About Carpenter Box

Local relationships, wider expertise

At Carpenter Box, we believe the best advice starts with understanding you.

Since 1923, we have worked closely with businesses, individuals, families and organisations to help them make confident decisions, overcome challenges and plan for the future. Today, our team of 300 colleagues and 30 Partners works across eight locations in Sussex, Hampshire and London.

We support a wide range of clients, from start-ups and growing owner-managed businesses to established SMEs and international companies. We also advise individuals and families on their personal tax affairs and work closely with charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Whatever your goals, you can expect a personal relationship, proactive advice and access to the right expertise when you need it.

Advice that looks at the bigger picture

Your business, personal finances and future plans are rarely separate. That is why our advice is designed to be joined up.

Our specialists work together across accountancy, audit, tax and business advisory to provide support that reflects your wider circumstances. This could mean helping you start and grow a business, improve financial performance, expand into new markets, prepare for succession or exit, and protect the wealth you have built.

Rather than looking at individual services in isolation, we bring together the right people to help you make informed decisions at every stage of your journey.

Supporting businesses, families and organisations

Our clients range from small businesses and entrepreneurs to larger organisations with complex financial and international requirements.

We work with owner-managers, leadership teams and finance directors, providing practical support that goes beyond meeting compliance deadlines. Our aim is to understand what you are working towards and identify opportunities, risks and actions that will help you move forward.

We also support individuals and families with private client tax advice, estate planning and the management of personal wealth. Many of our relationships extend across generations, giving us a deeper understanding of the family, its businesses and its long-term priorities.

For charities and not-for-profit organisations, we provide specialist advice that reflects the financial, regulatory and governance challenges of the sector.

More than 100 years of looking forward

Carpenter Box was founded in 1923, but our focus has always been on what comes next.

Over more than a century, we have continued to evolve alongside our clients, investing in our people, technology and specialist expertise. While the way we work has changed, our commitment to personal service and long-term relationships has remained constant.

We are proud that many clients have worked with us for decades, and in some cases across several generations. These lasting relationships are built on trust, consistency and a genuine interest in helping our clients succeed.

Local, national and international reach

Our clients value having advisers who are accessible, responsive and familiar with their business. At the same time, their needs may extend beyond their local area.

As part of Sumer, Carpenter Box combines the personal service and regional understanding of a long-established local firm with the resources and specialist expertise of a national accountancy group.

For clients with international interests, our membership of GGI gives us access to trusted professional advisers around the world. This means you can continue working with your Carpenter Box team while benefiting from wider support wherever your plans take you.

Meet the team

At Carpenter Box we take a collaborative and pro-active approach. Our dedicated team are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly, and they’re committed to working hard for you.

View our team profiles

Our values

As part of the Sumer Group, we have shared values.

We celebrate everyone’s individuality, and work as a one team.
We act with kindness, fairness and integrity in everything we do.
We’re quietly brave as we make a difference, every day, for our clients and communities.

Awards and recognition

Our work has been recognised through a range of national, regional and local awards, reflecting the expertise of our people and our commitment to client service, innovation and our communities.

In 2024 we won Tax Team of the Year at the prestigious Accounting Excellence Awards.

We were named Mid-Tier Innovation Firm of the Year at the British Accountancy Awards 2019. This award recognised our firm’s dedication to finding the most innovative approach to business strategy and client service.

In 2020 we were shortlisted for Large Business of the Year at the Accounting Excellence Awards as well as Community Investment Business of the Year, Employer of the Year and Award for Developing People at the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards (GDBAs). This award was given in response to scoring extremely strongly across many areas, including client service, industry knowledge, innovative use of IT and making a real difference to clients. In particular, the judges noted:

“They go above and beyond when it comes to serving their customers, through their expert knowledge, and consistently look for new and innovative ways to add value to their clients. They are truly passionate about your business. They do an incredible amount of work for their community and have raised thousands of pounds to help local good causes.”

That’s why Carpenter Box clients and professional contacts continue to recommend us every day.