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Agriculture

The UK government’s Research and Development (R&D) incentive is actively supporting industries, such as agriculture, to solve challenges with innovation and creativity in farming. With the growing emergence of AgriTech, it is clear that agriculture in the 21st century is steering upward for transformative changes. Processes and practices of the past are being revolutionised with new technological and scientific solutions that care for animal welfare, the well-being of workers, and the protection of the planet. Traditional agriculture has faced significant issues, such as labour shortages, rising costs, and global events like the pandemic, Brexit, and conflicts, which have had an impact on agricultural businesses. R&D activities within the industry are tackling these challenges head-on.

Overview

Qualifying at a Glance

The agriculture industry heavily relies on R&D activities to drive innovation and develop new and improved farming techniques, while prioritising the urgent challenges of climate change and sustainability. Few examples might include:

  • Reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture – Protecting our planet by creating alternatives to harmful pesticides and relieving our reliance on natural resources.
  • Solving key problems around supply chain maintenance – Preventing food waste with IoT sensors and utilising precision technology, powered by data analytics.  
  • Improved working conditions for farmers – Improving worker safety with automated processes and the improved design of machinery, equipment, and agricultural structures.
  • Addressing global food shortages – Speeding up the restoration of arable land, ready for sustaining crops at scale. 
  • Increasing resilience of agriculture – Adapting to changing temperatures with the creation of crop varieties with improved characteristics or enhanced properties.
  • Prioritising animal welfare – Reducing tail biting and developing enriched cleaning processes to prevent the spread of disease.
Two workers inspecting reengineered crops.

You are in a strong position to qualify for R&D claims if you have:

Created something new
Designed a different process
Improved an existing product in an appreciable way

Ask Yourself

  • Did you conduct R&D activities to develop new products, processes, or services or to improve existing ones?
  • Did the R&D activities involve the resolution of technical uncertainties or challenges that could not be solved by using existing knowledge?
  • Did your products or services require extensive trial and testing throughout the creation process?

If you are answering yes, you may qualify to claim back up to 33.4% of eligible R&D expenditure through HMRC’s R&D Tax Relief Initiative. Contact one of our R&D tax credit specialists to seek further advice on how to proceed with your R&D claim.

Do I Qualify

The claim process

We understand the complications that can often arise when completing an R&D claim, not to mention the significant amount of time it can consume, diverting your attention from driving your innovation forward. That's why we have streamlined a transparent and hassle-free process that follows a step-by-step approach from start to finish.

Throughout your R&D claim process, we maintain open lines of communication tailored to your preferences. Once we have compiled comprehensive technical and financial reports, we take the responsibility of submitting them and proactively follow up with HMRC, leading the communication on your behalf. Often, our next contact with you brings the exhilarating news of success and positive outcomes.

Step 1

We'll gain your authorisation via our client instruction form/NDA. This will enable us to discuss your R&D activities along with your current tax position.

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Step 2

We'll analyse the profit & loss (P&L) statement of the business while facilitating your technical call. This step aims to determine whether your case is feasible from both technical and financial perspectives.

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Step 3

Once our experts are confident that your case meets the R&D eligibility criteria, we will then gather all the required technical information and financial documentation according to HMRC's standards to support your case.

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Step 4

At this stage, we initiate a stringent compliance procedure that we have developed in-house to audit your R&D claim application. We verify whether it meets the defined standards before submitting it to HMRC to ensure a positive outcome.

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Step 5

After conducting a comprehensive review of your R&D claim, including all required documentation, the application will be forwarded to HMRC for further processing.

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Step 6

Our team maintains continuous contact with HMRC regarding your case. If any queries arise, we address them on your behalf using a highly systematic approach to maximise your outcome while minimising any delays in your repayment.

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Get Started

Our hassle-free and streamlined process is waiting for you to get started and to make you feel confident throughout your R&D claim application.
0161 457 8100 Start your claim

Your guide to
R&D tax credits

Gain access to valuable insights from our experts in R&D tax credits, empowering you with essential information to ensure a successful claim, ultimately injecting funds back into your account.