The R&D tax credit stats for last year are just out. Here are some highlights.SMEs have made at least 42,075 R&D tax credit claims – 87% of all claims made. HMRC reports nearly 7,000 first time applicants in 2017-18. Over three-quarters (77%) of SME claims are worth less than £50,000 and 18% of all claims are worth less than £5,000.Large businesses comprise 7% of all claimants but make up nearly half (43%) of all the funding awarded by the government.