As businesses across the UK and Ireland have struggled during the pandemic, one Welsh firm has helped them uncover more than £4million a month in missed tax relief – with many telling its managing director his team ‘saved them’ from going under.

The firm, formally known as HJR Tax, has rebranded as Zeal.

Zeal, which began life as a three-person start-up, now employs more than 30 people and won clients including the International Convention Centre Wales and Brains Brewery

It now has two offices, in Newport and Worcester, and recently employed several tax industry specialists to open new lines of service in R&D tax credits, tax advisory and tax fee protection insurance.

Managing director Matt Jeffery, 40, from Newport, previously worked for a global accountancy firm for a number of years. Learning the specialist skills involved in capital allowances claims, he provided services to businesses and property investors – preparing and agreeing capital allowances claims with HMRC for some of the UK’s biggest companies.

He said: “We decided not to compete with the ‘big boys’ but instead help those who would benefit most from tax incentives, or who had no idea they were even an option for them.”

Since January 2017, Zeal's directors have bought two offices, with each set of office staff in South Wales and the Midlands having to move twice to accommodate the growth of the business. More recently the business has expanded into R&D tax relief with new director Adam Spriggs at the helm.

Now, after spending four years building its reputation and clients, Zeal has exciting plans to expand even further across the UK.

Matt said: “We couldn’t expand so quickly if it wasn’t for the strong team we’ve built up around us, as we continually look for ways to improve our service offering.

“Running a business was new to us so we had to bring in those who could look after areas we perhaps had no experience in, such as marketing and HR.

“There must also be something about the Celtic connection because Scotland is a big market for us, so I could see us opening an office up there in the future.”