Life Sciences Funding: Grants, R&D & Patent Box Reliefs

Beginning her career with a Big Four firm and gaining experience across a range of auditing and tax roles, Katy has specialised in R&D tax relief since joining ForrestBrown in 2019.

During a time of unprecedented change, Katy has led ForrestBrown’s approach to key policy developments including restrictions on overseas R&D activities and HMRC’s introduction of an additional information form. This has included liaising with HMRC, delivering internal training and providing insights to clients.

Clients working with Katy benefit from her commercial mindset and deep knowledge of R&D tax relief, including how it can work alongside other innovation incentives. She works with a range of established SMEs and large businesses in sectors including manufacturing, financial services and aerospace, where she is a trusted adviser on the RDEC incentive.

Katy co-authored the Tolley’s Tax Digest on R&D tax relief and has contributed articles to publications including Taxation and The CFO.

Kim is an experienced scientist with a PhD in chemistry and degree in biochemistry. She has several years of Big Four tax credit experience and plays an invaluable role in communicating complex scientific R&D projects to HMRC.

After completing her PhD at the University of Exeter, Kim worked as a bench chemist and university tutor. She joined KPMG in 2007 and spent 13 years with the firm, working on RDEC claims for large companies.

At ForrestBrown, Kim brings her wealth of experience to our sector specialist team. She plays a key role in preparing claims by being a conduit between our clients’ technical teams and our tax specialists, enabling us to communicate our clients’ complex R&D projects effectively to HMRC.

She has signficant experience of working with large and complex clients, as well as SMEs. Her work is predominantly focused on clients that have a materials science, chemistry or food science element to their R&D.

Peter’s experience ranges from getting a PhD and MSci in Chemistry and improving confectionery shelf-life to the invention of a patented elastomeric material for improved radiation stability.

His career started with a role as a chocolate scientist at Mars. That was followed by a move to the defence sector, where he finished a nine-year stint as a Senior Materials Scientist at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

During that period, he authored numerous scientific papers and spoke at international conferences on the synthesis and characterisation of novel polymers and materials. With ForrestBrown, Peter has also been published in The Manufacturer, The Medicine Maker, Interplas Insights, and the Confectionery Production publications.

That scientific and technical capability allows him to quickly understand, challenge and assess clients’ work against the R&D tax credit guidelines. And, it’s seeing the projects companies are able to fund due to the value of their claims – and the excitement they have – that’s driving him.

At ForrestBrown, Peter provides expert peer-to-peer communication for our clients on their technical projects, helping to translate their work into reports for HMRC. Examples of his work include reviewing a claim prepared by a Big Four accountancy firm – and significantly increasing the value of R&D tax relief to their business.

Pete works with our network of associations in the food and drink sector, using his background at Mars as a chocolate scientist to help businesses identify their hidden R&D in this industry. Supporting the activities of our partnerships team, Pete speaks at events, networks with businesses and hosts webinars with industry partners to raise awareness of the value of working with ForrestBrown’s expert multi-disciplinary team to access this valuable incentive.

With an infectious passion for all things science and materials, you can talk to Peter about pharma, food and drink, materials (adhesives, polymers and manufacturing) and engineering sectors.

Karim works with large businesses, exploring all elements of the innovation toolkit, from R&D tax relief to grant funding. He takes a forward-looking approach, identifying opportunities which align with client projects and objectives.

Having previously led decarbonisation grant advisory for a Big Four firm in the UK, Karim joined ForrestBrown in 2023. His in-depth knowledge of grants provides further support for the innovative businesses we work with, enabling them to explore a wide range of funding opportunities.

Karim is a chartered engineer and gained more than five years’ experience as an engineering consultant and project manager for major infrastructure clients before specialising in innovation incentives. He has subsequently helped companies access millions of pounds from grant funding bodies such as Innovate UK, the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, and Scottish Enterprise in sectors including aerospace, energy and manufacturing.

Through this combination of technical and finance expertise, Karim is well placed to advise businesses on their eligibility for innovation funding and the most appropriate projects for which to seek funding support, at the same time contributing to meeting some our biggest societal challenges.

At ForrestBrown, Karim has also supported multinational companies seeking to invest and create jobs in the UK, for example securing government support for the location of new manufacturing facilities.

Angela is an Associate Director with over 12 years’ experience advising on innovation incentives. She leads the delivery of Patent Box relief claims for clients, reducing Corporation Tax payments on profits related to intellectual property.

Based in ForrestBrown’s Scotland office, Angela provides dedicated local support to ensure that Scottish businesses are maximising their reward for investment in innovation, as well as working with businesses across the UK.

Following a range of advisory and consulting roles, including at KPMG and EY, Angela made the switch to ForrestBrown. She now focuses on helping innovative companies access innovation incentives with a focus on the Scottish market, particularly with businesses in the engineering and energy sectors who are striving to meet net zero demands and overcome supply chain issues.

Angela is passionate about the benefits of Patent Box, working with businesses to reward their investment in IP and amplify the benefits of their innovation.

Peter specialises in capital allowances and leads ForrestBrown’s support for clients who buy, sell or incur expenditure refurbishing commercial property to optimise the tax reliefs available.

Previously a tax partner with a top 10 accountancy firm, Peter joined ForrestBrown in 2023. His in-depth knowledge of capital allowances provides further support for the innovative businesses we work with, helping to ensure they are fully rewarded for their investments.

Having started his career in the construction sector where he managed high profile projects throughout the UK and Europe, Peter combines a wealth of industry experience with technical tax knowledge to deliver pragmatic advice backed up by a deep understanding of how buildings are put together.

This mix of direct industry experience and technical tax expertise also enables Peter to structure fixed asset programmes that translate effectively for tax and accounting purposes. His approach delivers consistent, accurate information to financial teams, removing the risk of misinterpretation.

Peter draws on his experience working with FTSE100 and multinational companies across sectors including hospitality, retail, engineering and manufacturing to support ForrestBrown clients with tax reliefs relating to their investment in commercial property. Working alongside our grant advisory team, he also supports multinational businesses considering inward investment in the UK.