31/05/2026
HMRC's R&D advance assurance pilot: a guide for startups - Iain Butler 💭
Starting a business is never straightforward, and investing in innovation often adds to the uncertainty. The R&D tax credit scheme can help reduce some of that risk by rewarding startups for investing in R&D. But recently, the scheme has become complex and harder to navigate. To address these concerns, HMRC has launched a limited pilot of a new targeted advance assurance service to give startups more clarity before submitting a claim.
An existing full claim advance assurance scheme has been available since 2015, but take-up has been low. Many found that the eligibility criteria were too restrictive, with only first-time small company claimants able to apply. Many others have faced increased scrutiny from HMRC, which has caused some claims to become stuck in prolonged enquiries. Consequently, some startups that should be claiming are not because they lack confidence about when the business will receive the cash back. The targeted pilot is HMRC’s attempt to address this confidence gap and provide better certainty about when you will receive support from your claim.
Read more: https://startupsmagazine.co.uk/hmrcs-rd-advance-assurance-pilot-a-guide-for-startups
