HMRC Urged to Hire More Specialists to Clear R&D Claims

The UK tax authority should bolster its ranks with specific technical expertise to preapprove businesses’ research and development tax relief claims as part of a proposed new system, tax specialists say.

The existing compliance team at His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs may not be well trained for vetting R&D relief claims, which are often complex, the specialists argue in comments to HMRC about the preapproval system, which would replace a more limited program.

“The success of a new system depends on how well it’s implemented. It depends on who’s checking those claims and what quality of training they’ve had. ...