Answers
What qualifies as R&D?, Work seeking an advance in science or technology by resolving uncertainty a competent professional could not readily resolve. Commercially novel but technically routine work does not qualify.
What is claim notification?, New claimants, and those who have not claimed in the previous three years, must notify HMRC within six months of the end of the accounting period. Miss it and the claim is unavailable.
What costs can we include?, Staff, externally provided workers, qualifying subcontractors, software, data and cloud costs, and consumables, with restrictions on overseas expenditure.
Can loss-making companies claim?, Yes, and it can produce a cash credit. Loss-making R&D-intensive SMEs may access enhanced support.
How far back can we claim?, Generally two years from the end of the accounting period, subject to the notification rules for newer claimants.
What does HMRC check?, Increasingly, the technical narrative and whether a named competent professional can explain the uncertainty. Contemporaneous evidence is what survives a compliance check.