Ayming developed this service in response to a clear gap in the market, with the majority of consultants offering a one-size-fits-all approach, regardless of claim size, which is often more time consuming and expensive than necessary.

The process for smaller claims of up to about £100,000, typically submitted by SMEs, can be significantly streamlined. This coupled with Ayming’s expertise means that companies can benefit from the Government’s incentive scheme much faster without compromising  on quality. 

Mark Smith, Partner of Innovation Incentives, Ayming UK, said: “Clearly, more needs to be done to support businesses through the R&D incentives process, especially during the current economic uncertainty where this extra money could be crucial for survival. For too long SMEs have submitted R&D claims, which aren’t strong enough to stand up to close HMRC scrutiny. This is due to the quality of the consultants they have used.

“We want to encourage more uptake of optimised SME claims and the new service benefits all involved; the business receives a more efficient service and a bigger benefit, more quickly, while HMRC receives more applications from SMEs that have been assisted by a reputable consultancy they trust.”

Despite the benefits open to businesses, around two thirds of eligible companies have never made an R&D tax credit claim. On top of this, 43% of the amount claimed over the past two years has gone to just seven percent of companies.