ACCA Registered
Xero Certified Adviser
FreeAgent Partner
ICO Registered
Where we work

Manchester. London. Wherever your agency is based.

Remote-firstUK-wide clientsIn-person when it matters
alto.

ACCA accountants for UK creative and marketing agencies. Specialists in agency cash flow, retainer math, and director tax planning.

Alto Accounting Ltd86–90 Paul Street
London EC2A 4NE
Company No. 15343741
Registered practice

Services

  • Bookkeeping
  • Tax Planning
  • Payroll
  • Outsourced FD
  • Xero Accounting
  • R&D Tax Credits
  • VAT Returns
  • Small Agencies

Free tools

  • Salary Calculator
  • R&D Tax Calculator
  • Profitability Calculator
  • Runway Calculator
  • IR35 Checker
  • VAT Calculator
  • Tax Deadlines Calendar

Agency types

  • PPC Agencies
  • SEO Agencies
  • Web Design Agencies
  • Digital Marketing
  • Video Production
  • Branding Agencies
  • PR & Comms
  • Social Media Agencies
  • Creative Studios
  • Advertising Agencies
  • Content Creators
  • Ecommerce Agencies
  • View All Services →

Popular guides

  • Director Salary 2026/27
  • Dubai Relocation Guide
  • Agency Profitability Guide
  • Creator Tax Checklist
  • UAE Expat Tax Checklist
  • View All Guides →

Comparisons

  • Specialist vs General
  • Best Agency Accountants
  • Best Cloud Software
  • In-House vs Outsourced FD
  • Accountant vs Bookkeeper
  • Accounting Costs Guide

Locations

  • London
  • Manchester
  • Birmingham
  • Leeds
  • Bristol
  • Edinburgh
  • Glasgow
  • Liverpool
  • Cambridge
  • Cardiff
  • Nottingham
  • Brighton
  • Newcastle
  • All locations →

Company

  • About Us
  • Pricing
  • Contact
  • Free Consultation
  • FAQ
  • Why Specialist?
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Agency tax brief

Practical finance for UK agency founders

Monthly. Deadlines, quick wins, nothing fluffy.

© 2026 Alto Accounting Ltd
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms
  • hello@alto-accounting.com
alto.
  • About
PricingBook a call
Run monthly
Monthly reportingCash flow forecastingOutsourced FDYear-end accounts
Tax & compliance
Tax planningPayrollR&D tax creditsVATXero accounting
Featured
£
The monthly close

How we close your books

A signed-off report by working day 10 — P&L, cash position, and what matters this month.

See how we close
By agency type
Creative studiosPaid-media agenciesDigital marketingBranding agenciesContent creatorsSee all agency types
By situation
Small agencies
Why specialist
£
Specialist vs generalist

Why a specialist?

Generalist accountants miss what matters for agencies: WIP, utilisation, retainer deferrals, and the rhythm of project work.

Read the case
Calculators
Salary & dividendAgency profitabilityAgency runwayIR35 status checkerR&D tax creditVAT registrationSRT day counterAll tools
Free guides
£
Most read

The agency cash-flow guide

A practical playbook for surviving a slow month: forecast, runway, retainer math, and where founders usually break.

Open the guide
Run a better agency
Agency profitabilityPricing strategyUtilisation rateRetainer pricingValuation & exit
Tax & compliance
Salary & dividend 2026/27IR35 for agenciesSole trader vs limitedMaking Tax DigitalSelf-assessment 2026All articles
Featured
£
Latest

Autumn Budget 2025

What Rachel Reeves' Budget changes mean for UK agency owners and small businesses — the items worth acting on.

Read the breakdown
  • Services
  • Who we help
  • Tools
  • Insights
  • About
  • Pricing
Book a 15-minute call
Replies in 24 hours, usually same dayhello@alto-accounting.com
Home/Services/R&D tax credits
R&D tax credits

R&D Tax Credits for Digital & Creative Agencies

If your agency builds custom technology, solves technical challenges, or pushes creative boundaries, you may be leaving tens of thousands of pounds unclaimed each year.

Check If You Qualify →See pricing
ACCA registered practice · Specialist agency accountants
Starting from £450/mo · Fixed monthly fee
Replies in 24 hours, usually same day
ClaimFY24 · qualifying
100mlR&D£28,40086%
ACCA filed · HMRC defensible
01Sound familiar?

The challenges agencies tell us about every week.

If any of these read like your week, you're in the right place.

EMPTY×

You assume R&D credits are only for science labs

Many agency founders think R&D tax credits are only for biotech or engineering firms. In reality, digital agencies that develop bespoke software, build complex integrations, or create innovative technical solutions often qualify.

01
RISK

You have been put off by aggressive R&D claim firms

The R&D tax credit market has been tarnished by firms making inflated claims. HMRC is cracking down, and poorly prepared claims now face scrutiny. You need a credible, conservative approach.

02
£?UNCLAIMED · UNKNOWN

You do not know which projects qualify

R&D eligibility is based on technical uncertainty and advancement, not whether something is "innovative" in a marketing sense. Without expert guidance, you either miss valid claims or risk over-claiming.

03
02Right fit

This service is built for you if…

Four signs you're ready for proper r&d tax credits. If you tick most of them, let's talk.

Right fit checklist
  • Your agency builds custom software or digital products
  • You solve technical challenges for clients
  • You have developers, designers, or engineers on staff
  • You have never claimed R&D credits before
IncludesAgency-only · ACCA registered · Fixed monthly fee
03What’s included

Everything you need, handled by specialists.

Each line in your monthly fee. No surprise add-ons.

R&D

Eligibility assessment

We review your projects to identify which ones genuinely qualify for R&D relief under HMRC's guidelines. We are conservative. We only claim what is defensible.

01

Technical narrative writing

We work with your technical team to document the technological uncertainties and advancements in language that HMRC expects. This is where most claims succeed or fail.

02
£

Cost identification and calculation

We identify all qualifying expenditure, including staff costs, subcontractor fees, software, and consumables, and calculate the correct claim amount under the current scheme.

03
FILED

Claim submission and HMRC liaison

We prepare and submit the claim as part of your Corporation Tax return. If HMRC enquires, we handle the correspondence on your behalf.

04

Starting from £450/mo

Exact pricing depends on your transaction volume and complexity. We quote a fixed monthly fee after a 15-minute discovery call — no surprises.

See all plans
04Questions

Things agencies ask us about r&d tax credits.

05By agency type

R&D Tax Credits for Digital Agencies for every agency type.

We tailor r&d tax credits to each vertical — from PPC agencies billing media to PR firms running retainers.

01PPC Agencies02SEO Agencies03Web Design04Digital Marketing05Video Production06Branding07Social Media08Creative Studios09Advertising10Content Creators11Ecommerce12PR & Comms
ACCA Registered PracticeReplies in 24h

Find out if your agency qualifies. Book a free R&D review

15 minutes. No obligation, no hard sell. Just a genuine conversation about your agency's r&d tax credits.

Check If You Qualify →