Royalty Audit Companies in the UK: Guide to Leading Providers (2026)
AC
Acumon Chartered Accountants·13 min read
Royalty audit work in the UK ranges from specialist music royalty examinations to broader licence compliance reviews covering brands, publishing, technology, franchising and intellectual property. This guide brings together firms with verifiable royalty audit capabilities and UK operations, so readers can compare their focus, services and practical fit. The numbered order is for navigation rather than a claim of objective superiority.
Acumon
Acumon is a UK firm of chartered accountants and registered auditors providing independent royalty and licence compliance audits for licensors, franchisors and rights holders.
The firm works with organisations that hold licence, franchise and distribution agreements containing audit clauses. Royalty examinations are delivered by an ICAEW-registered firm and focus on verifying that the royalties reported are the royalties owed under the relevant agreements.
Almost every such agreement includes an audit clause. Acumon exercises these clauses by reconstructing what should have been reported from the licensee’s own records, quantifying shortfalls and producing reports that support commercial recovery where possible, or formal proceedings where necessary.
Royalty leakage most often arises from structural issues rather than deliberate understatement: omitted sales channels or territories, unpermitted deductions, incorrect allocation of bundled products, inconsistent exchange rates, unreported sublicensee revenue, and miscalculated minimum guarantees or escalators. These issues are not visible from the royalty statement alone, which is why agreements contain audit rights.
Acumon starts from the agreement itself – defining the royalty base, permitted deductions, rates and thresholds – and then tests the licensee’s sales ledgers, system reports and sublicence agreements against that contractual definition. Findings are documented line by line.
The same approach serves brand licensors reviewing manufacturers and distributors, franchisors verifying turnover-based fees, IP owners with technology and patent licences, and publishers and media rights holders. It also serves licensees who wish to defend an audit, prepare for one, or verify their own reporting ahead of renewal negotiations.
Reports are written to support commercial settlement and improved future reporting while preserving commercial relationships. Where findings indicate deliberate understatement, the firm’s in-house forensic specialists can escalate the work.
Acumon also advises on the drafting of audit clauses, including provisions for records access, cost-shifting where underreporting exceeds a threshold, and clear royalty-base definitions.
Royalty Audit Capabilities:
Acumon provides royalty and licence compliance audits across a range of arrangements and sectors.
These include:
Licence, franchise and distribution agreements
Brand licensing with manufacturers and distributors
Franchisor turnover-based fee verification
Technology and patent licence reviews
Publisher and media rights royalty streams
Multi-territory, multi-currency and sublicensee royalty examinations
Licensee-side reviews and pre-emptive reporting checks
Advice on audit clause drafting and royalty-base definitions
These services are delivered by an ICAEW-registered and FRC-authorised audit firm with in-house forensic audit capability, supported by data analytics tools that extract and test royalty data at population level from common ERP systems.
Regulatory Licences and Registrations:
Acumon holds several audit registrations that enable it to support organisations operating across multiple jurisdictions.
These include:
UK statutory audit registration
Public Interest Entity (PIE) audit licence
Jersey audit licence
Isle of Man audit licence
Cayman Islands audit licence
British Virgin Islands audit licence
These registrations allow the firm to provide audit services to groups that include entities in both the UK and key international financial centres.
Core Services:
In addition to statutory external audit, Acumon provides a range of services that support financial reporting and governance.
These include:
Statutory external audit
Group and subsidiary audits
Public Interest Entity (PIE) audits
Charity and not-for-profit audit
Audit of international group structures
Internal audit and governance reviews
Risk management and compliance support
Audit work is often delivered alongside discussions with management and boards regarding financial reporting processes and governance frameworks.
Many organisations initially encounter statutory audit requirements as they grow and exceed the audit exemption thresholds set out in the Companies Act.
Acumon works with businesses that are:
Approaching their first statutory audit
Preparing for external investment
Expanding into international markets
Operating within corporate group structures
Early engagement with an audit firm can help ensure that financial reporting systems and documentation are aligned with statutory audit requirements.
Address: 1-2 Craven Road, Ealing, London, W5 2UA, UK
HW Fisher
HW Fisher has a dedicated royalty auditing practice within its forensic accounting work. Its audits cover licensees, rights users and franchisees, with sector experience extending beyond entertainment to pharmaceuticals, brand extensions, character merchandising, fashion, franchising, publishing, sport, technology and television.
Music is a particularly developed part of the practice. The firm audits recording, publishing and distribution agreements for artists, songwriters, record companies and music publishers, while also carrying out music catalogue valuations and royalty due diligence. Its international audit work is supported by teams able to handle large royalty datasets and assignments across multiple territories.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Rights owners with complex domestic or international licensing arrangements
Core services: Royalty auditing, contract compliance, music royalty audits and royalty due diligence
Industries: Music, publishing, pharmaceuticals, fashion, franchising, sport, technology, television and branded products
Location: London
Notable capability: International audit work supported by forensic accounting and data analysis expertise
Contact Information:
Website: hwfisher.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)20 7388 7000
Instagram: www.instagram.com/hwfisheruk
Address: Acre House, 11-15 William Road, London, NW1 3ER
Prager Metis
Prager Metis combines royalty audits with wider contract compliance, valuation and entertainment advisory work. Its UK service covers record label, publishing and licensing audits as well as distribution agreements, joint ventures, profit participation, desktop reviews and trademark or brand merchandising arrangements.
The firm has royalty compliance personnel in London alongside teams in several US locations. Its sector experience covers music, book publishing, film and television, theatre, video games, digital distribution, apparel, fashion and licensed merchandise. This breadth can make it suitable where a rights portfolio extends across several forms of intellectual property rather than a single royalty stream.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Entertainment businesses, rights holders and brand owners with contractual royalty or participation arrangements
Core services: Royalty audits, contract compliance, distribution audits, profit participation reviews, desktop reviews and IP valuations
Insight Licensing Services, also known as ILS, concentrates specifically on royalty audits and contract compliance. Its work covers licence agreements across entertainment and media, character merchandising, publishing, luxury and sports brands, pharmaceuticals, technology, franchising and media advertising.
The firm operates internationally through contacts in London, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. Its royalty audits examine whether payments and expenditure comply with contractual arrangements, while also looking for reporting weaknesses, unclear contract terms and areas that may affect future royalty reporting. This is a relatively focused option for licensors and IP owners that want an independent review of licensee reporting.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Licensors and IP owners reviewing third-party royalty reporting
Core services: Royalty audits, licence audits and contract compliance reviews
Industries: Entertainment, publishing, branded merchandise, pharmaceuticals, technology, franchising and advertising
UK presence: London
International presence: London, Los Angeles and Hong Kong contacts
Address: 3rd Floor, 207 Regent Street, London W1B 3HH, United Kingdom
360 Forensic
360 Forensic focuses on forensic and royalty audits across licensing, sport, music, gaming, digital businesses and technology. Its audit approach combines contract analysis with data processing to identify missed royalty income and potential compliance issues.
The company also provides forensic accounting support where royalty matters become part of a wider contractual or legal dispute. Its services include quantifying losses from contract breaches, tracing financial transactions and assessing missed royalties. With a Manchester head office and worldwide audit positioning, it may suit rights owners whose licensing relationships extend beyond the UK.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Businesses managing royalty arrangements across several industries or territories
Address: The Gallery, 3 Archway, Birley Fields, Manchester
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hennariaz3601111
SRLV
SRLV’s royalty work is centred on music and entertainment. The firm manages royalty accounting for artists, songwriters, independent labels, publishers, actors and producers, while also carrying out royalty audits and music copyright valuations.
Its higher-value royalty audit work checks whether creative clients have received the royalties due across their revenue streams. SRLV can also examine royalty licence agreements and support advisers during contract negotiations. Related services include desktop royalty reviews, contract reviews, neighbouring rights registration and valuation work connected with catalogue sales, acquisitions, financing and disputes.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Artists, songwriters, labels, publishers and other entertainment clients
Y Royalties is a London-based music rights and royalty specialist. Royalty auditing sits alongside rights management, royalty tracking, royalty accounting, transaction services and data management, creating a service model built specifically around music income and rights data.
The firm works with artists, songwriters, managers, investors and other music rightsholders. Its audit work is designed to identify inconsistencies and missing revenue, while its wider team can support catalogue valuations, transaction due diligence and ongoing royalty administration. The combination is particularly relevant where an audit is connected to a catalogue transaction or broader review of a music rights portfolio.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Artists, songwriters, managers, investors and music rightsholders
Core services: Royalty auditing, royalty accounting, rights management, royalty tracking and transaction advisory
Specialization: Music rights and royalty data
Location: London
Additional capability: Catalogue valuation and royalty due diligence
Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, commonly shortened to GR&F, has a dedicated practice covering royalty examinations, contract compliance and valuations. Its experience spans recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, film production and distribution, television, theatre, books, video games and other intellectual property rights.
The firm’s London operation includes a Royalty Audit Department overseen by Managing Director Mike Skeet, whose background includes royalty and copyright auditing, catalogue valuation and litigation support in the music sector. GR&F also handles financial due diligence and valuation work connected with intellectual property transactions.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Music, entertainment and media clients with complex royalty or participation agreements
Core services: Royalty examinations, contract compliance, valuations and royalty administration
Industries: Recorded music, publishing, merchandising, film, television, theatre, books and video games
UK presence: London office and London Royalty Audit Department
International capability: Worldwide royalty and participation examinations
MGR Weston Kay includes royalty investigations within its forensic accounting practice. The service is primarily geared toward entertainment, with musicians, composers, record labels and publishers among the client types identified by the firm.
Its royalty work focuses on finding unpaid or underpaid amounts and can continue into settlement negotiations or litigation when required. Because royalty investigations sit alongside dispute work, valuations and other forensic accounting services, MGR Weston Kay is a practical option when a suspected royalty shortfall may lead to a wider financial dispute rather than ending with a routine reconciliation.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Musicians, composers, record labels and publishers
Core services: Royalty investigations, forensic accounting, settlement support and litigation support
Specialization: Entertainment-sector financial disputes and royalty underpayments
Location: London
Related capability: Financial investigations and business valuations
Bevis & Co is one of the more narrowly focused firms in this selection, concentrating heavily on royalty auditing in entertainment. Their work covers music, records, film, books and computer games, with both full royalty audits and desktop compliance checking available.
A full audit examines potential underpayments, royalty rates, deductions, reported sales and interpretations of licensing agreements. The company can also undertake high-level contract reviews, provide on-site assistance with royalty administration and support commercial due diligence. This focus makes Bevis & Co particularly suited to entertainment rights holders who want a specialist rather than a broad general accounting practice.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Artists, writers, publishers, record companies and other entertainment rights holders
Core services: Full royalty audits, desktop compliance checks, contract reviews and commercial due diligence
Industries: Music, records, film, books and computer games
Location: Epsom, Surrey
Specialization: Entertainment royalty auditing
Contact Information:
Website: www.bevisandco.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1372 840 280
Address: 38 College Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 4HJ
Intangible Business
Intangible Business takes a somewhat different approach to royalty auditing by combining financial testing with wider commercial analysis of brands and intellectual property. Its royalty and brand licensing audits examine payment accuracy, possible underpayments, contractual royalty rates, marketing commitments and the effectiveness of licensing arrangements.
The company applies forensic accounting to royalty income from brands as well as copyright in books, music and film. Its broader work in intangible asset valuation and licensing can also be useful when an audit is part of a larger question about brand value, royalty rates or the commercial performance of a licensing programme.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Brand owners, licensors and copyright owners
Moore Kingston Smith includes royalty audit work within its media and theatre expertise. Its theatre-focused service is aimed at royalty holders such as writers, composers, directors, designers, choreographers and investors who want to verify that production accounts match their contractual entitlement.
The firm reviews production figures against the relevant agreement and can help prepare a claim when discrepancies are identified. This is a more specific use case than the multi-sector licensing audits offered by some firms in the list, making Moore Kingston Smith particularly relevant to theatre and creative professionals whose royalty income is linked to productions.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Theatre royalty holders and creative professionals
Core service: Royalty audits comparing production figures with contractual entitlements
Relevant clients: Writers, composers, directors, designers, choreographers and investors
Location: London and other UK offices
Sector focus: Theatre and the wider media and creative industries
MHA is a broader UK professional services firm rather than a dedicated royalties consultancy. Royalty audit appears within its Audit and Assurance division alongside external audit, financial reporting, governance, risk, compliance and grant audit work.
That broader positioning distinguishes it from music-focused providers in this guide. MHA may be more applicable when royalty verification forms part of a larger assurance requirement or when an organisation needs access to tax, accounting, advisory and audit services from the same group. The firm has an extensive network of UK offices, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Organisations looking for royalty audit work within a wider audit and assurance relationship
Core relevant service: Grant and royalty audit
Broader services: Audit and assurance, tax, accountancy and advisory
Geographic coverage: Multiple offices across the UK
Positioning: Multi-service professional services firm rather than a royalty-only specialist
JungleTax works with creative and entertainment clients on accounting, royalties, intellectual property and licensing matters. Its entertainment guidance identifies licensing audits and royalty management among the services it handles and gives an example of a rights and royalties audit used to investigate reported income.
JungleTax places this work within a wider creative finance offering that includes accounting, business management, tax and IP-related support. That can make it more appropriate when royalty verification is only one part of a broader financial brief for a musician, filmmaker, digital creator or other creative business.
Key Facts:
Ideal for: Creatives and entertainment businesses requiring royalty support alongside broader accounting
Relevant services: Rights and royalty audits, licensing support, royalty management and IP valuation
Industries: Music, film, gaming, digital media and other creative sectors
Location: London, with additional UK presence
Broader capabilities: Accounting, tax, business management and creative-sector financial support
The UK royalty audit market includes both dedicated specialists and larger accounting firms with royalty work inside broader forensic or assurance practices. Music and entertainment are particularly well represented, but several providers also work with brands, publishing, technology, franchising, pharmaceuticals and other forms of licensed intellectual property.
The right choice depends on the agreement being examined and what may happen after the audit. Some rights holders may need a focused review of music statements, while others need international licence compliance testing, data analysis, valuation support or help with a potential dispute. Scope, sector experience, geographic reach and the complexity of the underlying royalty data are therefore more useful comparison points than the numerical position of a company in the list.
AC
Written by the Acumon team
Acumon is an ICAEW-registered firm of chartered accountants and registered auditors
based in London, with offices in Pitstone, Aylesbury and Bournemouth. Need advice on
anything covered here? Talk to us.
This practical guide reviews companies offering royalty audit services in Birmingham and the surrounding UK market. It provides an overview of companies, their areas of expertise, the…
Royalty audits can cover very different arrangements, from music and publishing income to brand licensing, technology IP, franchising and theatrical productions. The companies below all have a…
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the minimum an employer must pay an employee who is too ill to work. For 2026/27 it is £123.25 a week or 80% of the employee's average weekly earnings, whichever is…
Read article
Get in Touch
Ready for Accountants Who Move Your Business Forward?
Tell us what you need. Within one business day, a qualified accountant will be in touch to talk it through and give you a clear, fixed-fee quote — no obligation.
We use essential cookies to run this site, plus Google Analytics and Google Ads to
understand how visitors use it and measure our advertising — only with your consent. See our
Privacy Policy.
