Advance assurance pilot confirmed
There have been a number of changes to how research and development tax credits are claimed in recent years. HMRC has now confirmed that a pilot of a new clearance procedure will begin later this year. What do we know so far?
Research and development (R&D) tax credits provide corporation tax relief for companies that incur expenditure undertaking qualifying activities. A number of new requirements have been introduced in recent years, including the need to notify HMRC of the intention to make a claim prior to making it. Following a consultation, HMRC has now confirmed that a new targeted advance assurance service will be piloted. Previously, a very restricted service, aimed at the smallest companies, has been available.
The service will aim to help provide confidence that a project will qualify for relief before a claim is made. The service will cover the following aspects:
- whether the project meets the definition of R&D for tax purposes
- whether overseas expenditure qualifies for relief
- which party can claim relief for contracted-out expenditure; and
- whether the company qualifies for exemption from the pay as you earn (PAYE) or National Insurance contribution cap.
There is no confirmed start date yet; the announcement in Agent Update 138 simply says it will be in Spring 2026.
Related Topics
-
Timetable for agent multi-factor authentication rollout published
HMRC has published further details of its plans to introduce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for tax agents. The rollout is intended to strengthen security across HMRC's online services and will be introduced in stages over the coming months. What do you need to know?
-
Using the EIS to unwind capital gains tax
You inherited shares from your father last year and sold them several months later making a tidy capital gain. You’ve read that the enterprise investment scheme (EIS) can defer the resulting tax bill, but how might it reduce it?
-
Electronic VAT return and payment due
This website uses both its own and third-party cookies to analyze our services and navigation on our website in order to improve its contents (analytical purposes: measure visits and sources of web traffic). The legal basis is the consent of the user, except in the case of basic cookies, which are essential to navigate this website.