How long does it take for a claim to be paid out?

The time it takes for any payable Research and Development (R&D) tax credit or refund to be paid out by HMRC can depend on a range of factors. Often these factors will be outside of the control of the claimant – such as certain times of the year when a lot of claims are submitted simultaneously, when HMRC are having operational issues, or when there are significant rule changes.

Furthermore, HMRC may sometimes ask for further evidence to support a claim. When this occurs, through the opening of an aspect enquiry, the payment of a claim will be significantly delayed until such a point whereby HMRC is satisfied that the claim is legitimate and correct.

However, under usual circumstances, the “rule of thumb” might be that a well-prepared claim is paid out 4 to 10 weeks after it is submitted to HMRC.