firm | 70 | +5.4% | 14.3% |
| Duncan & Toplis Audit Limited | Independent firm | 69 | +5.3% | 13.0% |
| Sumer Auditco Limited | Challenger firm | 392 | +5.2% | 25.3% |
| UHY Hacker Young | Challenger firm | 112 | +5.2% | 17.9% |
| Xeinadin Audit Limited | Challenger firm | 310 | +5.1% | 25.5% |
| Johnston Carmichael LLP | Challenger firm | 103 | +5.1% | 21.4% |
| Bishop Fleming Audit Limited | Challenger firm | 64 | +5.1% | 20.3% |
| Ormerod Rutter Limited | Independent firm | 54 | +5.1% | 16.7% |
| Moore Kingston Smith LLP | Challenger firm | 270 | +5.0% | 19.6% |
| Cooper Parry Group Limited | Challenger firm | 99 | +5.0% | 19.2% |
| BHP LLP | Independent firm | 112 | +5.0% | 19.6% |
| James Cowper Kreston Audit | Challenger firm | 85 | +5.0% | 14.1% |
| BKL Audit LLP | Independent firm | 79 | +5.0% | 21.5% |
| M Solutions for Business LLP | Independent firm | 81 | +5.0% | 9.9% |
| Brebners | Independent firm | 53 | +5.0% | 7.5% |
| Hazlewoods LLP | Challenger firm | 137 | +4.9% | 14.6% |
| Streets Audit LLP | Independent firm | 64 | +4.8% | 29.7% |
| JS. Audit Limited | Independent firm | 53 | +4.8% | 20.8% |
| Saffery LLP | Challenger firm | 270 | +4.7% | 22.2% |
| TC Group | Independent firm | 220 | +4.7% | 20.0% |
| Hurst Accountants Limited | Independent firm | 165 | +4.6% | 15.2% |
| KLSA LLP | Independent firm | 58 | +4.6% | 22.4% |
| Blick Rothenberg Audit LLP | Challenger firm | 81 | +4.5% | 22.2% |
| Robson Laidler Accountants Limited | Independent firm | 57 | +4.5% | 17.5% |
| Forvis Mazars LLP | Challenger firm | 154 | +4.1% | 11.7% |
| Champion Accountants LLP | Independent firm | 52 | +4.0% | 32.7% |
| Infrastructure Managers Limited | Independent firm | 52 | +4.0% | 5.8% |
| BK Plus Audit Limited | Independent firm | 102 | +3.9% | 13.7% |
| Gravita Audit II Limited | Independent firm | 117 | +3.3% | 15.4% |
| HW Fisher Audit | Challenger firm | 59 | +2.5% | 28.8% |
| Barnes Roffe Audit Limited | Challenger firm | 153 | +1.0% | 17.0% |
| Buzzacott Audit LLP | Challenger firm | 78 | 0.0% | 5.1% |
Questions people ask
How much do audit fees go up each year?
The median year-on-year change across 14,229 UK companies is +5.0%. 20.0% of companies saw a rise of more than 20%, 27.9% a rise of 5–20%, 36.9% stayed within ±5%, and 15.1% paid less than the year before.
Which audit firms raised fees the most?
Price Bailey LLP +10.6%, Pierce C A Limited +9.8%, Armstrong Watson Audit Limited +8.0%, Menzies LLP +6.7%, Mitchell Charlesworth (Audit) Limited +6.5%, measured as the median change across their clients with two years on file.
Can an audit fee go down?
15.1% of companies paid at least 5% less than the year before, usually after a tender or a renegotiation.
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