R&D Tax Credits sit under the Merged Scheme for accounting periods starting on or after 1 April 2024, replacing the old SME and RDEC regimes. The standard above-the-line credit is 20%, with a higher 27% rate under the Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS) scheme for qualifying loss-making companies. Any adviser you use works within these same rules. The question is how they apply them for your claim and what they charge.
At a glance
Both EmpowerRD and Uplift Tax serve UK SMEs. EmpowerRD publicly describes itself as a technology platform for R&D claims. Uplift Tax is an introducer that connects companies to HMRC-registered specialist firms on a no-win-no-fee basis. Their operational models diverge sharply at the point of claim preparation.
| Criterion | EmpowerRD | Uplift Tax (introduction) |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Platform-assisted claim preparation (technology + adviser) | Free assessment, then introduction to HMRC-registered specialist network |
| Pricing model | Not published publicly as of May 2026 | No win, no fee (charged by specialist; Uplift Tax charges nothing) |
| Fee range | Not disclosed on public website | Percentage of successful claim, disclosed before engagement |
| Claim approach | Software-guided workflow with adviser review | Specialist-led from first conversation; no self-service step |
| HMRC defence | Confirm in engagement letter; not detailed on public website | Included with specialist engagement; defence team matched to claim risk |
| Specialist access | In-house adviser team via platform | Matched to a sector-specific specialist from curated network |
| Multi-relief scope | R&D Tax Credits focus (based on public website) | R&D, Capital Allowances, and Land Remediation Relief in one assessment |
| Fit for whom | Finance teams comfortable with a software-led process | SMEs wanting a human-led, zero-upfront, multi-relief eligibility view |
What EmpowerRD does
Based on EmpowerRD's public website (empowerrd.com, reviewed May 2026), EmpowerRD offers a technology platform through which companies gather R&D project information and have it reviewed by an adviser team. The platform automates parts of the data-gathering process, which EmpowerRD publicly positions as an efficiency gain for claimants who have multiple R&D projects or a finance team that prefers structured workflows.
EmpowerRD publicly lists Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) qualified advisers. It does not publish a standard fee rate card on its website. Before signing any engagement, ask EmpowerRD directly for the percentage of claim they charge, whether there is a platform or SaaS fee in addition, and how HMRC enquiry defence is handled in their engagement terms.
One area not clearly described on EmpowerRD's public website is how HMRC enquiry letters are handled once a claim is submitted. Given that HMRC enquiry rates have risen sharply since 2022, this is a material question. The Additional Information Form, mandatory since August 2023, has also increased the paper trail that HMRC can review. Ask any adviser how they handle an enquiry before signing.
What Uplift Tax does
Uplift Tax is not a claim preparer. It is an introducer. The distinction matters: Uplift Tax's eligibility assessment is free, takes no fee from the claimant, and ends with an introduction to an HMRC-registered specialist matched to your sector. The specialist firm then prepares the claim, owns the engagement letter, and handles any HMRC correspondence.
The assessment covers three reliefs in a single call: R&D Tax Credits, Capital Allowances (including Full Expensing and the Annual Investment Allowance), and Land Remediation Relief for properties with contamination issues. Many SMEs have a Capital Allowances opportunity from a recent fit-out or equipment purchase that a single-scheme adviser would not surface. For a typical software company spending £300,000 on qualifying R&D and having recently refitted its office, the Capital Allowances claim from the fit-out can be worth as much as the R&D claim itself.
Specialists in the Uplift Tax network operate on a no-win-no-fee basis. The percentage fee is disclosed in writing before engagement. There is no up-front cost. See our methodology for how we select and quality-check network firms.
Fee transparency: what you need to ask
Neither EmpowerRD nor Uplift Tax publishes a specific percentage fee on a public rate card. In the broader UK R&D advisory market, no-win-no-fee percentages typically range from 10% to 25% of the successful claim, depending on claim size, complexity, and sector. Larger claims tend to attract lower percentages; smaller first-time claims tend to attract higher ones.
What to ask EmpowerRD before signing: (1) what is the exact fee percentage or flat fee; (2) is there any platform or subscription fee independent of claim success; (3) how is HMRC enquiry defence charged. What to ask any Uplift-introduced specialist: the same three questions, though the last is included in the standard engagement.
Do not evaluate advisers on fee alone. A well-structured claim from an experienced specialist typically results in a higher qualified claim value than a self-reported first-time claim reviewed at arm's length. The fee is a percentage of the outcome. A 15% fee on £120,000 is a better result than a 12% fee on £80,000.
HMRC compliance environment in 2026
HMRC's R&D compliance team increased enquiry activity materially from 2022 onward. Compliance teams within HMRC focus particularly on sectors where overclaiming has been identified: software, financial services, and construction. If your company is in one of these sectors, the quality of your Technical Narrative and the quality of your qualifying-expenditure calculation are both under higher scrutiny.
The Additional Information Form, required since 8 August 2023 under HMRC's mandatory pre-submission requirement, must be submitted before or alongside the CT600 entry. Any adviser you work with in 2026 must include this as a standard deliverable. Ask specifically whether they draft the AIF narrative or whether that is left to you.
For a deeper look at how enquiry defence works in practice, see our comparison with ForrestBrown, which covers enquiry posture in more detail.
When to choose each
Choose EmpowerRD if:
- Your finance team prefers to manage the claim data-gathering through a structured software interface.
- You have multiple R&D projects and want a tool to organise them before adviser review.
- You have already confirmed EmpowerRD's fee and enquiry-defence terms and are comfortable with them.
Choose Uplift Tax introduction if:
- You want a free eligibility view before committing to any adviser.
- You want to assess R&D Tax Credits, Capital Allowances, and Land Remediation Relief in one conversation.
- You want to be matched to a specialist with demonstrated sector experience rather than assigned to an in-house team.
- You are price-sensitive and want the fee model made explicit up front before any engagement is signed.
- This is your first claim and you want a second-opinion check on your HMRC eligibility position before deciding on an adviser.
What both have in common
Both EmpowerRD and a Uplift-introduced specialist work under the same Merged Scheme rules effective from 1 April 2024. Both require the Additional Information Form to be submitted to HMRC. Both are fee-for-outcome services with no up-front cash cost to the claimant at the assessment or initial engagement stage. Neither makes the result of a claim certain, because HMRC eligibility depends on the technical and financial facts of each accounting period.
A change of adviser between accounting periods is always possible and HMRC-permitted. If you have used EmpowerRD for a prior period and want to change, the main practical step is to ensure any prior claims are well-documented before handing over to a new adviser. See the R&D tax relief glossary for definitions of the key terms involved in moving between schemes and advisers.