Knowledge Bank - R&D Tax Credits

Innovation Tax have a wealth of expert knowledge for you to access on R&D tax credits/relief. Our knowledge bank answers your questions in a series of simple guides & articles created by our sector specialists & tax professionals.

Welcome to our R&D Tax Credits Knowledge Bank

Innovation Tax are R&D tax relief claim specialists, we pride itself on the knowledge, experience and dedication of a team consisting of technical specialists, chartered tax professionals and ex-HMRC inspectors. This holistic expertise together with our business acumen combine to create tangible value for our clients. Each R&D tax credit claim that we undertake is compiled robustly in line with the prevailing legislation in order to maximise the claim benefit for our clients and is subjected to our comprehensive quality assurance protocols to ensure it passes through the HMRC claim process as efficiently as possible.

What is the R&D Tax credits/relief scheme?

The UK governments Research & Development tax relief scheme allows UK registered companies to recover up to 33% of their costs incurred whilst undertaking innovative activities such as advances made to new or existing products, processes, materials and software. The scheme is sector agnostic, and you can claim back 2 financial accounting years and every forward year of qualifying activity. Your business does not have to be profit making to claim and project success is not a factor.

There are two distinct R&D tax credit schemes.

One for SMEs and the RDEC (Research & Development Expenditure Credit) for ‘large’ companies which, for the purposes of the legislation, are those which employ more than 500 full-time staff and where either the turnover exceeds €100m or the Balance Sheet value exceeds €86m.

R&D tax credits/relief: Your questions are answered here:

Our Knowledge Bank contains answers to some of the common and not-so-common questions you may have on claiming R&D tax relief, which we are happy to share with companies looking to benefit from their innovative activities.

HMRC CIRD Manual Updates (Aug 2025) on R&D Relief: What changed and what to do now
R&D Schemes, R&D Tax Credits
HMRC CIRD Manual Updates (Aug 2025) on R&D Relief: What changed and what to do now
HMRC CIRD Manual Updates on R&D Relief – Aug 2025 HMRC quietly pushed a fresh round of edits across parts of the Corporate Intangibles Research & Development (CIRD) manual
Major HMRC Changes for Tax Agents: Education, Registration, and Expert Guidance
Knowledge Bank, R&D Schemes, R&D Tax Credits
Major HMRC Changes for Tax Agents: Education, Registration, and Expert Guidance
Introduction – HMRC Changes for Tax Agents HMRC Changes for Tax Agents HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has recently introduced significant changes in how it works with tax agents
Merged RDEC and ERIS Incentives
R&D Tax Credits
Merged RDEC and ERIS Incentives
Merged RDEC and ERIS Overview of the Merged RDEC and ERIS Incentives Merged RDEC and ERIS In April 2024, the UK overhauled its Research & Development (R&D) tax relief
Research and Development Claim Notification Guide (2025)
Knowledge Bank, R&D Tax Credits
Research and Development Claim Notification Guide (2025)
The UK’s Research and Development (R&D) tax relief scheme incentivises innovation by allowing companies to reclaim costs associated with qualifying R&D activities. However, recent reforms, effective for accounting periods
R&D Tax Credits | Subcontracted and Subsidised Expenditure (2025)
Knowledge Bank, R&D Tax Credits
R&D Tax Credits | Subcontracted and Subsidised Expenditure (2025)
Subcontracted and Subsidised Expenditure Introduction HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has rolled out significant updates to its R&D Tax Credit guidance, specifically addressing subcontracted R&D work and subsidised R&D
Merged Research and Development Tax Scheme & Recent Changes
Knowledge Bank, R&D Tax Credits
Merged Research and Development Tax Scheme & Recent Changes
The research and development (R&D) tax relief system is undergoing a significant overhaul, with the government unveiling a series of changes aimed at simplifying the relief. Effective from April
R&D Tax Credits for cloud computing and data licenses Post April 2023
Knowledge Bank, R&D Tax Credits
R&D Tax Credits for cloud computing and data licenses Post April 2023
R&D Tax Credits for cloud computing and data licenses Post April 2023 A Pivotal Change in R&D Tax Credits Innovation isn’t just about creating new technologies, it’s also about
R&D Tax Credits for Mathematics: Changes and Opportunities
Knowledge Bank, R&D Tax Credits
R&D Tax Credits for Mathematics: Changes and Opportunities
Unlocking Potential with R&D Tax Credits for Mathematics: Changes and Opportunities Introduction Pure mathematics is often viewed as an abstract and theoretical field. However, its impact reaches far beyond
A guide on R&D Tax terminology used by HMRC
Knowledge Bank, R&D Tax Credits
A guide on R&D Tax terminology used by HMRC
HMRC’s definition of R&D for tax purposes, as detailed in the BEIS (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) guidelines published in March 2004 and updated in December 2010, states that
R&D Tax Credits for the Food and Beverage Sector
R&D Tax Credits
R&D Tax Credits for the Food and Beverage Sector
R&D Tax Credits for the Food and Beverage Sector Many companies in the food & beverage industry can gain significant amounts of funding from R&D Tax Credits The Food
R&D Tax Credits for the Construction Sector
R&D Tax Credits
R&D Tax Credits for the Construction Sector
R&D Tax Credits for the Construction Sector More companies in the Construction industry could benefit from significant funding from R&D Tax Credits With over 325,000 registered firms operating within
R&D Tax Credits for the Software Sector
R&D Tax Credits
R&D Tax Credits for the Software Sector
R&D Tax Credits for the Software Sector Software technology is advancing at an ever-increasing rate as the need for people, businesses and ultimately data to be connected to each

HOW CAN WE HELP?

We hope you’ll find the answers to some of the questions you may have when setting out on your R&D tax credit claim but if you can’t find what you’re looking for or have a specific R&D claim challenge you would like to discuss we’ll be happy to help.

Start the conversation with a complimentary, no-obligation R&D tax credit claim consultation