ForrestBrown is hitting the road throughout May and June to raise awareness of a ‘new rulebook’ for R&D tax relief. Across a series of UK-wide events, our experts will offer support to accountants, helping them navigate complex R&D tax claims – something that is critical amidst increased compliance focus from HMRC.
These events are aimed exclusively at accountants and will provide actionable insights at a time of significant change, including an opportunity to have your questions answered. Our expert team will be sharing advice on the latest reforms to R&D tax relief and their potential implications for businesses of all sizes. Events take place in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Belfast.
The rulebook for R&D has changed, creating complexity and uncertainty for many accountants and their clients. ForrestBrown has driven positive change in the market for R&D tax advice over the last decade, so we’re determined to help our accountant partners make sense of all these changes and support them to best advise their clients, particularly in a challenging economic climate.
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Partner, director, and manager level attendees are welcome. Sign up to your nearest event:
Understanding Spring Budget R&D reforms
The Spring Budget continued the trend for piecemeal changes to R&D tax incentives which has created a complex picture for innovative businesses and advisers. Following the ‘rebalancing’ of rates for SMEs and large companies in last year’s Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced enhanced support for SMEs whose spend on R&D equals at least 40% of total expenditure. However, the more generous rate only applies to loss-making businesses meeting a qualification threshold which will exclude the majority of innovative SMEs.
A number of other reforms to R&D tax relief came into force on 1 April, including a new category of qualifying expenditure (for data licence and cloud computing costs), a change to the definition of qualifying activity (with the inclusion of pure mathematics) and requirements for companies to notify HMRC in advance if they intend to make an R&D claim. Additionally, with the government currently considering responses to its consultation on a single scheme for R&D tax relief, further changes are in the pipeline.
“We’re determined to help our accountant partners make sense of all these changes and support them to best advise their clients”
These complications, along with the likely implementation of a single scheme in the near future, are understandably clouding the picture for accountants when advising in this specialist area of tax.
Responding to feedback from partners, ForrestBrown is holding this series of events across the country to share its expertise and ensure that accountants can confidently navigate these changes.
The events will be held in nine cities across the UK from 16 May to 22 June 2023. And are open to partner, director and manager level attendees who can sign up here.
Find out more about ForrestBrown’s accountant partnership programme or speak to us today.