Tatton Consulting

Mark Clayton

*** New grant funding for UK Food & Drink manufacturers ***

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The long-awaited Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) has now been launched, covering many of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas in the country.

RDPE provides funding for projects in England that create jobs and growth in the rural economy. Under the RDPE Growth Programme there are grants for business development, food processing, and rural tourism infrastructure. The grants are funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), which is part of the European Structural & Investment Funds (ESIF), and are delivered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).

Who can apply? Food and drink businesses that process agricultural and horticultural products (e.g. meat, milk, grain, root vegetables and soft fruit). Any size business can apply, but priority is given to SMEs.

Eligible expenditure? Constructing or improving buildings, new equipment and machinery

How much? This depends on each LEP area and the type of products that you produce. The minimum grant award starts at £35,000 up to a maximum of £1.0m in some LEP areas.

Level of funding? De Minimis State Aid rules apply with a maximum 40% intervention rate but other State Aid rules can be applied in certain cases at a 20% maximum. In Cornwall & Isles of Scilly, intervention rates of 50% are possible and large businesses without an agricultural holding number can apply for up to 25% of eligible costs for NEW economic activity.

Outputs? Satisfy local LEP priorities and achieve at least two of – create new jobs (at least 1 FTE for every £30,000 grant), increase turnover & profitability, improve productivity, provide direct benefits to local farmers and growers, create new links between growers and processors, and sell more products locally, nationally or through exports.

Location? UK wide. Unlike the business development and rural tourism elements of the RDPE scheme, which are postcode sensitive, it is possible for a food & drink processor to be located in an urban area provided they can demonstrate a benefit to rural areas.

How to apply? The application process is in two parts, typically taking between 5-6 months. There is an Expression of Interest deadline of 31st January 2018 and final claims submitted by 31st March 2019, subject to availability of funds.

Know someone who would be eligible?  If so, then let us and them know. In addition to helping them access an interest-free, repayment-free, equity-free grant to grow their business, we also pay healthy commission on all referrals passed to us.

All consultations and grant finding is done free of charge and we only earn once both parties have identified a suitable opportunity with a good chance of success. For further details please click here.

Questions? If you would like to explore what funding opportunities are available at the moment or would like to discuss your project, then please;

Alternatively contact us by clicking on one of the links below. We look forward to hearing from you and discussing your project further

 — Mark Clayton 

Managing Director

Round 3 of Manufacturing Innovation Grants now open – 70% funding available

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Up to 70% funding available for Manufacturing and Material innovation

The aim of the scheme is to stimulate and broaden innovation in manufacturing and materials. The scheme will fund a range of projects that address identified technical or commercial challenges and lead to increased productivity, competitiveness and growth for UK businesses.

A project must cover at least one of the following areas:

  • Innovation in a manufacturing system, technology, process or business model.For example, in process engineering, industrial biotechnology, mechanical conversion processes, coatings, surface engineering, textiles, supply chain management, new product introduction processes or remanufacture.
  • Innovation in materials development, properties, integration or reuse. For example, for light-weighting, energy generation and storage (heat and electricity), electronics/sensors or operation in demanding environments

Projects must focus on a manufacturing or materials innovation, rather than a product innovation. This means the main challenge and risk in the project will be in the manufacturing process or materials development.

Competition themes

Manufacturing

  • addressing the manufacturing readiness of growing sectors
  • the development of more flexible or efficient processes
  • processes that enable greater customisation of products to fit diverging consumer needs
  • the development of materials for targeted performance specifications
  • the development of materials for ease of manufacture
  • the diversification of product and service lines to address new markets
  • the development of novel services that open up new sources of revenue from manufacturing

Materials

Projects that involve one of the following new materials;

  • nanomaterials
  • ceramics
  • metals and inter-metallics
  • polymers
  • composites
  • coatings
  • smart materials
  • joining of dissimilar materials

Funding and project details

Innovate UK have allocated up to £15 million to fund innovation projects. There are £5 million available for projects lasting up to 1 year, £5 million for projects lasting up to 2 years and £5 million for projects up to 3 years.

For technical feasibility studies and industrial research projects, you could get:

  • up to 70% of your eligible project costs if you are a micro/small business
  • up to 60% if you are a medium-sized business
  • up to 50% if you are a large business

For experimental development projects which are nearer to market, you could get:

  • up to 45% of your eligible project costs if you are a micro/small business
  • up to 35% if you are a medium-sized business
  • up to 25% if you are a large business

Projects are expected to last from 6 months to 3 years and to range in size from total costs of £50,000 to £2 million.

Know someone who would be eligible?

If so, then let us and them know! In addition to helping them access an interest-free, repayment-free, equity-free grant to grow their business, we also pay healthy commission on all referrals passed to us.

All consultations and grant finding is done free of charge and we only earn once both parties have identified a suitable opportunity with a good chance of success. For further details please click here.

About Tatton Consulting

We help innovative and growing SMEs identify, apply for and secure the funding and grants that they are eligible for. Our team has secured over £26.5 million in repayment-free, interest-free, equity-free funding to help our clients innovate and grow. Fundable projects include;

  • R&D led innovation
  • Capital investment and expansion
  • Development of Green technology
  • Patent development
  • Technology-driven start-ups

If you would like to explore what funding opportunities are available at the moment or would like to discuss your project, then please;

Alternatively contact us by clicking on one of the links below. We look forward to hearing from you and discussing your project further

  — Mark Clayton 

Managing Director

70% grant funding for emerging Digital, IoT, Sensor, Material and Robotic technologies

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There is renewed grant support available to help UK businesses develop a range of new emerging and enabling technologies. Funding opportunities exist for projects in the following five areas;

 1. Emerging technologies

Applicants should be able to demonstrate a step change in performance and bring a totally new technology sector to market. Projects are encouraged from:

  • biofilms
  • energy harvesting
  • graphene and novel single-layer (2D) materials
  • cutting-edge imaging technologies
  • unconventional new computational paradigms such as biological computing

2. Digital

Applicants should be able to demonstrate a significant development in, or use of, one or more of the following technologies:

  • machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI)
  • cybersecurity
  • data analytics or ‘big data’
  • distributed ledger technology (such as blockchain)
  • internet of things
  • immersive technology (such as virtual or augmented reality)
  • innovative services or applications employing new forms of connectivity, including 5G

 3. Electronics, sensors and photonics (ESP)

Applications for highly innovative projects are welcome from across the range of ESP technologies. This includes:

  • electronic systems
  • large area electronics
  • power electronics
  • sensor systems
  • photonics
  • compound semiconductors

4. Robotics and autonomous systems

  • service robotics for professional or personal applications
  • inspection and maintenance in extreme and challenging (hazardous) environments
  • health and social care, including assistive technologies, patient care and robotic surgery
  • next-generation farming
  • next-generation manufacturing
  • autonomous transport, including automotive, aerospace and rail applications
  • AI technologies for autonomous systems

 5. Creative economy

  • enabling higher-quality, faster and more cost-effective creation, manipulation and/or consumption of ‘real time’ creative content
  • creating richer and more engaging user experiences on new innovative platforms, such as virtual reality

Funding details

Innovate UK have allocated up to £25 million to fund innovation projects.

  • Projects should focus on technical feasibility, industrial research or experimental development.
  • All projects must involve at least one SME and a business must lead the project.
  • The funding ranges from 35% up to 70% of total R&D costs (labour, overheads, materials, IP, subcontractors).
  • Projects are expected to last from 6 months to 3 years and to range in size from total costs of £50,000 to £2 million.

*** The closing date for the scheme is the 8th November so those thinking of applying should begin to think about their applications now ***

If you would like any further details on the schemes highlighted or to discuss a potential project, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Know someone who would be eligible?

If so, then let us and them know! In addition to helping them access an interest-free, repayment-free, equity-free grant to grow their business, we also pay commission on all referrals passed to us.

All consultations and grant finding is done free of charge and we only earn once both parties have identified a suitable opportunity with a good chance of success. For further details please click here.

About Tatton Consulting

We help innovative and growing SMEs identify, apply for and secure the funding and grants that they are eligible for. Our team has secured over £26 million in repayment-free, interest-free, equity-free funding to help our clients innovate and grow. Fundable projects include;

  • R&D led innovation
  • Capital investment and expansion
  • Development of Green technology
  • Patent development
  • Technology-driven start-ups

If you would like to explore what funding opportunities are available at the moment or would like to discuss your project, then please;

Alternatively contact us by clicking on one of the links below. We look forward to hearing from you and discussing your project further.

— Mark Clayton 

Managing Director

Affiliates & Referrals

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Who wouldn’t like to receive an interest-free, repayment-free, equity-free grant from the government to grow their business?

Not only strengthen your relationship with your clients, boost your portfolio but also secure attractive commission by referring your clients to us.

We work with a number of Accountants, Private Equity companies, Banks and Angel investment networks; advising them on new grant opportunities as they become available and helping their clients secure funding.

In return they receive a happy client who has the funding to grow and 10% of all the fees we charge.

All initial consultations and grant finding is done free of charge. We only earn once both parties have identified an opportunity and agreed to proceed with an application.

We are actively looking for R&D driven technology or manufacturing companies that are developing innovative products and services.

Alternatively, if you know an SME that is expanding and creating new jobs then please get in touch using the form opposite.

R&D tax credits

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If you are a UK SME and undertake any form of research and development then you could reduce your corporation tax bill by 130% of your R&D spend.

If you are loss making this can be carried forwarded or claimed as cashback. Claims can be made for two years previous and the average size claimed back is £43,000

The R&D tax credit scheme is still one of the most under utilised SME funding schemes in the UK due despite the quick application process and significant sums on offer.

What qualifies as R&D?

R&D doesn’t have to involve white coats or take place in a lab, it can be as simple as re-configuring a machine to work for your business or developing an innovative new business process. In the last two years;

  • Have you made any bespoke or customised products?
  • Have you made any efficiency improvements to your processes?
  • Have you carried out any in-house design work or prototyping?
  • Have you developed any new products or launched something new to market?
  • Are you regularly problem solving to meet your customer’s needs?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions then you could have a substantial claim.

Which costs qualify for R&D Relief?

To qualify as R&D, the activity must contribute directly to seeking the advance in science or technology or must be a qualifying indirect activity. Eligible costs include;

  • Employee costs – that is, employing staff directly who are actively engaged in carrying out R&D
  • Staff providers – paying a staff provider for staff provided to the company who are directly and actively engaged in carrying out R&D.
  • Materials – consumable or transformable materials used directly in carrying out R&D.
  • Utilities – power, water, fuel used directly in carrying out R&D, but not things like telecommunication costs and data costs.
  • Software
  • Subcontracted R&D expenditure – can be claimed at a third of the rate of the subcontractor cost.

Making a claim

The scheme is open year round and the application process can be completed in 3 weeks, with claims approved within 8 weeks. Claims can also be made retrospectively, on R&D spend from two years previously.

The average claim size is £43,000 and there has never been a better time to claim, with the UK government actively trying to stimulate further R&D investment.

To begin a claim or arrange a review of an existing claim then please get in touch via our website or email me. I look forward to hearing from you.