R&D tax tools

There are four. The R&D benefit calculator estimates your credit under the merged scheme or ERIS. The claim notification checker tells you whether you must notify HMRC and by when. The claim time-limit checker gives the last date to make or amend a claim. The ERIS intensity checker tests the 30% condition.

Yes. All four are free, and you do not need to give your name or email address to use them. There is no obligation to contact us afterwards, though we are happy to talk through your results if they raise questions about your own claim. We would rather you tried the tools than guessed.

No. The tools run in your browser, and the figures and dates you enter are not stored or sent anywhere. If you accept analytics cookies, we record only that a tool was used, not what you entered. Results are not saved, so make a note of anything you want to keep.

They apply the published rules to the figures you enter, so they are a sound guide for straightforward cases. They simplify the rules, they assume the figures you enter are right, and they are not a computation of your claim. For a figure you can rely on, have your position reviewed.

The rules for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2024 for the calculator and the ERIS checker, and the rules for notification and time limits for the others. Each tool page lists the rules it applies, with links to the gov.uk guidance and legislation they come from. They are not a substitute for reading the sources yourself.

We re-check the tools against the rules after the Budget on 28 October 2026, and again when the Finance Act 2027 is published. Each tool page shows the date it was last reviewed, so you can tell how recent the rules are. If the Budget changes a rate or limit that a tool uses, the tool page will say so.

Yes, you can print the result page or save it as a PDF from your browser. Tools do not store results, so if you want to share one with your accountant, print or save it before you leave the page. We do not store results, so printing or saving is the only way to keep one, and it is worth doing before you navigate away.

No. The results are a general indication only and are not advice. Each tool leaves some matters out, as its page explains. Before you act on a result, particularly close to a deadline, talk to us or to your own adviser. That is true however careful the tool is. The tools help you decide what to ask, not what to do.

If you are planning a claim, start with the benefit calculator to see roughly what it might be worth. If you are a loss-making SME, check ERIS intensity as well. If a deadline may be close, use the notification and time-limit checkers first, since a missed date can matter more than the figures.

Yes. They are designed to be easy to use in a client conversation, and we encourage accountants to try them. If a result raises questions about a client's claim, you can refer the client or ask us for a second opinion. Your client stays your client. The tools are free for practices too.

The benefit calculator and the ERIS checker do not, because they model the merged scheme and ERIS. The time-limit checker works for older periods, and the notification checker applies to periods beginning on or after 1 April 2023. For earlier periods under the old schemes, speak to us. If the period began earlier, ask us.

Only in part. The ERIS checker asks for connected companies' figures for the intensity test. The benefit calculator does not model group surrender or group-wide reliefs. Groups often have additional issues, so we recommend speaking to us before relying on any result. Connected-company status can change the answer to the ERIS test, so it matters.

Do not give up on the claim straight away. The tools use general rules and your figures, and there can be exceptions or other routes. Tell us the dates and what has happened, and we will tell you plainly whether anything can be done. A short conversation can save a claim that looked lost.

No. They deal with figures and dates. Whether a project meets the Government's definition of R&D, an advance in science or technology made by resolving scientific or technological uncertainty, needs a proper look at the work. Book a call and we will give you an honest view. The sooner you ask, the better.

No. The tools do not collect your details, so we cannot contact you. If you would like to talk about a result, you can book a call, email us or message us on WhatsApp, and we reply the same working day. There are no follow-up emails or calls unless you ask for them.