When you start looking at R&D tax relief, the obvious question is: "Can we make a claim?"
If it's your first one, a better question is: "Do we want more certainty before we submit?"
That's where Advance Assurance can help.
What Is Advance Assurance?
It's a voluntary process where you speak to HMRC about your R&D activities before you submit your first claim. It doesn't replace doing the work properly, but it can reduce uncertainty upfront.
What Does It Give You?
If HMRC is comfortable, they may agree to Advance Assurance. In practice, that means your claims are normally accepted for the next three accounting periods, provided they stay consistent with what was agreed.
Who Is It For?
It's mainly aimed at first-time claimants, typically where:
- You've not claimed before (and linked/connected companies haven't either)
- You have fewer than 50 employees
- Turnover under £2m
Why It Matters
The risk is rarely "can we claim?" It's "can we stand behind the claim if questions come later?"
Advance Assurance can be one way to go into a first claim with more confidence.
If you're preparing your first R&D claim and you're unsure whether Advance Assurance is worth exploring, we're happy to talk it through before you submit.
