Today’s news in brief – 27/6/2024

Buzzacott has appointed John Butler as assistant manager within its Charity and Not-for-Profit audit team, enhancing its social housing services. Butler, formerly of the National Housing Federation, brings extensive expertise in social housing finance. He has experience with registered providers, investors, and policymakers. Butler emphasised the shortage of auditors in the sector and praised Buzzacott’s collaborative approach and reputation. Hugh Swainson, Buzzacott’s partner and housing associations lead, expressed excitement about Butler’s appointment, noting his unmatched experience and the value he will bring to the firm and its clients. BKL has joined DFK UKI, a national group within the DFK International global alliance, after merging with Wilson Wright. DFK International, with 465 member offices in 90 countries, enhances BKL’s ability to support clients with international operations. BKL now has over 400 experts and a forecast turnover of £55m. CEO Lee Brook highlighted the importance of DFK’s global reach for supporting overseas growth. Bill Wright of DFK International and Mark Ashfield, chair of DFK UKI, welcomed BKL, praising its client service and sustainability commitment, anticipating strong collaboration and growth. Evelyn Partners has been appointed as the administrator of life insurance broker Dead Happy. Founded in 2013, Dead Happy aimed to provide flexible life insurance and grew to £2.5m revenue by 2023 with over 25,000 active policies. Administrators Adam Stephens and Kevin Ley are working to transfer customer policies to underwriting insurers with minimal disruption. The business will continue limited trading to assist with the administration process. Stephens expressed commitment to ensuring continuity of insurance for customers and thanked Dead Happy’s management for their support during the transition. Research by the Global Payroll Association revealed that HMRC’s wage bill increased by £5.5m over the past year, reaching £285m, despite a 3.8% reduction in its workforce. The cut from 67,469 to 64,875 full-time equivalent positions led to a 45.2% increase in overtime costs. The most significant reductions were in administration roles, with cuts of up to 9.3%. Melanie Pizzey, CEO of the Global Payroll Association, criticised HMRC’s payroll management, noting the negative impact on staff morale and the inefficiency of increased overtime expenses despite workforce reductions.