“Easily access this tax credit of up-to 20% of the film’s budget with our help”

Since being introduced in 2007, the film tax credit has been made more generous and expanded so a wide variety of projects can access it. As well as many standard films, we have helped projects qualify for the film tax credit where others were sceptical including short films, charity projects and ‘live’ theatrical/opera screenings relayed to cinema audiences.

The three principal conditions to access the film tax credit are that it is culturally British, has more than 10% of qualifying spend in the UK and is intended for theatrical release.

The value of the tax credit is 25% of core expenditure that is used or consumed in the UK, up to a cap of 80% of total core expenditure i.e. 20% (25% of 80%) where 80% or more of the spend is in the UK.

Easily understandable reference documents with more information on the conditions are available upon request.

“Home cinema (and the tax credit) has brought new life to UK television”

Modelled on the success of the film tax credit, the high-end TV incentive was introduced in April 2013 with similar conditions and the same value being 25% of core expenditure that is used or consumed in the UK, up to a cap of 80% of total core expenditure i.e. 20% (25% of 80%) where 80% or more of the spend is in the UK.

In the first year following introduction, the UK programme spend increased from around £50 million to £395 million with £79 million of tax credit awarded.

The key qualifying conditions (in addition to the film tax credit conditions) are that the minimum ‘core’ expenditure per hour is at least £1 million, that the programme slot length must be no less than 30 minutes and that it must be intended for broadcast (rather than theatrical release).

Easily understandable reference documents with more information on the conditions are available upon request.

“A huge incentive for small animation projects”

Introduced as a sub-category of the television tax credit but with a relaxation on the £1 million ‘core’ expenditure per hour requirement where more than 51% of the qualifying spend is on animation. As with the TV tax credit, the animation credit can be up-to 20% of the budget.

We have helped both new start-ups and established companies involved in the animation industry access this tax credit successfully.

Easily understandable reference documents with more information on the conditions are available upon request.

“Inbound investment into UK video game development expected to increase by £188 million by 2019”

Spend on deign, production and testing of a video game became eligible for the UK video games tax credit from April 2014. 

To qualify, the game must pass a British cultural test, have at least 25% of the core expenditure in the UK and be intended for supply to the general public.

The relief is available at the same rate as other tax credits i.e. 25% of core expenditure that is used or consumed in the UK, up to a cap of 80% of total core expenditure i.e. 20% (25% of 80%) where 80% or more of the spend is in the UK.

The cost of developing a video game is often difficult to quantify and can be dependent on the overall success of that game. This will impact on the available tax credit so please get in touch to discuss your project.

“Improving performances of the UK theatre industry”

The most recent boost to the UK creative industries was introduced in September 2014 and is available to professional theatrical productions i.e. where it is the intention that a high proportion of performances are to paying members of the public (or provided for educational purposes).

There are two tiers of relief being 20% for non-touring productions and 25% for touring productions with certain criteria determining whether a production qualifies as touring. These tiers are applied to the amount 25% of core expenditure that is used or consumed in the EEA up to a cap of 80% of total core expenditure so the value of the credit is limited to 16% for non-touring productions and 20% for touring productions.

Easily understandable reference documents with more information on the conditions are available upon request.

“Children’s TV programming gets a boost from UK government”

A programme is a children’s programme if, when television production activity begins, it is reasonable to expect that the persons who will make up the programme’s primary audience will be under the age of 15.

The relief is available at the same rate as television i.e. 25% of core expenditure that is used or consumed in the UK, up to a cap of 80% of total core expenditure i.e. 20% (25% of 80%) where 80% or more of the spend is in the UK.

The kids TV tax credit will not be subject to the £1 million per programme hour or 30 minute slot length that apply to high-end TV.

“R&D claims are occasionally overlooked as qualification may not be apparent”

A valuable tax relief designed to encourage innovation in the UK by providing a repayable tax credit of 32.63% for smaller companies and about 8% for larger companies.

Projects which seek to make an appreciable improvement to an existing process, material, device, product or service through scientific or technological changes can be eligible R&D. The credit can be claimed on a wide variety of costs including staff salaries, materials and overhead costs.

We can undertake a review to help you to identify which projects will qualify as eligible R&D, and the costs which are eligible expenditure. Easily understandable reference documents with more information on the conditions are available upon request.