- Following recent reform of the R&D tax credit regimes, at Spring Statement 2025 the government published a consultation document on widening the use of advance clearances for R&D tax reliefs.
- The consultation considered options for mandatory assurance for high-risk cases, as well as voluntary clearances to provide certainty to businesses.
- At Budget 2025, the government announced that it will launch a limited pilot of a new targeted advance assurance service for R&D tax relief.
- The new service will allow SMEs to seek certainty on specific aspects of their R&D claims before submission, helping to reduce error and fraud whilst improving the customer experience. The pilot will test demand and the resource required for a more accessible and focused assurance service.
- Timing: the pilot for the new advance assurance service will launch in spring 2026.
Resources (click to open)
