Why a network, not a single firm
A single consultancy is a reasonable model for some clients. We run a network instead, for three reasons. Sector specialism varies: the right firm for a software claim is not the right firm for a contaminated-land remediation claim. Independence at the eligibility stage matters: because we do not prepare claims, the free assessment has no incentive to push marginal cases. Scale without compromise: a curated network can serve a wider spread of claimants without diluting the quality of any single firm's work.
Who is in the network
The network is made up of specialist UK R&D tax firms that have passed our written vetting standards, set out below. We do not publish the names of firms on this page. The firm matched to your claim — together with their qualifications, fee structure and the engagement letter — is disclosed to you at the point of introduction, after the free assessment.
This is deliberate. The right firm depends on your sector, your claim profile, your timing and any HMRC enquiry exposure you may have. Publishing a fixed roster would imply that the first name on the list is the best match for every claimant, which is not how the introduction works. We would rather match you accurately than market a brand.
All firms in the network are HMRC-registered and hold Chartered Institute of Taxation (CTA) or Association of Taxation Technicians (ATT) qualifications at firm level. We do not introduce clients to firms we have not vetted. Where a specific sector or claim profile is better served by a firm not currently in the network, we say so at the point of introduction and explain who we are recommending and why.
How firms are selected
A firm joins the network only after passing five checks. HMRC registration: confirmed against the HMRC agent register. Professional qualification at firm level: CTA or ATT, verified via the relevant institute. Track record: minimum of three years of active R&D claim preparation, with client references and evidence of claims successfully defended against HMRC enquiry. Fee transparency: no-win-no-fee arrangements with fee disclosed in writing before engagement. Compliance posture: the firm's approach to the Additional Information Form and to HMRC enquiries meets our written standards.
Firms are reviewed annually. Any complaint from an introduced client is investigated; repeat complaints or evidence of non-compliance with our written standards lead to removal from the network. Removal is a sanction we have used and will use again where needed.
What a firm in the network provides
Every firm in the network handles, at minimum, the following. A free scoping call with the claimant after the Uplift Tax introduction. A written engagement letter, with the fee stated clearly. The full technical narrative, including the advance-in-science-or-technology framing required by HMRC. The cost schedule, including staff, consumables, software and subcontractor spend under the merged scheme rules. The Additional Information Form, which has been mandatory since August 2023 (see our AIF guide). HMRC correspondence and defence of the claim in any HMRC enquiry.
For Capital Allowances engagements, the firm carries out the survey and the allowance computation. For Land Remediation Relief, the firm handles the qualifying spend analysis and the disclosure treatment. The scope of work in every case is documented in the engagement letter.
How an introduction works
After a free assessment with a "likely" verdict, we propose a specific firm from the network, matched to the claimant's sector and claim profile. The claimant is free to accept the introduction or to request a different firm, or to decline altogether. If the claimant wants a second opinion from a firm outside the network, we support that; we would rather the claim be prepared by the right firm than by one of ours.
The Uplift Tax fee, if any, is an introducer fee paid by the specialist firm out of the successful claim, not by the claimant. This is disclosed at the point of introduction. The arrangement does not affect the claimant's fee with the specialist, which is set by the specialist firm and agreed in writing before any work starts.
Quality signals
We track quality signals across the network. Signals we look at include claim-success rate, average enquiry rate, enquiry-resolution rate, client-reported responsiveness, and published ratings on Trustpilot and Google. No single signal is decisive. A firm with a temporarily elevated enquiry rate, due to an HMRC policy change, is not penalised if the claims themselves are defensible. A firm with a clean enquiry record but poor client-responsiveness is flagged. The combination is what matters.
Compliance and regulation
The specialist firms in our network are regulated under the arrangements that apply to tax advisers in the UK, including Professional Conduct in Relation to Taxation where the firm's advisers hold a professional-institute membership. Uplift Tax is an introducer service. We are not regulated as a tax adviser. Where a client needs advice on the boundaries of their situation before engaging a specialist, we signpost appropriately, including to non-network firms where that is the right answer.
For accountants
Accountants who would like to refer clients to a specialist without losing the underlying relationship can join our accountant partner programme. Under that programme, the referring accountant keeps the corporation tax filing, the specialist handles the R&D, Capital Allowances or Land Remediation claim, and the two coordinate directly. See our For Accountants page for the mechanics and fee structure.
Ready for an Introduction?
A free Uplift Tax assessment takes ten minutes and, if a relief looks likely, results in an introduction to a sector-matched specialist from the network. No obligation, no up-front cost.
Request Your Free Assessment