R&D Relief Estimator 2026/27
Enter your qualifying R&D expenditure and company position. The tool shows your merged-scheme net benefit and, where you qualify, the ERIS payable credit. Speak to a specialist before filing.
R&D Relief Estimator 2026/27
Enter your qualifying R&D expenditure and company position. The tool shows your merged-scheme net benefit and, where you qualify, the ERIS payable credit. Speak to a specialist before filing.
Total qualifying R&D costs for the period: staff, subcontractors or externally provided workers (EPW), software, consumables.
The R&D-qualifying fraction of payroll only. Must be no more than total qualifying expenditure above.
Loss-making companies with 30%+ R&D intensity may qualify for the higher ERIS payable credit.
Used for the 30% R&D-intensity test (ERIS). Must be greater than zero.
25% main rate, 19% small profits rate. Only affects the net value of the merged-scheme taxable credit.
Merged-scheme route: the 20% credit is above-the-line and taxable, so the net benefit is reduced by your CT rate. First-time claimants (or those who have not claimed in the prior three years) must notify HMRC within 6 months of the accounting period end, or the claim is invalid (HP3). These are estimates, not a filed claim. Speak to a specialist before filing.
Check your position with a startup tax specialist
A calculator gives you the shape of the answer. We confirm your exact figures, the reliefs you can claim, and what your business needs to file. No obligation, and we reply within one working day.
How this R&D relief estimator works
From 1 April 2024, the merged R&D scheme gives a 20% above-the-line taxable expenditure credit on qualifying R&D spend. Because the credit is taxable, the net benefit is the gross credit reduced by your corporation tax rate: 15% effective at 25% CT, or 16.2% at 19% CT.
Loss-making companies with qualifying R&D spend of at least 30% of total expenditure keep access to the Enhanced R&D Intensive Support route (ERIS). ERIS gives an 86% additional deduction on qualifying spend, producing enhanced expenditure of 186% of the original spend, then a payable credit at 14.5% of that enhanced amount. On £100,000 qualifying spend, that produces £26,970.
The estimator applies the 30% intensity test automatically from your inputs. Where ERIS applies, it shows the ERIS payable credit as the headline and the merged-scheme net benefit as an alternative, since a company can elect the merged route instead.
Every estimate assumes full loss surrender and does not model the real PAYE/NIC cap or the subcontractor/externally-provided-worker restrictions. Flag these with a specialist before filing.
Frequently asked questions
How much is R&D tax relief worth under the merged scheme?
The merged scheme gives a 20% above-the-line taxable credit. The net benefit after corporation tax is about 15% of qualifying spend at the 25% main rate, or 16.2% at the 19% small profits rate.
What is ERIS and how do I know if my company qualifies?
Enhanced R&D Intensive Support applies to loss-making SMEs whose qualifying R&D spend is at least 30% of total expenditure. It gives an 86% additional deduction and a 14.5% payable credit on the enhanced total.
Why is the merged credit taxable?
The 20% credit is included in taxable profits (above the line), so a company with a 25% CT rate sees its net benefit reduced to 15% of qualifying spend. The gross credit settles the CT bill first, with the remainder retained.
What is the 30% R&D-intensity test?
ERIS requires that qualifying R&D expenditure makes up at least 30% of total company expenditure for the period. Enter your total expenditure in field 4 and the tool applies the test.
What is the claim-notification deadline?
First-time claimants (or those who have not claimed in the prior three years) must notify HMRC within 6 months of the accounting period end. Missing this window makes the claim invalid.
Does the estimator account for the PAYE cap?
No. The estimator flags a potential PAYE/NIC cap where staff cost is low relative to total R&D spend, but does not compute the capped figure. A specialist should check this before filing.
Want to be sure of your position?
Tell us about your startup situation and we will confirm your exact figures and the compliance steps that apply to you. No obligation.