Tax relief specialist Jumpstart opens up first regional UK office

Edinburgh-based Jumpstart is pursuing its growth by opening an office in Slough, hailing it as the start of a planned UK-wide network of regional offices and representing its 'determination' to rule the research and development (R&D) tax credit guidance sector.

Tax relief firm Jumpstart have set up an office in Slough. Picture: PA

The new office will accommodate six staff, and will be led by Simon Morley, who has joined as regional director from Deloitte, alongside Antony Beak, who has moved from Grant Thornton.

“Both will be supported by a three-strong team of expert science and technology analysts,” noted Jumpstart, which pointed out that it now has 50 full-time staff across the UK, with further recruitment planned by the end of the year.

The firm said the latest office “will continue Jumpstart’s steep growth curve in a crowded market” and managing director Brian Williamson stated: “This is only the start of getting the structure together based on plans we have been formulating over the past 12 months.

“Our new colleagues are a very welcome addition to the Jumpstart team. Simon and Antony will be covering the south east of England and are already renewing their relationship with professional advisers and company directors throughout the region to tell them about the advantages to be gained from R&D tax relief.

“Every year an estimated £2 billion can be claimed by UK companies in R&D tax credits; in the event hundreds of millions of pounds went unclaimed in the last financial year.

“The total amount of funds recovered from HMRC for its clients by Jumpstart since it began trading in 2008 is currently on course to reach £100 million.

“We believe there are millions of pounds worth of claims sitting waiting to be filed with HMRC; Simon and Antony are in pole position to assist companies in the south east of England to secure these funds.”

The firm was founded in 2008 by Richard Edwards, Don Galloway and Stuart Wyse, with Business Growth Fund (BGF) investing £3.4m in the company in February 2014 to fuel its growth.

Jumpstart’s technical analysts approach R&D tax relief from a technology perspective rather than an accounting angle, and in 2013 the business boosted its links with the accountancy profession by striking a partnership deal with industry alliance group CharterGroup with a view to “significantly” growing its reach.