CIRD84050 - R&D tax relief: categories of qualifying expenditure: externally provider worker - connected staff supplier


CTA09/S1129Ìý

The following guidance applies to all claims including connected parties, including those where an election for connected party treatment has been made (CTA09/S1130).

The interpretation of �connected party� is found in CTA10/S1122 (see CTA09/S1316).

There are some accounting requirements which relate to the connected staff provider or staff controllerÌýand whichÌýmust beÌýmet before the company which has a staff provision payment for EPWs can make a claim for R&D relief.ÌýÌýÌýÌý

The accountsÌýto which these requirements apply must have been drawn up inÌýaccordance with generally accepted accountancy practice (GAAP). These accounts must also end not more than 12 months after the end of the claimant com±è²¹²Ô²â’s period of accounts in which the staffÌýprovision paymentÌý provision forÌýEPWâ€�s is, in accordance with GAAP, brought into account in determining the com±è²¹²Ô²â’s profit or loss. Ìý

  • The accounting conditions are; that the whole of theÌýstaff provision paymentÌýhas been brought into account in determining the connected staff provider or staff controller’sÌýprofit or loss, andÌý

  • That all of its relevant expenditure incurred on providing those externally provided workers has been brought into account in determiningÌýthe connected party staff provider or staff controller com±è²¹²Ô²â’s profit or loss.ÌýThese expenses should be identified by reference to the criteria used to identify staffing costs as inÌýCIRD83000. See below regarding reimbursed expenses.Ìý

Where these conditions are met the company’s qualifying expenditure is the lower of:Ìý

  • the qualifying payment for staff that it makes to the staff provider, andÌý

  • the amount that the staff provider or staff controller includes as relevant expenditure in its accounting periods ending not more than 12 months after the end of the company's accounting period in which the payment was made. The relevant expenditure should, as mentioned above, be identified by reference to the criteria used to identify staffing costs as inÌýCIRD83000. See below regarding reimbursed expenses.Ìý

Note that when identifying the relevant expenditureÌýthisÌýmay include reimbursed expenses, paid by the staff provider or staff controller to staff. Further guidance on what qualifies as reimbursed expenses is found atÌýCIRD83200.Ìý