SEIS and EIS relief remain as highly tax efficient ways of investing in shares in smaller companies. The tax benefits are considerable, and HMRC statistics show annual EIS share issues of around £1.5 billion (£160 million for SEIS).
Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) & Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) Tax Relief
The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) provides a tax efficient way to encourage investment into smaller unlisted companies. EIS is intended to help these small companies raise finance by allowing tax relief on new shares.
- Investor can put in up to £1,000,000 per tax year
- Investor receives 30% income tax relief
- Tax free exit after 3 years
Introduced in April 2012, the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) is an even more generous offshoot of the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). The SEIS aims is to encourage seed investment in early stage companies. The maximum total that can be raised for a company is £150,000.
- Investor (incl. company Directors) can put in up to a £100,000 per tax year
- Investor receives 50% tax relief
- Investor receives Capital Gains Tax (CGT) exemption for any gains on the SEIS shares
- Tax free exit after 3 years
Further details on EIS and SEIS can be found on our blog: Save Tax With EIS and SEIS Relief
Below is an example comparison of EIS, SEIS and no relief, to illustrate the tax savings – with shares sold at a profit.
EIS
- Cost Of Shares = £30,000
- Income tax relief = £9,000
- Capital gains tax relief (on sale of other assets) = n/a
- Net cost of shares = £21,000
- Sale proceeds (after at least 3 years) = £100,000
- Capital gains tax on sale = n/a
SEIS
- Cost Of Shares = £30,000
- Income tax relief = £15,000
- Capital gains tax relief (on sale of other assets) = £4,200
- Net cost of shares = £10,800
- Sale proceeds (after at least 3 years) = £100,000
- Capital gains tax on sale = n/a
No Relief
- Cost Of Shares = £30,000
- Income tax relief = n/a