R&D tax credit specialists, also called R&D tax consultants, are advisers who combine tax and technical knowledge to prepare, file and defend claims for HMRC research and development relief. We are a free UK introduction service: you tell us about your work, and we match you with a vetted specialist from our panel whose sector experience fits.
A rough guide using HMRC headline rates. A specialist will confirm the real figure.
Ignores the PAYE and NIC cap on payable credits, connected companies and subsidised work. Not tax advice.
Check this with a specialistSource: HMRC R&D Tax Credits Statistics, September 2026. Provisional, rounded figures.
UK companies made 40,325 R&D tax relief claims worth £8.2 billion in the 2024 to 2025 tax year, according to provisional HMRC statistics published on 29 September 2026. Claim numbers fell 17% on the year before while the value of relief rose 5%, which points to fewer but larger and better evidenced claims. That is why the specialist you choose matters.
An R&D tax specialist helps with six main jobs: preparing a new claim, claiming the higher ERIS rate, defending an HMRC enquiry, reviewing a past claim, getting advance assurance and, for companies with patents, Patent Box. We match you with a firm that does the job you need.
Full claim preparation under the merged scheme by a specialist who knows your sector, from the first technical interview to the figures in your Corporation Tax return.
Claim preparationLoss-making SMEs spending 30% or more on R&D can claim a payable credit worth up to about 27p per pound.
ERIS claimsHelp answering HMRC compliance checks, preparing evidence and protecting your position on penalties.
Enquiry supportAn independent look at a claim before you file, or at past claims you are worried about.
Claim reviewHMRC's full and targeted advance assurance services, including the pilot launched in May 2026.
Advance assuranceA 10% effective Corporation Tax rate on profits from qualifying patents, often alongside R&D relief.
Patent BoxOur matching service works in four steps and usually takes a few working days from enquiry to first conversation. You stay in control: nothing is shared with a firm until you consent, and you decide whether to appoint anyone.
Use the short form. Sector, region, rough spend and a line on the technical problem is enough.
We look for obvious blockers such as a missed claim notification deadline, and note the scheme you are likely to fall under.
We pass your enquiry to up to 3 panel firms with experience in your sector and size of claim.
Each firm explains its approach and fees in writing. You appoint the one you prefer, or none at all.
For accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2024 there are two routes: the merged R&D expenditure credit scheme, which pays a 20% taxable credit, and Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS) for loss-making SMEs whose R&D is at least 30% of their total spending. Earlier periods still open for amendment use the old SME and RDEC rules.
| Scheme | Who it is for | Headline rate | Net benefit per £1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merged scheme (RDEC) | Most companies, SME or large, for periods from 1 April 2024 | 20% taxable credit | 15p at 25% tax, 16.2p for small profits rate or loss-making |
| ERIS | Loss-making SMEs with R&D at least 30% of total expenditure | 86% extra deduction, losses surrendered at 14.5% | Up to 26.97p |
| Legacy SME scheme | SMEs, periods starting 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 | 86% extra deduction, 10% credit (14.5% if 40% intensive) | 18.6p loss-making, 21.5p at 25% tax, 26.97p intensive |
| Patent Box | Companies earning profit from qualifying patents | 10% effective tax rate | Applies to profits, not R&D spend |
Compare the merged scheme and ERIS in detail or use the full calculator.
Your work counts as R&D for tax if it seeks an advance in overall knowledge or capability in a field of science or technology, by resolving scientific or technological uncertainty that a competent professional in that field could not readily resolve. The test comes from the government's guidelines on the meaning of R&D for tax purposes, not from whether the work is new to your company.
Our specialists cover the sectors that make most UK claims. HMRC figures show manufacturing and information and communication each made 27% of claims in 2024 to 2025, with professional, scientific and technical firms making 20%. We match on sector because the technical case is where claims are most often challenged.
SaaS, platforms, data engineering, machine learning and cloud infrastructure.
Software claimsProcess improvement, tooling, automation, materials and prototypes.
Manufacturing claimsDrug discovery, diagnostics, devices and clinical trials.
Life sciences claimsNovel structural, ground, building services and low-carbon solutions.
Construction claimsRecipe reformulation, shelf life, processing and packaging science.
Food and drink claimsRenewables, storage, hydrogen, decarbonisation and farming technology.
Cleantech claimsWe match companies anywhere in the UK, because most specialist work is done remotely with site visits when the technical story needs one. London, the South East and the East of England together account for about half of UK claims by number, but strong clusters exist from Glasgow to Bristol.
Our panel is made up of independent UK R&D tax firms that we have checked against written criteria covering professional standards, insurance, fee transparency and enquiry support. We list each firm by name, with details taken from its own published information.
They took the time to understand our work properly, they kept us updated throughout the entire process and explained every step along the way. We received the maximum relief we were entitled to. We will be definitely using them again for our future claims.
They made the whole R&D tax credits claim process feel easy from start to end. Their specialists explained everything clearly, handled the tricky bits, and just made the entire process really simple. Proper experts in their field. Hats off to their team for all their hard work and dedication. We look forward to working on our next claim. Thank you.
We switched to them our R&D tax credits and the difference was clear straight away. They were much quicker than our previous agency and delivered far better value. The whole thing was handled efficiently from start to finish.
These are reviews of Alexander Clifford written by its own clients on Google, not reviews of our matching service. Read them on Google
A specialist suits most technical companies, because the technical narrative is where HMRC focuses. An accountant with R&D experience can suit simple, repeat claims. Doing it yourself is legal but carries the most risk for first claims. The table compares the three honestly.
| Factor | R&D tax specialist | General accountant | Do it yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical narrative | Written with engineers or scientists who know your field | Varies; often relies on your own write-up | Written by your team |
| Cost apportionment | Detailed review of staff time, contractors and software | Good on figures, may need technical input | Your finance team |
| AIF and CT600 figures | Usually included | Usually included | You submit both |
| HMRC enquiry support | Often included or offered; check the terms | Varies | None unless you pay later |
| Typical fee basis | Percentage of relief or fixed fee | Usually fixed or hourly | Staff time only |
| Best for | First claims, technical work, larger or complex claims | Simple repeat claims with strong records | Experienced teams with low risk claims |
Red flags to avoid: cold calls promising a guaranteed amount, firms that will not put fees in writing, anyone who suggests claiming for routine work “because everyone does”, and contracts that charge you again if HMRC opens an enquiry. Our guide to choosing a specialist covers the questions to ask.
Three deadlines apply to every R&D claim: the claim notification form within six months of the period end for first or returning claimants, the Additional Information Form before you file the return, and the claim itself within two years of the end of the accounting period. Missing the first one means losing the claim for that period entirely.
Coming change: in the Autumn Budget on 28 October 2026 the government announced that the claim notification requirement will be removed from April 2027, and the Additional Information Form simplified from autumn 2027. Until then, the current deadlines still apply. HM Treasury consultation.
R&D Tax Credit Specialists is an independent UK introduction service. We built it because the R&D tax market is hard to judge from the outside: some excellent firms, and some that have damaged their clients with weak claims. Our job is to put technical companies in front of specialists who meet clear standards, and to explain the rules in plain English so you can ask the right questions.
We are open about how we work. We do not give tax advice, we do not prepare claims, and we never tell you a firm is the only option. Every guide on this site is checked against HMRC and GOV.UK sources and dated. Read more about us and our editorial policy.
An R&D tax credit specialist works out which of your projects meet the HMRC definition of research and development, calculates the qualifying costs, writes the technical narrative, completes the Additional Information Form and the R&D figures for your Corporation Tax return, and supports you if HMRC opens an enquiry.
Yes. Our matching service is free for businesses. Specialist firms on our panel pay us a fee when we introduce a business to them. That fee does not change the price a firm quotes you, and you are never obliged to appoint anyone we introduce.
No. We are an introduction service. Your claim is prepared by the independent specialist firm you choose to appoint, under its own engagement letter, fees and professional responsibility.
Your company may qualify if it is liable to UK Corporation Tax and spent money on a project that tried to achieve an advance in science or technology by resolving uncertainty that a competent professional could not readily resolve. Our qualifying guide walks through the test.
For accounting periods starting on or after 1 April 2024, most companies get a net benefit of about 15p to 16.2p for each pound of qualifying spend under the merged scheme. Loss-making SMEs that spend at least 30% of their total expenditure on R&D can get up to about 27p under ERIS.
You must claim within two years of the end of the accounting period. If you are a first-time claimant, or have not claimed in the last three years, you must also submit a claim notification form within six months of the end of the period of account, or you cannot claim for it at all. The government has announced that the claim notification requirement will be removed from April 2027.
Most charge either a percentage of the relief they secure or a fixed fee agreed in advance, and some combine the two. Always get the fee basis, what is included (especially enquiry support) and any minimum fee in writing before you sign. Our fees guide explains the models.
There is no formal difference. Both terms describe advisers who prepare and defend R&D tax relief claims. What matters is the firm's technical and tax expertise, professional standards and fee terms, not the job title.
Not always. A good accountant with R&D experience can make a sound claim. A specialist usually adds technical writers or engineers who understand your field, which matters when HMRC questions whether the work is genuinely R&D. Many companies use both, with the specialist working alongside the accountant.
All of the UK. Panel specialists work with companies remotely and on site. We have city guides for London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Cambridge.
We review your answers, and with your consent share them with up to 3 panel firms that fit your sector and size. Those firms contact you directly. Our privacy policy explains how long we keep data and how to ask us to delete it.
Tell us what you do and roughly what you spend on development. We check the basics, then introduce you to a specialist from our panel whose sector experience fits your work.
Our matching service is free for businesses. Specialist firms on our panel pay us a fee when we introduce a business to them. That fee does not change the price a firm quotes you, and you are never obliged to appoint anyone we introduce.