WhisperClaims Shortlisted for Tolley’s “Best Tax Technology Product” Award 2026 – Our NI ERIS module

We’ve been shortlisted for Tolley’s “Best Tax Technology Product” Award 2026.

The nomination is based on our Northern Ireland (NI) ERIS (Enhanced R&D Intensive Support) module – designed to support loss making SMEs claiming under ERIS in Northern Ireland – but the more important point is why we built it.

Anyone operating in the R&D tax space is all too aware that despite the narrative around simplification, things have become far more complex in practice.

The introduction of the merged RDEC scheme, alongside ERIS and NI ERIS, has fundamentally changed how R&D claims are prepared. What was once a clearer distinction between schemes has become a set of overlapping rules and decision points:

• multiple potential routes for a single claim
• more variables to consider before a claim is even prepared
• a greater need for tight processes, structure and consistency across accounting periods and clients

Why NI ERIS matters – despite its scope

NI ERIS applies to a relatively small group of companies – those registered in Northern Ireland that meet the scheme criteria.

That limited scope makes it easy to treat as a niche consideration.

However, in practice, it introduces some of the most complex requirements within the current regime:

• tracking de minimis aid across multiple periods
• managing interactions between NI ERIS, ERIS and RDEC
• making opt-in and opt-out decisions based on company circumstances

Given the relatively small number of companies that qualify for NI ERIS, it would have been easy to deprioritise it, but we chose not to.

Why? Because our goal in designing and developing WhisperClaims wasn’t ever just to support the most common scenarios. It was to provide a compliance-first structure across the full range of claim paths that firms may encounter. 

What we set out to do

Our focus was clear from the outset:

• enable accountants to prepare NI ERIS claims confidently and compliantly
• automate the eligibility, calculation and compliance checks required under the scheme
• support strategic decision-making where multiple scheme pathways exist
• provide real-time support and guidance to help firms apply the rules in practice

Part of a broader approach

Our NI ERIS module is not a standalone product. It sits within a broader framework designed to support accountants preparing R&D claims in a changed landscape.

Our focus is on bringing structure to an area that has become increasingly complex, embedding the rules into the process, supporting professional judgement (not replacing it), and helping firms deliver work they can stand behind.

We don’t prepare claims. We support firms to do so – combining software with real-time guidance through our Advice Line, so decisions around eligibility, scheme selection and compliance can be made with confidence.

We’re pleased to have been shortlisted in this category for the second year running, and wish our fellow nominees the best of luck.

Explore our NI ERIS resources

If you’re working through NI ERIS, ERIS or the merged scheme, we’ve pulled together a set of resources covering some key areas:

Watch our NI ERIS webinar on-demand

Read our blog: NI ERIS explained: what accountants need to know

Download our Merged Scheme / ERIS / NI ERIS ebook

Alternatively, why not book a demo today to find out how we can support you and your firm.

Book a demo

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