EXPERT advice given to a Keighley textile company means it will be able to claim £20,000 a year to reinvest into technology and design.

Pennine Weavers, which is based in Becks Road, has been supported by Jumpstart R&D Tax Credits, which helped the Keighley business penetrate the bureaucratic jargon, enabling it to apply for the tax credits it is entitled to.

Pennine Weavers is a fabric designer and manufacturer, making fabric for designer apparel for brands including Ralph Lauren, as well as the bespoke tailoring market.

Managing director Gary Eastwood explained that he had been aware of research and development (R&D) tax credits. He discussed the possibility of claiming them with his company’s accountants, but initially dismissed the idea because it would tie up too much management time that could be better used elsewhere.

However, he said he changed his mind after encountering Jumpstart's staff.

“I met them at an industry event and decided to take a second look,” he said.

“Immediately they impressed us with their team of technical experts, who understood quickly and easily what we were eligible to claim for.

“Employing experts who understand the complexity of technical uncertainty saved a lot of time and prevented us going down blind alleys.

"It means any claim we make is almost guaranteed, because they have checked it and they've made us aware of what to look for in our processes.

“There are two main areas of risk for Pennine Weavers. We have to buy niche machinery and then modify it. That commonly doesn’t attract R&D tax credits.

"However, the element of technical uncertainty is when we make small machines for our bespoke work. We don’t know if they will deliver the results our customers want. That can attract R&D tax credits.

“Jumpstart do all the work and importantly make sure our reclaims are HMRC compliant.

"They have a high success rate and they take on the administrative burden, leaving us to get on with our business."

He said the support given to Pennine Weavers' has released cash which the company has been able to reinvest into machinery.

Nicole Ballantyne, customer engagement manager for Yorkshire Jumpstart, said: "We're getting the message across that the R&D tax credits programme applies not only to enterprises engaged in blue-sky research, but essentially to every company which improves on systems and procedures, or discovers new ways of doing things.

“Innovation is spearheading the UK's very welcome economic recovery, which was highlighted recently by the Chancellor, and companies that accept the challenge of doing things differently are the catalysts for growth.”