Eligibility review
Assess projects against the relevant scientific or technological-advance criteria.
R&D tax relief
A technically robust R&D claim starts with the work—not the number.
We help innovative businesses identify qualifying activity, analyse eligible costs and prepare clear technical evidence under the current UK R&D tax rules.
What we deliver
Evidence-led support from eligibility through submission.
Technical narrative
Explain the baseline, advance, uncertainties and work undertaken to resolve them.
Cost analysis
Identify and calculate qualifying staffing, software, consumable and subcontractor costs.
Claim methodology
Document assumptions, apportionments and supporting calculations clearly.
Corporation-tax integration
Coordinate the R&D submission with the company tax return and accounts.
HMRC readiness
Maintain evidence and explanations designed to support a robust response if queried.
Why it matters
The value of a claim depends on whether it can be defended.
R&D relief is specialist tax work. A credible claim connects technical activity, financial records and the applicable scheme rather than relying on broad descriptions.
- Clear qualifying-project assessment
- Evidence linked to the accounting records
- Current-scheme treatment considered
- Transparent calculations and assumptions
- Support through submission and subsequent questions
How it works
A clear process with visible responsibilities.
Understand the current position
We assess your structure, systems, records and immediate priorities.
Put the right process in place
We agree responsibilities, deadlines, information flows and review points.
Use the output to make decisions
We explain what the work shows and identify the next practical actions.
Who we help
R&D claims for technology companies that build their own products.
Most of the R&D claims we prepare come from software, SaaS, fintech and engineering businesses whose teams solve technical problems that have no off-the-shelf answer.
We work with first-time claimants who want to know whether they qualify, and with companies that have claimed before and want a claim that stands up to HMRC’s current level of scrutiny. Because we also prepare company accounts and corporation tax returns, the R&D figures tie straight back to your Xero records.
- Building new data architectures or platforms
- Developing algorithms or machine-learning models
- Overcoming scaling or performance limits
- Integrating systems in ways that were not readily deducible
- Resolving technical uncertainty a competent professional could not easily solve
FAQs
R&D tax credit questions, answered.
Which R&D scheme applies to my company?
For accounting periods starting on or after 1 April 2024, most companies claim under the merged R&D expenditure credit scheme. Loss-making SMEs that spend a high share of their total costs on R&D may instead qualify for Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS). We confirm which applies before any numbers are calculated.
Does software development qualify for R&D tax relief?
It can, when the work aims to achieve an advance in technology and involves technological uncertainty that your team had to resolve. Routine development using established methods usually does not. We review each project against HMRC’s guidelines rather than claiming the whole engineering budget.
What costs can be included?
Qualifying costs typically include staff costs for people directly working on R&D, externally provided workers, software, cloud computing and data costs, consumables, and some subcontractor costs. Each category has its own rules, so we document how every figure was calculated.
Do I need to tell HMRC before I claim?
Companies claiming for the first time, or that have not claimed in the previous three years, usually need to submit a claim notification within six months of the end of the accounting period. Every claim also needs an additional information form. Missing either can mean the claim is not accepted.
What happens if HMRC opens an enquiry?
We prepare claims with enquiries in mind: a clear technical narrative, cost workings and supporting evidence. If HMRC asks questions, we help you respond and handle the correspondence. Raising investment too? See our SEIS/EIS and investment readiness support.
Understand what genuinely qualifies.
Start with a practical discussion about what your business needs.