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How to Successfully Submit Your R&D Claim to HMRC

This article will show you how to submit your R&D claim to HMRC, including what to expect after your claim is submitted.

At EmpowerRD, we give our clients the flexibility to choose an 'EmpowerRD Express' submission where we submit the claim for you or alternatively, you can submit the R&D claim yourself.

If you have chosen to submit the claim yourself, it is very important to be aware of what to expect during the claims process; it is crucial to get this right, as any errors can result in significant delays or even rejection of the claim.


How do I submit my claim?

We will prepare and submit the Additional Information Form for you, based on the information you provide us with on the platform. We will, first of all, send the Additional Information Form preview for your approval.


💡 R&D claimants no longer need to submit an R&D claim report, as the Additional Information Form is essentially replacing this now.



Once approved, we will submit the form and share it with you. You will then need to action the following:

  • Share the Additional Information Form with your accountant, this will provide them with the figures for the claim.
  • Your accountant will then need to prepare and submit the CT600 (tax return) and tax computations for your claim period. They will be familiar with submitting CT returns, but they will need to use the figures in the Additional Information Form to complete the appropriate boxes and calculate the tax credit correctly.

⚠️ Box 657 always needs to be ticked, as every claim requires an Additional Information Form to be submitted beforehand.

For claimants making their first R&D claim in the last 3 years, you also need to ensure that box 656 is ticked.


If you or your accountant are unsure about the above process, please contact us as soon as possible and we will be able to help you.

💡 While another nominated person (such as yourself, a member of your team or an advisor) could submit the above, it is highly recommended that your accountant completes this process; they will already be familiar with the R&D claims process and your company's details, ensuring that the claim is compliant with HMRC's rules and therefore,  preventing any potential errors from occurring.



What happens after I submit my claim?

Once the tax documents have been submitted to HMRC, please let us know the submission date and share a copy of the tax return with us.

The Additional Information Form and tax documents will then be reviewed by HMRC.


During this process, there are generally two scenarios that can happen:

  • If HMRC are happy with the Additional Information Form and calculations, they will make a payment to your company; this could be a corporation tax refund or a cash payment, depending on your company's circumstances. If your accountant has advised you not to receive the cash but instead use the tax benefit going forward, they will be able to confirm your adjusted tax position for you.

  • If HMRC has flagged any issues with your claim, they will usually contact you via letter or phone. They should write to your company's registered office address or accountant, so it is important to check your post regularly. In the event of receiving correspondence from HMRC regarding your claim, please forward a copy of the letter to us - we will be able to advise on the next steps required.

⚠️ HMRC can reopen your R&D claim and lodge an enquiry up to 12 months after the claim has been submitted, even if it has already been accepted and paid out. This is unusual but there is still a chance of it happening, therefore it is best to be prepared beforehand.

We will help you to manage any R&D claim enquiry during those 12 months.

 

 Question not answered?

Contact us via email at claims@empowerrd.com or alternatively, message us via live chat.