Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS)
Offers reduced corporate tax support for loss-making innovation-heavy companies with substantial knowledge investment activity in the United Kingdom.
Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS) is a superior R&D tax relief track for loss-making R&D-intensive SMEs. Where the Merged RDEC gives a 20% above-the-line credit, ERIS gives an 86% extra deduction (total 186% of qualifying costs) plus a 14.5% payable credit on the surrenderable loss — netting ~27p relief per £1 of qualifying R&D for eligible companies. Eligibility has three gates: (1) SME status (CIRD91000); (2) trading loss for tax purposes before the additional deduction; (3) R&D intensity threshold — qualifying R&D expenditure must be at least 30% of total expenditure (including connected companies worldwide) for accounting periods beginning on/after 1 April 2024. Companies that met the 30% threshold in their previous 12-month period and made a valid SME/ERIS claim for expenditure on/after 1 April 2023 can also qualify. Northern Ireland registered SMEs claiming ERIS are exempt from overseas contractor/EPW restrictions. PAYE cap applies but — unlike Merged RDEC — excess does not carry forward.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.