PwC UK: scores, fees and credentials

The UK arm of PwC, one of the Big Four professional-services firms, with a data protection and privacy practice and a published Responsible AI framework.

What PwC UK offers, and what it publishes

You get a Big Four firm with a data protection and privacy practice and a published Responsible AI framework. It says it has held ISO 27001 certification since 2011 and ISO 27701, for privacy information management, since 2020. Its regulatory page names its professional indemnity insurer, L&F Indemnity Limited, and its Financial Conduct Authority and Solicitors Regulation Authority numbers.

PwC UK does not publish a price, day rate or fee model for data protection or AI work. We found no named lead for either practice, and its 'Meet the team' link was broken when we tested it. It lists no case studies for this work, no insurance cover limit and no ISO 42001 certification.

The Financial Reporting Council fined the firm over audit work: £5,625,000 on 8 March 2023 over the Babcock International Group audits, and £2,885,625 on 25 March 2025 over the Wyelands Bank audit, each with a severe reprimand. Neither concerns data protection advice. Its Transparency Report describes ChatPwC, an internal generative AI tool used 'within a secure environment'.

Strengths

Legal identity fully matched at Companies House (OC303525, active, incorporated 2002).
Self-discloses professional indemnity insurance (insurer named, worldwide cover) on its own regulatory-disclosure page.
Holds and publishes ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certification for information security and privacy information management.
Multi-regulator authorisation is publicly disclosed: ICAEW (audit), FCA (221411), SRA (629994).
Live, dedicated Data protection and privacy practice page plus a separate published Responsible AI framework with a named 'demonstrating regulatory compliance' strand.
Firm's own Transparency Report discloses internal generative-AI use (ChatPwC) 'within a secure environment', going beyond generic marketing claims.

Things to check

FRC published a severe reprimand and £2,885,625 fine against PwC (25 March 2025) for breaches across six audit-requirement areas on the Wyelands Bank plc audit.
FRC published a severe reprimand and £5,625,000 fine against PwC (8 March 2023) for repeated failures to challenge management and obtain sufficient audit evidence on the Babcock International Group plc audits.

Common questions

Does PwC publish its fees for data protection or AI work?

No. We found no fee schedule, day rate or pricing model on any PwC data protection or AI governance page.

Is PwC UK regulated?

Yes. Its regulatory disclosure page gives its audit registration with the ICAEW (C001004062), Financial Conduct Authority number (221411) and Solicitors Regulation Authority number (629994). It also names its professional indemnity insurer, L&F Indemnity Limited, with worldwide cover.

Has PwC UK been fined by a regulator?

Yes, over audit work. The Financial Reporting Council fined it £5,625,000 on 8 March 2023 over the Babcock International Group audits and £2,885,625 on 25 March 2025 over the Wyelands Bank audit. Neither concerns its data protection advice.

Does PwC say how it uses AI?

Partly. Its Transparency Report describes ChatPwC, an internal generative AI tool used 'within a secure environment'. That report is written for its audit practice, not its data protection advice.

Evidence for each PwC UK score

Show our working

Notes behind each thing to check

FRC published a severe reprimand and £2,885,625 fine against PwC (25 March 2025) for breaches across six audit-requirement areas on the Wyelands Bank plc audit. (FRC final sanctions decision, published 25 March 2025, financial sanction £2,885,625 after discounts.)
FRC published a severe reprimand and £5,625,000 fine against PwC (8 March 2023) for repeated failures to challenge management and obtain sufficient audit evidence on the Babcock International Group plc audits. (FRC final sanctions decision, published 8 March 2023, financial sanction £5,625,000 after discounts.)

Six criteria, each scored 1 to 5, with the evidence for each.
Criterion	Score	Evidence
Help when things go wrong	2/5	FRC issued two severe reprimands and fines over £8.5m combined (2023, 2025) against this LLP for statutory audit failures; this is the audit line, not the DP/AI advisory service specifically.
Qualifications of the people who do the work	4/5	Firm self-publishes ICAEW audit registration, FCA authorisation (221411) and SRA authorisation (629994), plus ISO 27001/27701 certification.
What it publishes about fees	2/5	No public fee schedule, rate card, or pricing model was found on any PwC data-protection or AI page.
Knowledge of your sector	4/5	Live dedicated Data protection and privacy practice page and a separate Responsible AI framework page with named governance strands exist on PwC's own site.
Independence from what it sells	3/5	PwC is a fee-based advisory and audit firm rather than a software vendor, but it also builds and licenses its own AI tool, ChatPwC, internally.
Who carries the risk if the advice is wrong	3/5	LLP structure caps individual partner liability; firm discloses a named professional indemnity insurer but not a specific cover limit figure.

Sources for PwC UK

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is a limited liability partnership, company number OC303525, incorporated 9 December 2002, status Active, registered office 1 Embankment Place, London WC2N 6RH. (OC303525, incorporated 09/12/2002, Active) (Companies House, checked 19 September 2026)
PwC's own regulatory disclosure page states its professional indemnity insurer is L&F Indemnity Limited, with worldwide territorial coverage. (PI insurer: L&F Indemnity Limited, worldwide cover) (pwc.co.uk, checked 19 September 2026)
The same page discloses PwC's ICAEW audit registration (reference C001004062), FCA firm reference (221411) and SRA authorisation (number 629994). (ICAEW C001004062; FCA 221411; SRA 629994) (pwc.co.uk, checked 19 September 2026)
PwC UK's own 'External standards' page lists current certification to ISO 27001 (information security, held since 2011) and ISO 27701 (privacy information management, held since 2020). (ISO 27001 (2011), ISO 27701 (2020)) (pwc.com, checked 19 September 2026)
The Financial Reporting Council published a severe reprimand and a financial sanction of £2,885,625 against PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP on 25 March 2025 over the Wyelands Bank plc audit (year ended 30 April 2019). (£2,885,625 fine, severe reprimand, 25 Mar 2025) (frc.org.uk, checked 19 September 2026)
The Financial Reporting Council published a severe reprimand and a financial sanction of £5,625,000 against PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP on 8 March 2023 over the Babcock International Group plc audits (FY2017 and FY2018). (£5,625,000 fine, severe reprimand, 8 Mar 2023) (frc.org.uk, checked 19 September 2026)
PwC UK runs a live, dedicated 'Data protection and privacy' service page, filed under Services > Consulting > Cyber, Data and Tech Risk > Technology, Data and Analytics. (Live dedicated DP practice page) (pwc.co.uk, checked 19 September 2026)
Trustpilot: PwC UK's Trustpilot profile is unclaimed and rated 1.5 out of 5 from 40 reviews (88% one-star); the reviews are overwhelmingly about recruitment experience (candidates reporting being ghosted after interviews), staff return-to-office policy, and dissatisfaction with consulting service value/billing rates, not about data-protection advisory quality specifically. (Trustpilot, checked 20 September 2026)

ICAEW-registered auditor, reference C001004062 (stated on pwc.co.uk) FCA-authorised, reference 221411 (stated on pwc.co.uk) SRA-authorised, reference 629994 (stated on pwc.co.uk) ISO 27001 certified, held since 2011 (stated on pwc.com) ISO 27701 certified, held since 2020 (stated on pwc.com)

Exposed to the EU AI Act Regulated sectors

Where this firm appears

If you represent this firm and something here is wrong or out of date, email hello@theassurancedesk.com with the evidence.

This is an independent editorial guide, not legal advice.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC UK) review

PwC UK scores