R & D Questionnaire

The following questionnaire may help you decide if you can claim tax relief on your project and flag up some issues to consider…

Please contact us if you need assistance with your claim for R&D tax relief by calling Nottingham Accountants Marshall Smalley on 0115 9565172 or visiting www.marshallsmalley.com

1. In outline, as a result of the R&D project what has been achieved to develop or improve the technology of products that already existed?
2. Why was the knowledge to develop or improve the technology not available elsewhere?
3. When did the R&D project start?
4. Who were the persons leading the R&D project and what was their relevant experience to the project?
5. Was any part of the R&D project subcontracted out?
6. What technological uncertainties were involved in the project?
7. In respect of each uncertainty when was the development or improvement achieved?
8. In respect of each uncertainty how was it overcome?
9. Excluding any capital items how much extra do you estimate to have been spent as a result of the R&D activity?
10. Who owns the intellectual property rights of the R&D project?
11. Has any patent application been or being made?
12. What plans are there to exploit the R&D commercially?
13. Has any other party contributed to the funding of the R&D project?
14. Have you identified the R&D project costs and documented the basis for allocating any costs to the project?
15. Are the documents evidencing the project costs still available?
16. Do you have professional fees insurance that can cover the costs arising from HMRC enquiries following the submission of tax returns that include R&D tax relief claims?
17. Have you previously submitted other claims for R&D tax relief?
18. Have you undertaken any other R&D projects within the last six years?