About Us
R&D Tax Credit Specialists
Our specialists maximise your claim value because we understand HMRC requirements and technical nuances. We dig deeper than standard accountants to find the qualifying expenditure hidden in your operations.
Based in central Manchester, our work begins where traditional accounting stops. We specialise in identifying the qualifying R&D expenditure hidden within the operational budgets of Manchester's most innovative companies.
Contact Us
Free Eligibility Check
Are You Eligible for R&D Tax Credits?
Answer 5 quick questions to find out in under 60 seconds.
Question 1 of 5
Has your company undertaken work to create or improve a product, process, or service?
Why Manchester Firms Partner With Us
Navigating the complexities of HMRC's R&D tax relief scheme requires more than just filling out forms. For businesses across Manchester, from the tech startups in the Northern Quarter to the engineering firms tackling ambitious infrastructure projects, the challenge is articulating technical advancement in a way that satisfies HMRC's stringent criteria.
- Deep Dive Technical Reviews: We analyse your project documentation, from initial specs to final testing data.
- HMRC Merged Scheme Compliance: We structure every claim according to the post-April 2024 rules, including the 20% R&D expenditure credit (RDEC) model.
- Narrative & Evidence Preparation: We translate your team's technical work into a clear narrative that directly addresses HMRC's definition of R&D.
- Proactive Record-Keeping Advice: We help you implement systems to capture qualifying activities and costs as they happen, strengthening future claims.
Our focus is on building a robust, evidence-based narrative for every claim. We document the scientific or technological uncertainties your team faced and the systematic process of investigation they undertook to resolve them. This isn't about just listing costs; it's about proving a methodical attempt at innovation.
Sector Specific Expertise
HMRC requires proof of an "advance in overall knowledge or capability in a field of science or technology." This looks different in every industry. Below are real-world examples of qualifying activities we document.
01
Food & Drink
Food and drink businesses may undertake R&D when developing products, improving shelf life, refining manufacturing methods or addressing technical production issues. Qualifying work can be overlooked because it is embedded in routine operational activity. A careful review helps distinguish standard commercial work from genuine technical development. This makes it easier to identify relevant projects and supporting records.
02
Software Development
Software and technology businesses often undertake work to resolve technical uncertainty through development, testing and refinement. Projects may involve new platforms, integrations, performance improvements or complex data handling. Identifying qualifying work requires a careful review of what was attempted and why standard solutions were not sufficient. Support is tailored to help document both the technical challenges and the related costs.
03
Manufacturing
Manufacturing businesses may carry out qualifying R&D when improving products, processes or production methods. This can include prototyping, material testing, design changes and efforts to overcome engineering limitations. The detail of day-to-day development work is often spread across teams and records. A structured approach helps bring technical and cost information together for a stronger claim.
04
Engineering
Engineering projects frequently involve problem solving where the outcome is not known at the outset. Work may include design development, system performance improvements or overcoming technical constraints in real-world conditions. Claims in this sector benefit from clear explanations of the uncertainties faced and the work done to resolve them. Evidence gathering is important where multiple specialists contribute to a project.
05
Agriculture
Innovation in agriculture must go beyond established farming practices. Qualifying projects could include developing new crop varieties resistant to specific local pests through advanced breeding programs or engineering new precision irrigation systems that measurably reduce water consumption in response to regional environmental pressures.
06
Electronics
Electronics businesses often work on projects involving design complexity, system integration and performance challenges. Development may include circuit design, testing, miniaturisation or resolving reliability issues. These projects can involve iterative work that needs to be explained clearly for a claim. Technical documentation and project timelines are often key to presenting the work properly.
07
Construction
Construction businesses can carry out qualifying R&D where projects involve technical innovation beyond standard practice. This may arise in structural design, site constraints, materials performance or complex build methods. Not every challenging project will qualify, so careful assessment is needed. The focus is on identifying genuine technical uncertainty and documenting the development work undertaken.
08
Automotive
Automotive businesses may carry out R&D in product design, component development, testing and manufacturing improvement. Work in this sector often involves compliance requirements, performance demands and technical problem solving. Claims need to show where genuine uncertainty existed and how teams worked to resolve it. Bringing together design, test and cost information is an important part of the process.
09
Pharmaceutical And Life Sciences
Pharmaceutical and life sciences businesses often work in environments where experimentation, testing and technical advancement are central to development. Projects may involve formulation, process development, laboratory work or product improvement. Claims in this sector usually depend on well-documented technical activity and associated costs. Support helps organise information into a clear and consistent claim.
R&D Tax Credits Services
Our methodology ensures clarity, accuracy, and detail at every stage.
- 1Eligibility Review: An initial assessment to determine if your projects contain genuine technical uncertainty.
- 2Cost Assessment: A thorough review of financial data to identify all claimable costs, including staff salaries, consumables, software, and relevant subcontractor fees.
- 3Technical Narrative: We work with your technical leads to prepare a detailed report explaining the project's goals, challenges, and outcomes.
- 4Submission-Ready Package: We assemble a complete claim, ready for your accountant to submit with your corporation tax return.
- 5Inquiry Support: Should HMRC have questions, we are there to help you respond with detailed, evidence-backed answers.
Each part of the process is handled with a focus on clarity, accuracy and relevant supporting detail.
Client Testimonials
Our specialist focus allows us to uncover qualifying expenditure that others miss. Businesses that switch to us from general accountants often see a significant uplift in their claim's value.
"We switched from our corporate accountant after they missed the qualifying expenditure in our AWS data processing activities. The team at R&D Tax Consultant understood the technical nuances of our SaaS platform, identifying £95,000 in qualifying cloud computing costs related to the development of our predictive analytics engine. Their understanding of the post-April 2023 rules was critical."
David Chen
Founder of a Northern Quarter-based FinTech
"Our work involves developing new material composites for architectural cladding. We assumed the trial-and-error process was just a cost of doing business. Their consultants conducted a two-year lookback and built a claim that recovered £210,000. This was based on material consumption, prototyping, and the engineering team's time spent overcoming performance limitations that weren't solvable with existing industry knowledge."
Maria Evans
Operations Director at a Trafford Park Manufacturer
"As a biotech firm, our R&D is obvious, but capturing all related costs is not. They conducted a meticulous three-year retrospective claim that identified overlooked expenditure in our subcontractor costs and qualifying indirect activities. The £350,000 we recovered was reinvested directly into our next phase of clinical trials."
Dr. Ben Carter
CEO of a Manchester Science Park-affiliated Life Sciences start-up
"We switched from our corporate accountant after they missed the qualifying expenditure in our AWS data processing activities. The team at R&D Tax Consultant understood the technical nuances of our SaaS platform, identifying £95,000 in qualifying cloud computing costs related to the development of our predictive analytics engine. Their understanding of the post-April 2023 rules was critical."
David Chen
Founder of a Northern Quarter-based FinTech
Knowledge Hub
Latest Insights
HMRC Recognised
Compliance Assured
12+ Years
Specialist Experience
500+ Claims
Successfully Filed
No Win, No Fee
Risk Free Service
95% Success Rate
Claim Acceptance
Trusted by Manchester Innovators
Numbers That Speak
£61,537
Average Client Entitlement
475+
Claims Successfully Filed
90%
Client Claim Acceptance
11+
Years of R&D Expertise
No upfront costs. No hidden fees. We only get paid when your claim is successful.
Start Your ClaimGet in Touch
Ready to explore your R&D tax credit claim? Contact our team for a free initial consultation. We're here to help you navigate the process and maximise your entitlement.
Address
24 Little Quay St
Manchester
M3 3HH
Phone
0161 524 5701Service Coverage
Manchester and surrounding areas