Problems in the R&D advice market

The tax advisory profession is a remarkably broad sector with a huge number of interesting and complex niches. Research and development (R&D) tax relief is one such niche offering in-depth exposure to the financial and technical issues that companies face.

Andrew Hubbard discussed some concerns he and others in the profession have on the nature of the advice given by some specialist R&D advisers in ‘Researching the researchers’ (Taxation 10 September 2020 page 8). I share those concerns and in this article I will develop some of the points raised in particular the claims themselves.

Advising on R&D tax relief allows advisers to understand properly what their clients do. It also enables them to make real impacts for their clients. In most cases the work R&D tax advisers perform is genuinely appreciated by clients. Over the years a huge...