Quick answer: EmpowerRD publishes a 6% flat fee with a minimum fee from £4,000 (as published on 27 October 2026). ForrestBrown's fee is not stated in the sources we checked, so ask for a written quote. EmpowerRD has 82 Trustpilot reviews at 4.8; ForrestBrown has 3 at 2.8 (small sample). ForrestBrown lists capital allowances; EmpowerRD does not state them.
At a glance: facts checked 27 October 2026
Facts checked 27 October 2026. Sources: EmpowerRD pricing, EmpowerRD on Trustpilot, EmpowerRD website, ForrestBrown on Trustpilot, ForrestBrown website, Companies House for EmpowerRD, ForrestBrown and Uplift Tax. Where a field has no source, we say so rather than guess.
| Criterion | EmpowerRD | ForrestBrown | Uplift Tax (introducer) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical fee % | 6% flat plan; Growth plan tiered from 6% to 0.5% by benefit band (EmpowerRD pricing page, checked 27 October 2026) | Not stated in the sources we checked (27 October 2026) | Percentage of the successful claim, agreed in writing with the specialist before any work starts |
| Fee model | Online platform (its website), with percentage-of-benefit plans (see the fee row). Whether the fee depends on the claim succeeding: Not stated in the sources we checked (27 October 2026) | Not stated in the sources we checked (27 October 2026) | Introducer. The HMRC-registered specialist we introduce you to prepares the claim and sets its fee |
| Minimum fee | From £4,000 (flat plan) and £5,000 (Growth plan) (pricing page, checked 27 October 2026) | Not stated in the sources we checked (27 October 2026) | Ask for it in the specialist's written quote |
| HMRC enquiry support | Included on the Growth plan. On the flat plan it is an extra, with the hourly rate not stated. The pricing page also states a refund if an enquiry fails (pricing page, checked 27 October 2026) | Not stated in the sources we checked (27 October 2026) | The scope is set out in writing in the engagement letter; ask for it before you sign (see our enquiry guide) |
| Sector focus | Not stated in the sources we checked (27 October 2026) | Not stated in the sources we checked (27 October 2026) | Not applicable: we introduce you to a specialist, so ask the specialist about its sector experience |
| Trustpilot rating, count and date | 4.8 from 82 reviews on Trustpilot, checked 27 October 2026 | 2.8 from 3 reviews on Trustpilot, checked 27 October 2026 (small sample) | Not shown. We do not display a rating for ourselves on this page |
| Capital allowances offered | Not stated in the sources we checked (27 October 2026) | Yes, listed on its website (checked 27 October 2026) | Not covered on this page: ask for the scope in writing |
| Companies House status, number and last accounts date | Active; company number 10785149; last accounts made up to 31 May 2025 (Companies House, checked 27 October 2026) | Active; company number 08004376; last accounts made up to 31 December 2025 (Companies House, checked 27 October 2026) | Blue Llama Ltd, trading as Uplift Tax; company number 12642550; Active; last accounts made up to 29 November 2025 (Companies House, checked 27 October 2026) |
Best for
EmpowerRD may suit you if
- you want a published percentage and minimum fee before you speak to anyone;
- you want HMRC enquiry support priced into a plan (the Growth plan includes it, per the pricing page);
- you are comfortable with an online platform (its website describes one).
ForrestBrown may suit you if
- you want capital allowances looked at by the same firm, because it lists that service;
- you are happy to request a written quote that states the fee basis, minimum fee and enquiry terms.
Uplift Tax may suit you if
- you want an introduction to an HMRC-registered specialist and the specialist's fee terms in writing before you engage.
When the other option is the better choice
If a published price is your first test, EmpowerRD is the clearer starting point on what is published today. If you already hold a written quote you are happy with from either firm, there is little reason to add an introducer. Compare like for like: the same claim size, the same year, the same scope.
Worked example: a £200,000 claim
Figures are for illustration on a £200,000 benefit (the cash value of the claim to the company) and use only fees published in the sources linked on this page.
| Firm | Published fee basis | Fee on £200,000 | Net to the company |
|---|---|---|---|
| EmpowerRD (flat plan) | 6% of the benefit | £200,000 × 6% = £12,000 | £200,000 − £12,000 = £188,000 |
| EmpowerRD (Growth plan) | 6% up to £250,000 of benefit | £200,000 × 6% = £12,000 | £188,000 |
| ForrestBrown | Not stated in the sources we checked (27 October 2026) | Not published; ask for a written quote | Not published |
EmpowerRD's minimum fee (£4,000 flat, £5,000 Growth) does not apply at this claim size because 6% is higher. We found no statement on whether VAT is added; confirm it in writing. Ask ForrestBrown for a quote that states the fee basis, any minimum fee and what enquiry support costs.
Uplift Tax: The fee is quoted in writing for your claim, so we do not show a figure here. Send your numbers and we will arrange a written estimate.
Uplift Tax is an introducer. The specialist pays us a share of its fee. You do not pay Uplift Tax anything. See how our fees work.
How each firm publishes its fees
EmpowerRD's pricing page (checked 27 October 2026) lists a 6% flat plan and a tiered Growth plan: 6% up to £250,000 of benefit, then 5%, 3%, 2%, 1% and 0.5% in higher bands, with a minimum fee from £4,000 (flat) or £5,000 (Growth). ForrestBrown's fee is not stated in the sources we checked, which is not a statement about what it charges. Ask for a written quote and compare four things: the percentage or fixed fee, the minimum fee, whether VAT is added, and what happens to the fee if the claim is reduced or rejected.
HMRC enquiry support
EmpowerRD's pricing page states that enquiry support is included on the Growth plan, is an extra on the flat plan (hourly rate not stated), and that there is a refund if an enquiry fails. ForrestBrown's enquiry terms are not stated in the sources we checked. Uplift Tax does not set out enquiry terms on this page: the scope of enquiry support is set out in writing in the engagement letter with the specialist. An enquiry can arrive after a claim is filed, so ask every adviser for their enquiry terms in writing before you sign. See what happens in an HMRC random enquiry.
Reviews and what the counts mean
On 27 October 2026, EmpowerRD's Trustpilot page showed 4.8 from 82 reviews and ForrestBrown's showed 2.8 from 3 reviews. Three reviews is a small sample, so the two scores should not be treated as equally reliable. Trustpilot scores reflect the experiences of people who chose to review, not the outcome of any particular claim, and they change over time. Read the reviews themselves, and check the dates.
Platform or specialist?
One of these two firms publishes a price and the other asks you to request one. That is a difference in transparency, not a verdict on quality. A simple, well-evidenced claim may suit a published-price route; a complex or contested one may call for a firm that quotes for the specific work. Our guide to a specialist or your accountant sets out the questions to ask, and the Uplift Tax vs EmpowerRD and Uplift Tax vs ForrestBrown pages compare each firm with an introducer model.
Company facts
- EmpowerRD: Companies House name EMPOWERRD LIMITED; company number 10785149; status Active; incorporated 23 May 2017; last accounts made up to 31 May 2025. Companies House record (checked 27 October 2026).
- ForrestBrown: Companies House name FORRESTBROWN LIMITED; company number 08004376; status Active; incorporated 23 March 2012; last accounts made up to 31 December 2025. Companies House record (checked 27 October 2026).
- Uplift Tax: Blue Llama Ltd, trading as Uplift Tax; company number 12642550; status Active; incorporated 3 June 2020; last accounts made up to 29 November 2025. Companies House record (checked 27 October 2026).
Uplift Tax is an introducer, not a tax adviser, accountant or legal firm. Recovery values are indicative only.