R&D Tax Credit Claim Fees: Costs and Success Fees Explained

How much does an R&D tax credit claim cost?

GrantUp prepares R&D tax credit claims on a success fee only basis, typically 10% of the benefit received, with no lock-in for future years. The percentage and scope are agreed before work begins. Innovation grant applications are a separate service with separate fees.

Advisers may quote a percentage of the benefit, a pre-agreed project price or hourly charges. Compare the total cost and the support included, not just the headline figure. If your accountant bundles a claim into wider compliance work, ask who assesses the technical eligibility and writes the report.

What a 10% success fee means in practice

As an illustrative fee comparison, a £30,000 benefit received would mean a £3,000 fee at 10%, compared with £6,000 at 20%. This is fee arithmetic, not an estimate of your entitlement. Your benefit depends on eligible expenditure, the applicable scheme, your tax position and any relevant caps or offsets.

A success fee does not remove your company's responsibility for an accurate claim or the possibility of an HMRC enquiry. Ask how the benefit is defined, whether VAT or other charges apply, when payment is due and what happens to the fee if HMRC adjusts the claim. Get those terms in writing.

What specialist claim preparation should include

A complete engagement should cover technical interviews with the people who did the work, assessment against the government's R&D guidelines, identification and evidence-based apportionment of qualifying costs, a defensible technical report and the required additional information form. Filing responsibilities should be agreed with your accountant.

GrantUp uses a specialist technical team rather than a high-volume processing approach. Enquiry defence is included for claims GrantUp prepares, and you retain your technical report. Support for a claim prepared elsewhere is a separate engagement: confirm its scope and terms before proceeding.

Why technical depth matters more than the lowest fee

A generic narrative, routine product development presented as a technical advance, unexplained cost percentages and missing competent-professional evidence can all weaken a claim. A low price is not itself evidence of poor work, but it should not come at the expense of technical assessment and supporting records.

Your accountant brings valuable tax and compliance expertise. A technical R&D specialist adds the scientific and engineering depth needed to identify qualifying work, explain the uncertainties and substantiate the costs. The aim is to capture all eligible activity without including expenditure that cannot be defended.

Are small and first-time R&D claims welcome?

Yes. GrantUp has no minimum claim size and works with startups and early-stage companies from their first eligible claim. A small budget or pre-revenue position does not automatically rule out relief, but your company and its activities must meet the relevant scheme requirements.

We partner early to build a long-term relationship, without locking you into future claims. For a smaller claim, compare the expected benefit after fees with the effort required and check eligibility before committing to preparation.

How grants and R&D tax credits work together

GrantUp also helps companies win competitive innovation grants. Combining grant planning with R&D tax expertise can help fund eligible work, identify qualifying activities and build a consistent evidence trail. A grant award is not automatic proof that a project qualifies for tax relief.

The effect of grant funding on your claim depends on the applicable scheme, accounting period and contractual arrangements. Coordinated advice helps you claim the relief available without double counting costs or assuming that every grant-funded activity qualifies.

How to judge value rather than price

Ask three questions of any adviser. Who writes the technical narrative and what is their technical background? What does your report look like, and can I see a redacted example? What happens if HMRC enquires, and is that included?

Then ask whether you retain the technical report, whether future years are optional and whether the adviser can coordinate grants alongside tax relief. Good value means identifying all qualifying activity and preparing an accurate, evidence-led claim, not promising a larger number or guaranteed HMRC acceptance.

Where to go next

Explore our R&D tax credits hub and R&D tax calculator for an indicative view of the available relief, or contact GrantUp to discuss combining grants and tax relief and confirm the fee and scope for your claim.