Help for hi tech firms

The government is offering small and medium-sized high-tech companies free workshops outlining the support available for business growth, research and development (R&D) tax credits and innovation said specialist small business advisor Sarah Buswell at Harris & Co accountants Northampton

These sessions are being organised by HMRC and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and will focus on the range of tax incentives, grants and other support.

They will also provide information on how businesses can make claims and where to go for further help.

The topics covered include R&D tax credits and the Patent Box tax incentive; grants, knowledge transfer, networking, and procurement; and patents and intellectual property.

There will also be information about EU funding for business R&D and innovation, including the Horizon 2020 programme for research and innovation, launched in January, plus the help available to innovate and commercialise technology through design projects.

Carol Lunney, HMRC assistant director, business tax, said:

‘British ideas and inventions have helped shape our world, from the telephone to the World Wide Web. The UK has the largest creative sector per head in the world. These workshops are designed to ensure our high-tech SMEs get the help they need to help them invest in R&D and innovation.’

Each workshop features a 20 minute presentation followed by 10 minutes of questions, with stands staffed by experts available to talk.

A maximum of 30 delegates will be able to attend, and workshops will be held in Cambridge, Leicester, Reading, Plymouth, Oxford, Sheffield, Portsmouth and Scotland over the period March to June 2014.

Places can be booked here.