The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) are two important tax advantaged venture capital schemes in the UK.  In addition to these two schemes there are other tax advantaged schemes such as the tax relief for investment in venture capital trusts. The UK government is now compiling statistics for the take-up of the EIS and SEIS at quarterly intervals. The latest set of statistics was issued on 28 April 2016.

EIS and SEIS

Data shows that the EIS was used by 3,130 companies to raise GBP 1,663 million in total in 2014/15. Companies raising funds under the EIS for the first time raised a total of GBP 880 million.

Data for the SEIS shows that 2,185 companies raised GBP 168 million using the scheme in 2014/15.  Of these, 1,715 companies were raising money under the scheme for the first time and they raised a total of GBP 146 million.

Advance Assurance Requests

Statistics have been released for the first time in connection with Advance Assurance Requests (AARs). Companies that are thinking of using EIS or SEIS to raise funds can obtain advance assurance that HMRC will regard the shares to be issued as fulfilling the requirements of the scheme. The statistics show that there have been a total of 19,660 AARs since 2006/07. In 2014/15 there were 3,170 applications for AARs and of these 2,745 (87%) have been approved.