Robust, HMRC-ready R&D claims under the new merged scheme, maximised relief, defensible technical narratives.
R&D tax credits reward UK companies that resolve genuine scientific or technological uncertainty, but the rules changed fundamentally with the merged scheme, an above-the-line 20% credit worth roughly 15% net of Corporation Tax. We prepare end-to-end claims under the merged scheme and the enhanced R&D-intensive support (ERIS) route for loss-making SMEs, with technical narratives and cost breakdowns built to survive HMRC's tougher compliance regime. Our ACCA-qualified team handles eligibility, costing, the mandatory additional information form and CT600 entries from one fixed price.
For accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2024, most companies claim under the single merged scheme: a 20% above-the-line expenditure credit, taxable, giving a net benefit of around 15% after the main 25% Corporation Tax rate. We calculate the credit through the seven-step set-off, post it correctly to the CT600 and reconcile it against your tax position.
Loss-making SMEs whose qualifying R&D is at least 30% of total expenditure can claim Enhanced R&D Intensive Support, a 186% deduction (the 86% uplift) with a payable credit of up to 14.5% on the surrenderable loss. We test the intensity ratio, apply connected-company aggregation and choose between ERIS and the merged scheme to maximise cash.
We capture every eligible category, staff PAYE/NIC and pension, externally provided workers, subcontractors, consumables, software, data and cloud computing costs, and apportion mixed costs defensibly. We also apply the new UK territoriality restriction on overseas EPWs and subcontractors that bites for periods from 1 April 2024.
HMRC rejects vague claims. We draft project narratives that articulate the scientific or technological advance sought, the uncertainties faced and how a competent professional could not readily deduce the solution, the actual statutory test, not marketing language. Each project is mapped to the BEIS/DSIT guidelines.
Since 8 August 2023, every claim must be supported by a pre-submission Additional Information Form, and most claims need an advance Claim Notification within six months of period-end for first-time or lapsed claimants. We prepare and file both, so a missed notification never voids your claim.
We respond to HMRC R&D compliance checks and nudge letters, and review the previous two open periods so you can amend within the standard time limit (generally two years from the end of the accounting period). We will tell you honestly where a claim is weak rather than expose you to penalties.
With HMRC's increased enquiry rate and mandatory disclosure forms, an overstated claim is a liability. Our ACCA-qualified accountants apply the statutory uncertainty test and document the advance properly, so your relief holds up under a compliance check.
You deal with a single named accountant who learns your projects, not a call centre or a contingent-fee sales team. We reply to queries within 72 hours so claim deadlines and notification windows are never missed.
We charge transparent fixed fees of £99, £199 or £499 on a rolling monthly basis, not the percentage of your refund that contingent R&D firms take. You keep the full benefit of your claim, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Because we handle your Corporation Tax and accounts, the R&D credit is reconciled against your CT600, losses and group position, catching interactions with full expensing, the 40% first-year allowance and loss surrenders that standalone R&D shops miss.
We pull cost data straight from Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent or Sage, so building the qualifying-expenditure schedule is fast and accurate, no rekeying, no guesswork on apportionment.
Understanding your business needs.
Crafting your custom accounting strategy.
Quick and easy integration.
Consistent monitoring and reporting.
CT600 returns, computations, and strategic planning to legitimately reduce your liability.
Read morePersonal tax returns prepared, optimised, and filed for directors, sole traders, and high earners.
Read moreQuarterly planning calls that surface savings before deadlines, not after.
Read moreFull HMRC representation, documentation, and negotiation when an enquiry lands.
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Work that seeks an advance in science or technology by resolving scientific or technological uncertainty that a competent professional in the field couldn't readily solve. It doesn't have to be successful, novel to the world, or in a lab, bespoke software, new manufacturing processes, and engineering integration work routinely qualify. Marketing innovation, cosmetic redesign, and routine debugging don't.
Under the merged scheme (accounting periods starting on or after 1 April 2024), most companies get a 20% above-the-line credit on qualifying expenditure, giving roughly 15p back per £1 spent after corporation tax. Loss-making R&D-intensive SMEs (where R&D is 30%+ of total expenditure) can claim the enhanced ERIS rate worth up to 27p per £1. Typical claims for our clients land between £15,000 and £100,000.
Staff salaries, employer NI and pension contributions for time spent on R&D, externally provided workers (subject to the 65% restriction), subcontractor costs (with the new rules tightening overseas spend), consumables used up in R&D, software licences, and a proportion of utilities and data costs. Capital expenditure is excluded but may qualify for R&D Allowances separately.
HMRC's compliance check rate rose sharply from 2023 onwards, with many claims rejected for thin technical narratives. We write claims to the standard HMRC actually wants, the technical uncertainty argued in the language of a competent professional, costs apportioned with timesheets or defensible estimates, and the Additional Information Form completed fully. If a claim is queried, we defend it at no extra cost.
Fixed fee or a contingent percentage (usually 12-18%) of the claim value, capped so you always keep the majority. We quote both upfront so you can pick. First conversation is free, if your work doesn't qualify, we'll tell you on the call rather than waste your time on a workshop.
Thirty minutes with an ACCA-qualified accountant. Most owners uncover £1,000-£3,000 in annual savings on the first call. If we are not the right fit, you walk away with a free tax review on the house.
