EIS rules and benefits for investors explained
Invest in EIS-eligible companies to get generous tax relief. We set out the rules and benefits for investors.
A frequent question is “can my father/sister/cousin” get SEIS or EIS for their investment? (where that’s the father, etc., of one of the founders).
The short answer is that…
- spouses and civil partners
- parents and grandparents
- children and grandchildren
of anyone with a controlling interest in the company (30% or more of the shares or voting, or an employee of the company) cannot get SEIS or EIS.
So, when doing your S-EIS Advance Assurance, don’t be tempted to put a father or mother as an investor for the purposes of having at least one SEIS investor for your Advance Assurance application, it’ll get rejected if HMRC spot the connection.
On the other hand, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts are all okay.
Also, anyone who’s an employee of the company will not qualify for SEIS or EIS – there’s an exception if the person is an investor who becomes a director of the company as part of their investment.
For a full breakdown of SEIS/EIS rules for investors, read: SEIS & EIS Rules for Investors: The Complete Guide.
If you’re looking to raise under SEIS/EIS you can easily apply for SEIS/EIS Advance Assurance on SeedLegals.
Questions? Book some time in with an expert here.
