Our Research & Development (R&D) Tax Credits Service

Unlock the Value of Innovation

Many businesses carry out qualifying R&D without realising it. If your company has invested time, expertise and resources into overcoming scientific or technological challenges, you could be entitled to valuable R&D tax relief.

At Clear Vision, we help businesses identify qualifying projects, prepare robust claims and manage the process from start to finish, making it as straightforward as possible.

What Counts as Research & Development?

For tax purposes, HMRC defines R&D as work that seeks to achieve an advance in science or technology by resolving scientific or technological uncertainties that could not easily be solved by a competent professional in the field.

Qualifying R&D isn’t limited to laboratories or scientific research. It often includes practical development work across engineering, manufacturing, software, construction, food production and many other sectors. Projects may involve:

• Developing new products, processes or services
• Significantly improving existing products, processes or services
• Finding new ways to achieve existing outcomes using science or technology
• Attempting solutions that ultimately prove unsuccessful

Importantly, a project does not need to succeed to qualify. If genuine technological uncertainty existed at the outset and your team attempted to overcome it, the work may still be eligible.

Could Your Business Qualify?

Answering “Yes” to one or more of the following questions may indicate that your business has undertaken qualifying R&D:

• Have you developed something that differentiates your business from competitors?
• Have you tackled particularly complex technical challenges?
• Have you invested significant time and resources into solving difficult problems?
• Have you created improvements that increased efficiency or performance?
• Do you operate within a specialist or highly regulated industry?
• Do you employ experienced engineers, developers, scientists or other technical specialists?

If so, it’s worth speaking to our R&D team.

Who Can Claim R&D Tax Relief?

To qualify, your business must:

• Be a UK limited company subject to Corporation Tax
• Be a going concern when the claim is submitted
• Have undertaken qualifying R&D activities
• Demonstrate that the project aimed to achieve an advance in science or technology
• Show that technological uncertainties had to be overcome
• Show that technological uncertainties had to be overcome

What Makes a Project Eligible?

A qualifying project should aim to advance scientific or technological knowledge, not simply improve commercial performance. Eligible activities may include:

• Developing new products or technology
• Improving existing products or processes
• Engineering and design work involving technological uncertainty
• Software development
• Prototype development and testing
• Experimental design and manufacturing improvements

Activities that generally do not qualify include:

• Routine commercial improvements
• Cosmetic or aesthetic changes
• Market research
• Work in the arts, humanities or social sciences
• Purely theoretical work that does not involve technological advancement

Our specialists can assess your projects and explain exactly what qualifies.

What Costs Can Be Claimed?

Depending on your circumstances, eligible costs may include:

• Employee salaries
• Employer National Insurance contributions
• Pension contributions
• R&D-related staff bonuses
• Agency workers
• Subcontractor costs (subject to current legislation)
• Software licences
• Cloud computing and data licence costs
• Consumable materials
• Utilities such as heat, power and water used during R&D
• Clinical trial volunteer costs (where applicable)

We’ll ensure all eligible expenditure is identified and included within your claim.

How Much Could You Receive?

The value of your claim depends on which R&D scheme applies.

Merged R&D Scheme

Most companies now claim under the Merged R&D Scheme. This provides an above-the-line taxable credit worth 20% of qualifying R&D expenditure. After Corporation Tax, the benefit is typically around 15% to 16.2% of qualifying costs.

R&D Intensive SME Scheme

Companies whose qualifying R&D expenditure represents at least 30% of total business expenditure may qualify for enhanced support. Eligible businesses can receive a payable credit worth up to approximately 27% of qualifying expenditure.

We’ll determine which scheme applies and calculate the maximum relief available.

How Clear Vision Can Help

Our experienced R&D team will guide you through every stage of the claim process, making it as straightforward and stress-free as possible. We can help by:

• Managing the application process from start to finish, reducing the administrative burden on you and your team
• Preparing and supporting all the documentation required for your R&D tax relief claim
• Liaising directly with HMRC on your behalf
• Advising on the impact of your claim on your Corporation Tax position
• Working closely with you to maximise your claim while ensuring it is accurate, robust and fully compliant with HMRC requirements

Preparing a Strong Technical Report

A successful claim relies on demonstrating exactly why your project qualified. We work with your technical team to establish:

• The technological baseline before the project began
• What scientific or technological advances were being sought
• The uncertainties encountered
• Why those uncertainties could not easily be resolved
• The work undertaken to overcome them

We then produce a clear, comprehensive report that explains the project in language HMRC can understand, while accurately reflecting the technical complexity involved.

How Far Back Can You Claim?

In most cases, we can review accounting periods where the first anniversary of the Corporation Tax filing deadline has not passed.

For many businesses, this means claims can usually be made for the previous two accounting periods.

Free Initial Consultation

Not sure whether your business qualifies?

Our initial consultation is completely free and without obligation.

We’ll discuss your projects either over the phone or in person and provide an honest assessment of your claim potential.

If we don’t believe a worthwhile claim exists, we’ll tell you – with no fee to pay.

If there is an opportunity, we’ll guide you through every step of the process and work to maximise your claim.

Get in touch today to discover whether your business could benefit from R&D Tax Relief. 

Professional Certification in R&D Tax Relief

We are committed to providing clients with specialist knowledge in an area of tax legislation that continues to evolve.

Our Managing Director, Matt, has successfully completed the 12-week Research & Development Tax Relief Certification with The R&D Community. This is the industry’s first recognised professional certification dedicated to R&D tax relief.

 As registered members of The R&D Community, we continually enhance our expertise through ongoing professional development, enabling us to:

• Stay up to date with legislative changes
• Maintain best practice in R&D tax relief
• Strengthen our technical knowledge
• Deliver accurate, compliant and robust claims for our clients

This ongoing investment in specialist training helps ensure our clients receive knowledgeable advice and the highest standard of service.

Case Studies

We’ve successfully prepared and submitted numerous R&D tax relief claims for our clients across a wide range of industries. Below is just a couple of representative case studies showcasing the value we’ve delivered:

Every effort has been made to select relevant examples; however over time, what constitutes an advancement in science or technology may evolve – what was once considered R&D may no longer qualify as such today.