Our Values & Ethics — professional trust in practice.
Britvex’s values are practical standards for accountancy, tax, company compliance and advisory work. They matter when evidence is incomplete, a client needs a difficult explanation, a deadline is approaching, or an external authority must make the final decision.
A decision framework, not just a values statement.
Each stage asks what is known, who has authority and what evidence supports the result.
Six commitments that should change everyday professional decisions.
A value is credible only if it affects the workflow. These commitments describe how Britvex intends to approach difficult questions, not a promise that every possible error or risk can be eliminated.
State what is actually true
Describe an application as an application, an authorisation as an authorisation and a forecast as a forecast. Do not present HMRC, ICO or Companies House status as an independent endorsement.
Work within relevant capability
Match assignments to appropriate knowledge and permissions. Where audit, legal representation, insolvency or another regulated discipline is needed, establish the right professional route.
Limit and protect access
Request financial, tax, identity and commercial information for legitimate purposes; use appropriate channels and controls rather than collecting information simply because it might be useful.
Let evidence change the answer
Evaluate inconsistent records, unusual balances, client assumptions and tax positions without making the conclusion fit a preferred outcome.
Explain services and limits
Describe scope, fees, responsibilities, information needed and possible dependencies before work proceeds; disclose material uncertainties rather than hiding them.
Own corrections and escalation
When a concern arises, identify what needs to be checked, who must be informed and whether a correction, specialist referral or formal complaint route is appropriate.
The accurate answer matters most when it is inconvenient.
Financial advice sometimes involves unwelcome findings: records do not reconcile, a proposed deduction lacks evidence, an identity document does not satisfy verification rules or an intended deadline cannot be met without further information. Ethical practice means describing those circumstances accurately rather than issuing a reassuring but unsupported statement.
Britvex should distinguish established facts from estimates and legal interpretations. A client may need a forecast or scenario, but assumptions and limits should remain visible. Similarly, Companies House acceptance, HMRC treatment, lending decisions and third-party approvals remain outside Britvex’s control.
Our website, engagement letters and day-to-day communications should describe the same services and authorisations. Strong marketing language cannot replace clear terms or independent permissions.
Good professional conduct includes saying what we do not control.
The most important boundaries concern statutory responsibility, formal authorisations, personal data and outside professions.
The client retains key decisions
Company directors and taxpayers remain responsible for their own duties, accurate information and required approvals. Britvex acts within the agreed professional role and applicable permissions.
HMRC and Companies House decide
Agent or ACSP status enables specified activities, not blanket approval of transactions, tax positions or future submissions. Independent government decisions cannot be guaranteed.
Security requires actual practice
Protect documents by limiting access, using purpose-appropriate channels and following applicable privacy and retention rules. ICO registration is not a security certification.
Referral protects boundaries
Statutory audit, legal work, licensed insolvency services and regulated investment advice may require other professional authorisations. Do not treat general accounting knowledge as a licence.
Clarify → Check → Assess → Explain → Approve → Learn.
The following six stages convert values into a repeatable service process. Particular checks and responsibilities vary by service, but the principle is consistent: significant decisions need facts and an accountable record.
Define the work and restrictions.
Confirm scope, responsibility, relevant client authority, fees and any constraints or potential conflicts before taking on an assignment.
Identify the client and source records.
Perform appropriate AML/KYC checks and seek the accounting, tax or company evidence needed for the work being requested.
Use current rules and professional care.
Review the facts, relevant tax or company requirements, material risks and any uncertainty requiring additional technical input.
Communicate the conclusion without spin.
Identify assumptions, material limitations, possible options and which outcomes depend on HMRC, Companies House or another decision-maker.
Obtain decisions from the right party.
Seek client sign-off where required, document authorisations and submit or communicate work only through the agreed process.
Correct issues and improve controls.
Record material lessons, respond appropriately to questions or complaints and update working practices when law or client circumstances change.
Confidentiality is an operating responsibility—not a decorative badge.
As a UK business handling financial and identity information, Britvex must treat personal data under the applicable UK data-protection regime. The ICO’s guidance identifies data minimisation, accuracy, security, storage limitation and accountability among the core principles. What information is collected, why it is needed and how access is managed should reflect those principles.
AML supervision also involves risk assessment, customer due diligence, ongoing monitoring and record keeping. These obligations sometimes require more information than a basic service enquiry. Their purpose and lawful retention should be explained. A request for extra documents is not necessarily optional when the law or risk-based process requires them.
Client confidentiality does not mean withholding information from authorities when lawful disclosure is required. It means using information responsibly and limiting access and disclosure to a proper basis.
Responsible practice includes a route for questions, concerns and corrections.
No professional practice should rely on the claim that mistakes are impossible. A client should be able to understand how an issue is raised, what supporting records matter and how the engagement will respond.
Ask for the reasoning
If an adjustment, filing entry or document request seems unclear, the client can ask which records and rules support it. Explanations should separate confirmed facts from assumptions.
Tell the firm about new facts
A change in company ownership, residence, employment, trading activity or transactions can alter the relevant work. Earlier conclusions may require reconsideration when facts change.
Address material errors
When an actual error or inconsistency is identified, determine the correct route for amending records or filings and the relevant authority, deadline and client authorisation.
Use the formal procedure
Client concerns should have a documented route to review. A complaint is not a substitute for HMRC or Companies House procedures, but it should not disappear into informal correspondence.
Follow the relevant standards and client channels.
A values page is useful only when readers can find the real operational information behind it. The following Britvex pages explain how we work, the policies governing the relationship, and where a client can raise a concern.
How Britvex works
Understand the sequence from records through reporting, compliance and decisions. The process explains why accurate information, documented approvals and recurring review are central to the relationship.
Explore the service →Regulation & compliance
Our company position, relevant registrations and compliance topics should be interpreted precisely. An authority’s registration or supervision does not imply approval of every service or future outcome.
Explore the service →Privacy policy
Personal information requires lawful purposes, clear communication, appropriate protection, retention choices and the exercise of rights. The privacy policy gives the relevant details for people using Britvex services.
Explore the service →Complaints procedure
If concerns arise, clients need a formal route for explaining what happened and asking for a review. Substantive complaints may require documents, timelines and reference to the original service agreement.
Explore the service →Our values are tied to duties that can be checked.
These official sources inform the regulatory principles described above. They do not certify Britvex’s internal performance or guarantee outcomes.
Our Values & Ethics: practical answers.
These answers illustrate professional boundaries and the actions we expect to support good client decisions.
What does professional integrity mean at Britvex?
It means representing facts, qualifications, authorisations, tax positions and limitations accurately—even when a less qualified statement would be more convenient or commercially attractive.
Will Britvex guarantee a particular HMRC outcome?
No. Britvex can prepare and explain work within scope, but HMRC independently applies the law, considers evidence and decides whether further information or enquiry is needed.
Does Companies House ACSP status endorse all Britvex services?
No. ACSP status is an authorisation for specified functions with continuing obligations. It is not a general endorsement of every service, professional qualification or filing outcome.
How are client tax records kept confidential?
Appropriate confidentiality depends on lawful purposes, controlled access, suitable technical and organisational measures, and applicable retention and disclosure rules—not on a statement alone.
Is ICO registration the same as UK GDPR compliance?
No. Registration is an administrative requirement where applicable. UK GDPR compliance also requires ongoing lawful processing, data minimisation, security, accountability and respect for individual rights.
Why might Britvex ask for extra identity documents?
Relevant AML, company identity-verification and risk-based due-diligence rules can require additional evidence. The documents requested depend on the client, activity and applicable procedures.
Can a client refuse to provide requested records?
A client can ask why information is needed, but Britvex may be unable to undertake or continue work if essential statutory or engagement records cannot be provided.
What if a tax position depends on assumptions?
The relevant assumptions and uncertainties should be identified and the advice qualified accordingly. The treatment should not be presented as a certain result when facts or legal interpretation remain unresolved.
Does Britvex provide regulated investment or legal advice?
Those activities may require separate authorisation or a qualified professional. A general accounting or business-advisory engagement should not be represented as permission to provide them.
Who remains responsible for company accounts and filings?
Directors retain statutory responsibilities for the company and must provide accurate information and approvals. Britvex may undertake agreed work under appropriate authority.
What happens if information supplied by a client is incorrect?
The material effect should be assessed, supporting records corrected or clarified, and any appropriate amendment or disclosure considered under the relevant rules and engagement scope.
Can confidential information ever be disclosed?
Yes, where a legal obligation or another lawful basis requires or permits disclosure. Confidentiality does not override statutory duties, although disclosures should remain proportionate and lawful.
How can I raise a concern about a service?
Use the published Britvex complaints route and provide a clear description, relevant dates and supporting documents. The firm can then assess the concern through the appropriate process.
What should I expect before an engagement starts?
A suitable scope, fee basis, information requirements, responsibilities, any necessary authorisations, practical communication arrangements and relevant restrictions should be explained.
Trust begins with accurate information and clear expectations.
Discuss your accounting, tax, company or advisory requirement with Britvex. We will aim to define the scope and evidence needed, explain the boundaries of our responsibility and identify the appropriate route forward.