Impact of recent changes to the R&D schemes

Join Makayla Combes, Tom Wallace, Emma Rawson and Deborah Chapple, as they discuss the recent changes announced to HMRC’s R&D schemes.

Our panel will be covering:

• Changes to HMRC’s SME & RDEC R&D schemes in 2023
• What the changes mean for R&D claims
• Risks to look out for
• HMRC enquiries
• What future R&D scheme changes may look like 

Makayla Combes ACCA CTA – Ad Valorem Group

Makayla is Head of Tax and Business Consultancy at Ad Valorem, providing expert advice in several areas including Mergers and Acquisitions, Property Tax Reliefs and Business Growth. Outside of her role, Makayla also sits on the New Tax Professionals Committee at CIOT and is the UK representative for the European CFE New Tax Professionals Committee.

Tom Wallace TEP ATT – WTT Group

Thomas Wallace TEP ATT is a former senior HMRC inspector of taxes who is now director of tax investigations at WTT Group. Across nearly 20 years in public service, he investigated all segments of the taxpayer population including FTSE100 companies and wealthy individuals involved in offshore evasion. He now uses his specialist knowledge and skills to support taxpayers in both criminal and civil disputes with HMRC, representing them up to and including the First Tier Tax Tribunal. Tom is a member of both the Association of Taxation Technicians and the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

Emma Rawson – ATT

Emma Rawson a technical officer with the ATT, leading their engagement on business taxes.

Before moving into tax, Emma studied for a PhD in clinical medicine at the University of Oxford. She then trained in corporate tax before moving to the ATT just over five years ago.

Emma works closely with HMRC and HM Treasury on emerging tax policy issues. She frequently presents talks and webinars on tax technical matters, writes articles and has appeared on both national radio and television. She recently gave oral evidence to the House of Lords Finance Bill Sub-Committee inquiry into R&D relief.

Deborah Chapple ATT – Ad Valorem Group

Deborah is a qualified tax adviser boasting over 30 years of experience in finance and tax. As the R&D Director at Ad Valorem Group since 2015, she leads a dedicated team focused on helping SMEs and large companies maximise their tax savings through R&D work. With her extensive knowledge of tax legislation, HMRC’s approach, and a successful track record in handling HMRC enquiries, Deborah is an expert in crafting robust and compliant R&D tax relief claims.