Grant Thornton set for 30 job losses

THIRTY JOBS will be lost from Grant Thornton as part of a restructure of its personal tax divisions.

The firm will offer clients a centralised personal tax compliance service based in Southampton and Kettering. Leicester and Bristol are likely to be the first offices affected by the changes.

Grant Thornton national tax partner Francesca Lagerberg said the changes will allow clients to have personal tax returns completed through either a local or centralised office.

Lagerberg said this was "not a headcount reduction exercise".

However, she added: "With all the changes some people may not fit into the new model."

The firm hopes to save as many jobs as possible through relocating staff and offering similar roles, said Lagerberg (pictured left).

A source close to the issue said the centralised offices were essentially an internal "subcontractor". The nuts and bolts compliance work could be outsourced to the centralised offices and local teams could focus on offering more efficient advisory services.

Online filing and other technological advancements made it possible to centralise compliance and filing work to Southampton and Kettering, the source added.

A spokeswoman for Grant Thornton said the firm expects "less than 30 people" to leave following the changes.

It would be unfair to employees to offer further details such as the number of staff under or likely to enter a consultation, to relocate, change roles or be made redundant, the spokeswoman added.

According to the firm there are no plans to centralise corporate tax compliance.

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