R&D Tax Credits For The Cloud Computing Sector
Get the sector experience you need to make a successful R&D tax relief claim
QLC helps cloud computing companies accelerate their R&D claims with our streamlined portal and expert team.
Our cloud computing sector experience
With years of expertise in cloud computing R&D tax relief, QLC understands the complexities of your industry.
Whether you're optimising cloud infrastructure, developing innovative software solutions, or enhancing data security, we’ve supported cloud computing companies of all sizes in claiming millions through R&D tax credits.
Trust QLC to help your business unlock the benefits you deserve.
Success stories
What Our Clients Say About Us
"I am really impressed with the efficiency of your work, and the results you got for our company. A very friendly, committed and obviously hardworking team. You made the whole process very easy."
Will Tompkins (Director)
Vintage and Classic Cars
"QLC successfully claimed credits for the past 2 financial years, this year was even better. They managed the application and claimed the R&D credit prior to our annual tax bill, making the whole process quicker, easier and more efficient than last year."
Andrew Forbes (Director)
Architecture
"A massive thanks to all your team, obviously with the current situation, this money couldn’t have come at a better time."
Ian Cooke (Director)
Engineering
"From our experience we have always found QLC to be efficient and thorough in their tax appraisals, carefully guiding us through the often complex process. They have a very approachable team, all of which have been able to offer excellent advice when needed."
Ben Reed (Director)
Architecture
"They are proactive and efficient in performing their service and I have been impressed by their dynamism."
Chris Wright (Director)
Motorsport Engineering
"Your company did exactly what you said it would do. It took far less time than the other company that we had used in the past. We are extremely pleased with the outcome."
Adrian Smith (Company Sec)
Manufacturing Firm
"I am really impressed with the efficiency of your work, and the results you got for our company. A very friendly, committed and obviously hardworking team. You made the whole process very easy."
Will Tompkins (Director)
Vintage and Classic Cars
"QLC successfully claimed credits for the past 2 financial years, this year was even better. They managed the application and claimed the R&D credit prior to our annual tax bill, making the whole process quicker, easier and more efficient than last year."
Andrew Forbes (Director)
Architecture
"A massive thanks to all your team, obviously with the current situation, this money couldn’t have come at a better time."
Ian Cooke (Director)
Engineering
"From our experience we have always found QLC to be efficient and thorough in their tax appraisals, carefully guiding us through the often complex process. They have a very approachable team, all of which have been able to offer excellent advice when needed."
Ben Reed (Director)
Architecture
"They are proactive and efficient in performing their service and I have been impressed by their dynamism."
Chris Wright (Director)
Motorsport Engineering
"Your company did exactly what you said it would do. It took far less time than the other company that we had used in the past. We are extremely pleased with the outcome."
Adrian Smith (Company Sec)
Manufacturing Firm
How much could you claim?
The average R&D tax claim for SMEs
For your own quick estimate, you can use our easy-to-use R&D tax calculator:
£ 55 k
Common R&D activities for AI and robotics companies
Product development and innovation
New platforms
Developing new cloud-based platforms or applications to address specific market needs.SaaS
Prototyping and testing Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions.Architecture
Creating bespoke cloud architectures for unique business challenges.Iteration
Iterating and optimising application designs to improve performance, scalability, or security.Hybrid solutions
Developing hybrid cloud solutions that integrate on-premises and cloud systems seamlessly.
Process improvement and automation
Deployment
Enhancing cloud deployment pipelines for faster, more reliable updates.Infrastructure
Automating cloud infrastructure management using Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tools.AI
Developing AI-driven systems to optimise cloud resource allocation and reduce costs.CI/CD
Improving CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment) pipelines to streamline development workflows.Energy efficiency
Implementing new practices to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprints in data centres.
Security and compliance
Developing advanced methods for encrypting data in transit and at rest.
Implementing innovative approaches to multi-factor authentication (MFA) and identity management.
Building systems to detect and respond to security breaches in real time.
Ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks such as GDPR, ISO 27001, or SOC 2.
Designing processes for data sovereignty and cross-border data transfer compliance.
Infrastructure optimisation
Designing fault-tolerant and highly available cloud systems.
Developing innovative methods for managing serverless computing environments.
Implementing multi-cloud strategies to optimise cost and performance across providers.
Improving network performance through advanced load-balancing and caching techniques.
Exploring edge computing solutions to reduce latency and improve responsiveness.
AI and machine learning in cloud computing
Building cloud-native machine learning models for predictive analytics.
Optimising AI workloads for cloud scalability and cost-effectiveness.
Creating platforms for automated data preprocessing and feature engineering.
Using AI to improve cloud performance monitoring and anomaly detection.
Integrating machine learning for dynamic workload management.
Data management and analytics
Developing new techniques for processing and analyzing big data in cloud environments.
Creating tools for real-time data streaming and analytics.
Enhancing cloud databases for better scalability and query performance.
Implementing new data lifecycle management practices to reduce storage costs.
Exploring innovative solutions for data deduplication and compression.
Emerging technologies in cloud R&D
Quantum computing
Quantum computing integration: Exploring quantum-enhanced algorithms for cloud-based tasks.Blockchain
Blockchain-as-a-service: Developing decentralised solutions for secure transactions.5G and edge
5G and edge computing: Enhancing cloud capabilities for low-latency applications.Microservices
Containerisation and kubernetes: Innovating in orchestration and scaling of microservices.
Wvent-driven computing
Serverless architectures: Improving frameworks for event-driven computing.
Why choose QLC?
QLC and our portal help businesses like yours claim R&D tax credits and tax relief faster and more successfully than ever.
End-to-end service
Easy-to-use customer portal
Faster payouts than our competitors
See your money in 16 days
Flexible comms
All sectors and sizes
No minimum fee
Stakeholder transparency
Cloud computing sector R&D tax credit FAQ
What cloud computing activities qualify for R&D tax credits?
Activities that solve technical uncertainties or advance cloud technology qualify. Examples include:
- Developing innovative cloud architectures.
- Improving cloud resource optimisation or scalability.
- Enhancing data security systems.
- Creating or refining cloud-native AI/ML models.
- Solving technical challenges related to multi-cloud integrations or serverless environments.
Are software development projects eligible for R&D tax credits?
Yes, software projects qualify if they involve:
- Developing new software systems.
- Overcoming technical challenges, such as optimising algorithms or ensuring interoperability across platforms.
- Resolving uncertainties in scalability, security, or performance.
- Routine coding, bug fixes, or implementing standard solutions usually do not qualify.
Do activities related to open-source contributions qualify?
Contributions to open-source projects can qualify if:
- The company is developing innovative features or solutions not previously available.
- These activities involve overcoming technical uncertainties.
For example, creating a novel cloud resource management tool as part of an open-source project could qualify.
Can we claim tax credits for failed or incomplete projects?
Yes, claims can include projects that faced technical challenges but didn’t succeed. HMRC recognises that failure or abandonment is a natural part of R&D, provided the efforts were aimed at overcoming uncertainty or advancing technology.
What costs can be included in an R&D tax credit claim? Qualifying costs include:
- Staff Costs: Salaries, bonuses, pensions, and NICs for employees directly involved in R&D.
- Software Costs: Licenses for tools used in R&D, such as cloud management or testing platforms.
- Subcontractor Costs: Payments to third parties working on qualifying R&D activities.
- Consumables: Materials consumed during R&D, though for cloud projects, this may include server time or test environments.
Can we claim tax credits for cloud hosting costs?
Hosting costs can qualify if:
They are directly incurred during R&D activities (e.g., running simulations, prototypes, or testing environments). Only the portion related to R&D can be claimed; hosting for routine business use does not qualify.
Are costs for third-party consultants and developers eligible?
Yes, provided:
- They contribute to qualifying R&D activities.
- The claim is capped at 65% of the costs for subcontracted work.
Can training costs for employees working on R&D projects be included?
Training costs are generally not eligible. However, if the knowledge gained is directly applied to R&D activities, this may strengthen the case for including associated project costs.
How do we demonstrate that our projects meet the R&D eligibility criteria?
Companies need to:
- Document technical challenges and how they were addressed.
- Provide evidence of systematic investigation, such as testing different approaches or iterating prototypes.
- Show how the work aims to achieve a technological advance.
Does developing cloud-based solutions for clients qualify as R&D?
Yes, if the development:
- Involves solving technical challenges specific to the client’s requirements.
- Results in innovations or advancements in technology that could not be easily achieved with existing solutions.
Can we claim tax credits for maintenance or bug-fixing tasks?
No, routine maintenance, debugging, or updates do not qualify. Only activities addressing technical challenges or creating advancements are eligible.
What documentation is required to support an R&D tax credit claim?
Essential documentation includes:
- Technical reports describing the R&D process and challenges.
- Detailed project timelines and milestones.
- Records of employee involvement (e.g., time tracking).
- Invoices and receipts for eligible expenses.