info@libcus.com

01629 810 222

Chartered Accountants Specialising in R&D Funding

info@libcus.com

01629 810 222

Chartered Accountants Specialising in R&D Funding

Research and Development Tax Credits

The Research and Development Tax Credit Scheme was introduced by the government in 2000 to encourage business innovation and growth within UK industry. In the words of HMRC to be eligible to qualify you need to be ‘undertaking product or software development which is not readily deducible by a competent professional’. This means undertaking development work which makes your products or processes ‘better, cheaper and or faster’ and in doing so you have overcome technical challenges or uncertainties.

Who is the scheme for?

  •  Limited companies
  • Both profit & loss-making companies
  • New businesses can qualify after their first year of trading
  • Failed and abortive projects can still be eligible

How is the benefit received?

Companies receive their benefit through the corporation tax returns (CT600) in various ways:

  •  Corporation tax repayments for a previous period
  •  Reductions in corporation tax for a current period
  •  Companies can trade losses in for cash
  •  Losses carried forward to use against future corporation tax

The scheme is more generous for SMEs

Small to medium sized businesses can claim up to 25% back of the eligible spend. For larger companies (typically more than 500 employees) it equates to approximately 8%.

What costs can I claim?

  • Staff costs (inc PAYE and pension)
  • Subcontractor costs
  • Certain overheads
  • Consumables
  • Overseas costs (paid from UK)

The scheme applies to a broad range of business sectors

While the Research and Development tax credit scheme tends to conjure up images of men in white coats, the scheme in fact applies to a broad range of business sectors including:

  • Software & IT Development
  • Pharmaceutical
  • Engineering & Electronics
  • Adhesive & Plastics
  • Agriculture & Agricultural Equipment
  • Construction & Architecture
  • Food Manufacturing
  • Recycling & Waste

Technical challenges come in many different forms, for example:

IT & Software

  • Cyber security & encryption
  • Search engine advancements
  • Linking old and new software  systems

Food Manufacturing

  • Longer shelf life
  • Developing products for specific  dietary needs
  • Using less additives, retaining the same characteristics

Energy

  • Extending battery life
  • Achieving same functionality using cheaper materials
  • Using waste resources to create improved products