Do your research for tax relief

AN Oldham firm is encouraging others to take advantage of research and development tax relief.

HM Revenue and Customs say north-west businesses are missing out on a share of millions of pounds.

Injection and plastic moulding business Patterson & Rothwell has taken advantage of the services of Jumpstart, a company which supports tax relief claims for research and development.

Trevor Mills, toolroom manager at Patterson & Rothwell said: “We have applied for loads of grants over the years and in some cases the amount of time that it can take to fill in the paperwork and follow all the red tape is so much that you sometimes wonder if it’s worth it. But Jumpstart was different and we were very happy with the results it achieved for us.”

Only a limited number of businesses are taking full advantage of a government incentive scheme to encourage R&D Since its launch in 2008, Jumpstart has successfully claimed £4,597,542 for North-West businesses, with an average initial benefit of around £37,000.

Ian Wolfendale, client engagement manager for Jumpstart in the North-West, said: “Awareness of the relief programme is increasing, but only very slowly.”

The Jumpstart team consists of scientists and technologists, including chemists, biologists, engineers, physicists and software engineers, who understand each market area and can produce robust applications which in turn have resulted in significant R&D claims for its clients.

Details: www.jumpstartuk.co.uk