VCT, EIS & SEIS compared

An at-a-glance comparison of tax efficient schemes.

At Blue Spire we can advise individuals in the Chichester & Brighton area on a range of tax-saving opportunities. The following article compares Venture Capital Trusts, the Enterprise Investment Scheme and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme.

The reliefs for Venture Capital Trusts (VCT), the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) are similar in many respects, but there are some significant differences. The table below highlights the main reliefs. For further details see the facts sheets for each type of investment.

	VCT	EIS	SEIS
Annual investment limit	£200,000	£1 million *	£100,000
Income tax relief for subscribers	30%	30%	50%
Clawback if held for less than	5 years	3 years	3 years
Reinvestment relief period
– before gain made	N/A	1 year	Same tax year
– after gain made	N/A	3 years
Tax free dividends?	Yes	No	No
Tax free capital gains?	Yes	Yes (after 3 years)	Yes (after 3 years)
Tax relief for losses?	No	Yes	Yes
IHT business property relief?	No	Yes	Yes

* This is increased to £2 million provided that anything above £1 million is invested in knowledge-intensive companies. There is no limit on CGT deferral.

For more information on Venture Capital Trusts, the Enterprise Investment Scheme and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, individuals in the Chichester & Brighton area should contact Blue Spire.

23 Oct 2020

Chancellor increases financial support for businesses affected by COVID restrictions

On 22 October Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced increases to the coronavirus (COVID-19) financial support measures first outlined in the Winter Economy Plan.

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VCT, EIS & SEIS compared

Chancellor increases financial support for businesses affected by COVID restrictions

Newswire