Who is eligible to claim R&D tax relief?

A popular misconception is that R&D tax relief is aimed purely at medical and pharmaceutical companies. While these businesses can certainly benefit, the view that you need to have a massive R&D department full of microscopes and people in white lab coats in order to qualify is a common myth.

R&D tax relief is available across most business sectors. If your business carries out any of the following activities then there is a good chance that you will qualify:
 

As long as your project seeks to achieve an advance in science or technology then there are major tax savings available - even if your business is a one-man band.

You don't have to be profitable to make a claim either, even in a loss situation a tax refund is still available, but your business must be a going concern when you make the claim and not in administration or liquidation. 

Examples of potentially qualifying activity

The table below gives an indication of some, (but by no means all), of the activities which could qualify for R&D tax relief.