Business leaders collaborating on tax relief strategies

    Insights and Guidance for UK SMEs

    Insight for UK SMEs on tax reliefs, financial decisions and the real issues you as leaders are dealing with.

    Running an SME means balancing long-term planning with the pressures of day-to-day decision-making. This section brings together clear, practical articles on R&D tax relief, government incentives and the wider financial and operational issues that business owners and finance directors face. Each piece is written with accuracy and real-world experience in mind, giving you straightforward information you can apply directly to your business.

    2026

    Patent Box Statistics 2026
    Patent Box
    Patent Box Statistics 2026: Why Relief Passed £2 Billion
    30 September 2026
    HMRC's September 2026 Patent Box statistics show relief of £2,283m across 1,735 companies. Why the figure rose, and what it means for UK SMEs.
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    competent professional R&D
    R&D
    How to Identify Your Competent Professional
    23 September 2026
    Every R&D claim needs a competent professional. Here is how to work out whether the person you have in mind actually meets HMRC’s test.
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    R&D Project Record Keeping
    R&D
    A Nine-Part Framework for R&D Project Records
    17 September 2026
    Lexmore’s nine-part framework for R&D project records, built on HMRC’s GfC3 Part 5 recommended approach to claims and record keeping.
    Read full article
    Directors contemplating the Autumn Budget and Dividend Payment
    SME Tax Bulletin
    Should You Take an Interim Dividend Before the Budget?
    8 September 2026
    Autumn Budget 2026 is on 28 October. What UK director-shareholders should weigh when deciding whether to accelerate an interim dividend before Budget Day.
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    UK Business Owner contemplating her exit
    Employee Ownership Trusts
    Succession Planning: Sale, EOT or Management Buyout
    19 August 2026
    Compare succession planning routes for SME owners: a third-party sale, Employee Ownership Trust or management buyout, including funding and tax.
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    R&D Record Keeping Engineering
    R&D
    R&D Record-Keeping for Engineering Projects
    11 August 2026
    A practical R&D record-keeping checklist for engineering projects, covering technical evidence, project costs, the AIF and record retention.
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    Advanced Manufacturing AI
    SME Business Bulletin
    Advanced Manufacturing AI Plan: SME Guide
    30 July 2026
    The Advanced Manufacturing AI Plan proposes a Scan-Pilot-Scale pathway. See what it means for UK manufacturing SMEs.
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    HMRC R&D Enquiries
    R&D
    R&D Enquiries: What to Expect and How to Respond
    22 July 2026
    HMRC's R&D enquiry activity is at multi-year highs. What triggers an enquiry, what HMRC will ask, and how UK SMEs should respond to protect a valid claim.
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    Uk Manufacturing Energy costs
    SME Business Bulletin
    UK Manufacturing Energy Costs: Outlook and Options
    14 July 2026
    UK business electricity remains around 75% above pre-2021 levels. What manufacturing and engineering SMEs should know about 2026 costs, outlook and options.
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    R&D Tax Relief Claim Notification Form
    R&D
    R&D Claim Notification Form: Rules and Exemptions
    6 July 2026
    The R&D Claim Notification Form must reach HMRC within 6 months of the end of the accounting period. Who needs it, who is exempt, what to do if you miss it.
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    Gym
    SME Tax Bulletin
    Salary Sacrifice in 2026-27: Where It Still Works
    30 June 2026
    Salary sacrifice in 2026-27: pensions, electric cars and Cycle to Work still deliver. Holiday and gym schemes are now closer to neutral.
    Read full article
    Business Owner thinking about Self Assessment Payments
    SME Tax Bulletin
    Self Assessment Payments on Account: 31 July 2026
    23 June 2026
    Your second Self Assessment payment on account is due 31 July 2026. What it is, the £1,000 rule, and how to reduce it safely.
    Read full article
    Business Owner contemplating Employee Ownership Trust
    Employee Ownership Trusts
    EOT Funding: How the Trust Pays the Founder Out
    15 June 2026
    EOT funding explained: how the trust pays the founder, deferred consideration, distributable reserves, and the timing traps to avoid.
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    R&D tax relief Advance Assurance
    R&D
    R&D Advance Assurance Pilot
    1 June 2026
    HMRC launched a new R&D tax relief Advance Assurance pilot on 18 May 2026. What UK SMEs need to know about scope, eligibility and how to apply.
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    P11D Deadline 2026: a practical guide for UK SME employers on filing P11D and P11D(b) and paying Class 1A NIC.
    SME Tax Bulletin
    P11D Deadline 2026: A Guide for UK Employers
    26 May 2026
    P11D and P11D(b) for 2025-26 are due by 6 July 2026. With Class 1A NIC now at 15% and the secondary threshold cut to £5,000, small errors are costlier than before. A practical guide for UK SME employers.
    Read full article
    Business Owners dicussing Dividend tax
    SME Tax Bulletin
    Dividend Tax Rise 2026: What UK Directors Need to Know
    20 May 2026
    From 6 April 2026, dividend tax rates rise by 2 percentage points for basic and higher rate taxpayers. What it means for UK director-shareholders.
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    Engineer working on a patented automotive component, an example of the kind of UK SME that could benefit from the Patent Box 10% Corporation Tax rate.
    R&D
    Patent Box: How UK SMEs Pay 10% on Patent Profits
    29 April 2026
    The UK Patent Box reduces Corporation Tax on profits from qualifying patents to 10%. A practical guide for SMEs covering eligibility, the two-year election deadline, the nexus fraction and a worked example.
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    Smiling accountant at a modern office desk — Lexmore partners with accountancy firms to support clients on R&D, Patent Box and Capital Allowances.
    R&D
    Working with Accountants: A Structured Approach to Tax Relief
    4 February 2026
    Lexmore works alongside accountancy firms to support clients with R&D Tax Relief, Patent Box and Embedded Capital Allowances — providing specialist input where required, without disrupting existing relationships.
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    Business owner engaging with employees after transitioning to an Employee Ownership Trust.
    Employee Ownership Trusts
    An Introduction to Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs)
    14 January 2026
    Employee Ownership Trusts allow a business owner to sell a controlling stake to a trust for employees. Here is how they work in practice for UK SMEs.
    Read full article

    2025

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    Designed with UK SME Business owners in mind, keep up with insights, updates and news from the Lexmore team.