Neil Knights

I have more than 20 years’ audit experience in the pension sector and lead our UK pensions team. I specialise in the delivery of pension scheme audit and assurance, as well as supporting trustees on risk and governance. My team offers a wide range of services to the sector including audit and assurance, employer covenant assessment, actuarial and benefits, tax, cyber security, governance and risk, and trustee training.

I'm passionate about delivering an audit and assurance that adds value to trustee governance processes in support of the 21st  Century Trusteeship initiative from the Pensions Regulator, rather than just a minimum compliance 'tick box' service.

My expertise covers:

• Accounting for complex investment and funding solutions
• Risk register and fraud risk review and challenge
• Benchmarking governance and costs to peer schemes
• Additional assurance and internal audit assistance
• Complex benefit structures and scheme mergers
• Trustee training on a wide range of governance and fraud risk mitigation topics

We support our trustee clients via proactive lines of communication and a high quality tailored audit approach with a flexible audit scope to ensure key risks are addressed. Trustees see us as their 'eyes and ears' and really value the added insight we can bring from both our thought leadership position in the sector, as well as the robust assurance we provide over their scheme and its activities.

I have been a trustee myself, for more than seven years, so I understand the demands placed upon trustees. My colleagues and I sit on many of the leading working parties and committees that are at the forefront of changes to regulation and best practice in the sector. We are therefore able to be a voice for our clients as we help to shape new guidance and regulation. I was also the lead author of the lndustry Audit and Accounting Guide for Pension Schemes for seven years.

Our team acts as scheme auditor for over 300 pension schemes. This includes over 35 with assets of between £1 billion - £40 billion representing some of the largest and most complex schemes in the UK.