More R&D tax relief claims needed!

HMRC has published the latest set of details on the number and value of R&D tax relief and R&D tax credit claims, covering claims in 2008-9. There is an increase in the number and value of claims, but it is surprisingly small considering that 2008-9 was the catch-up deadline to get in claims for relief on expenditure over the previous six years (the relief now has to be claimed in the company tax return or amended return, so companies have a much shorter time limit to claim).

The total number of companies claiming the relief was 8,350 in 2008-9, an increase of just 10% in a catch-up year that was well-publicised - that seems a very low number, and it may make the tax relief vulnerable to change/removal in the upcoming consultation on how IP is taxed in the UK.