Our aim is to give you all the tools, information and support you need to make the most of your money.
View sharesOur aim is to give you all the tools, information and support you need to make the most of your money.
View sharesEIS funds offer a tax-efficient way to invest in venture capital.
Choose from the current non-EIS venture funds.
Help to get started.
Some helpful tools, information, and support.
View blogOur aim is to give you all the tools, information and support you need to make the most of your money.
View servicesOur experts will quickly answer all your questions & keep you clear of the pitfalls.
With 10+ years of award winning experience behind us - we know how to get you approved & fast.
Having successfully applied 100's of times - we make your application process simple.
We know SEIS and EIS. Our experts will quickly answer all your questions & keep you clear of the pitfalls.
We know exactly how to put together an advance assurance application and make it very simple for you to follow.
Having done too many applications to count - we know exactly what we are doing - so there is no time wasted.
We have carried out so many successful applications - you know you are in safe hands. And we have hundreds of testimonials to prove it.
We are so confident that we can get you approved - we have linked our payment to your success.
We manage over 25 VC funds & have contacts throughout the investment community - if you need funding then we might be the solution.
Investors get 50% Income Tax relief on amount subscribed (up to a maximum annual investment of £100,000 for the 2019/2020 tax year. Option to carry back to previous tax year providing the £100,000 limit for that year has not been exceeded, the investment must be held for a minimum of three years to retain this relief);
Investors get 100% Inheritance Tax relief after two years (provided the investment is held at the time of death);
Investors get 50% Capital Gains Tax exemption for chargeable gains reinvested (up to the maximum subscribed);
Investors get 100% Capital Gains Tax relief (provided income tax relief has been given and not withdrawn and disposal takes place after the end of the SEIS three year qualifying period); and
Investors get loss relief (a loss on shares disposed of can be set against an Investor’s income or capital gain to reduce tax).
If you are a foreign company looking to expand into the UK, the good news is that you can avail of the SEIS /EIS and tap into UK private investment. However, a foreign company must meet the criteria set out by HMRC in order to qualify. The normal SEIS/EIS requirements still stand however, foreign companies must meet the permanent establish condition, this can be done in either of the two ways below:
A foreign company must have a permanent establishment in the UK.
HMRC requires a foreign company to have a permanent establishment in the UK, which means that an element of their work is carried out at a fixed place of business in the UK. The company must operate from the fixed place of business for the entire length of the ‘relevant period’ which is three years from the date trade commences or three years from the issuing of the shares.
A foreign company must have an agent in the UK
A foreign company can qualify for SEIS and/or EIS if they have a qualifying agent established in the UK. An agent must be UK based to qualify and have authority to act on the company’s behalf, such as entering into contracts on a frequent basis.
I was delighted with the service that I received from Boyd and his team at Sapphire. I was anxious to get our EIS Advance Approval as soon as possible so I wanted to make sure the documentation was perfect. Boyd supplied me with all the templates I needed, including a cash-flow forecast template, which was extremely helpful and he was very responsive to all my questions. I felt in very safe hands and this was confirmed when the HMRC approval came through within four weeks of my application.
Madderson London
We had been looking into applying for EIS advance assurance and the whole process seemed very daunting. Johnathan from Sapphire Capital explained the whole process to us and took us through it step by step in a very efficient manner. It was extremely seamless and we were delighted to have found them to help.
Harty Nutrition Limited
Bondford was time-pressured to secure SEIS/EIS advanced assurance for its prospective investors. Boyd and Jonathan managed to secure that assurance within 2-weeks and at a cost that was 50% less than our auditors. I would recommend their services
Bondford Group
The team at Sapphire really knows their stuff. They helped us through the entire process and the HMRC EIS application was approved with ease. I couldn’t hope for a more competent advisor in terms of SEIS and EIS applications.
Paragon Partner
Johnathan of Sapphire was excellent in guiding us through the entire process. Although our holding company is based in the Republic of Ireland (in Cork), Johnathan made what is a complex process of applying for EIS advance assurance for a non-UK based company straightforward. I genuinely, could not recommend him enough.
Crossflow Payment Solutions Trading Limited (Elite programme member of London Stock Exchange Group)
All returning customers will benefit from a 15% reduction in price for subsequent purchases.
Amounts below do not include VAT.
Our Plans | Free |
Standard |
Plus |
Standard |
Plus |
Overseas |
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Our Plans |
£950 |
£1,500 |
£2,000 |
Our most popular package for UK companies seeking SEIS Advance Assurance. |
Our Plus Package for UK companies includes SEIS Advance Assurance as well as help issuing the shares and completion of the HMRC SEIS 1 forms. |
Our Overseas Package is for non-UK companies that want to attract UK investors who can claim SEIS relief. Package also includes help in setting up a branch office in the UK. |
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Contact Us | Contact Us | Contact Us | |
We assist you in obtaining the SEIS Advance Assurance. See below |
We go further - SEIS Advance Assurance plus help with HMRC SEIS 1 forms and compliance. See below |
We assist you in obtaining SEIS Advance Assurance and meeting the Permanent Establishment condition. See below |
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Free guidance eBook on SEIS. | |||
Summary checklist of SEIS requirements by HMRC. | |||
One-to-one guidance on SEIS Advance Assurance requirements. | |||
Dedicated Sapphire expert support. | |||
HMRC excluded trades reviewed and explained. | |||
Your business plan reviewed for potential HMRC issues. | |||
HMRC draft financial projections template provided. | |||
Draft directors resolutions prepared. | |||
HMRC covering letter prepared. | |||
HMRC application prepared and submitted by a Sapphire expert. | |||
Ongoing liason with HMRC and any HMRC follow-up questions answered promtly. | |||
Assist foreign companies in meeting the permanent establishment condition | |||
Complete and review the company's OS IN01 form | |||
Submit the OS IN01 form to Companies House and pay the fee | |||
Obtain the Company Reference Number (CRN) | |||
Apply for and obtain the company's Unique Tax Reference (UTR) | |||
AFTER CARE SUPPORT: Assistance with share structure & issue. |
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AFTER CARE SUPPORT: Companies House submission guidance & support. |
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AFTER CARE SUPPORT: SEIS Form 1 completion, submission & HMRC follow up if required. |
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AFTER CARE SUPPORT: Ongoing SEIS compliance guidance. |
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Contact Us | Contact Us | Contact Us |
We ask for 50% upfront and 50% on receipt of the Advance Assurance from HMRC. This way, we only really make money when you are successful. We like to think our interests are therefore aligned.
The prices above do not include Value Added Tax ("VAT"). VAT is typically charged at 20% on the prices shown above.
Very hard question as it depends on the complexity of your business and your application. However, if we had to say, it would typically be six weeks. We have had many Advance Assurance applications come back within days - but on the other hand, some applications can take longer than six weeks.
No - overseas-based companies can also qualify to raise money via SEIS and/or EIS if they have a permanent establishment in the UK. We have helped many overseas companies achieve this and it would be a pleasure to help you - just email Bronagh for more details at bronagh@sapphirecapitalpartners.co.uk
Yes, you can. We can apply to HMRC for SEIS and EIS Advance Assurance at the same time. There is no extra Sapphire fee for making this joint application i.e., the prices are the same as above for a joint SEIS/EIS application.
There two parts to the risk to capital condition:
For more information on this condition, consider reading EIS: The why and the what of the risk to capital condition.
Before resubmitting your application, consider adding a section addressing both parts of the risk to capital condition. We also recommend reviewing the entire application for anything that could be risk-reducing such as joint ventures, partnerships, etc.
This condition is very interpretation and has lead to many previous successful applications no longer qualifying. Most applications tend to already demonstrate that the company intends to use the money they raise for scaling up their business, but many businesses may no longer qualify due to being low-risk investments.
If the company resubmits the application without addressing this condition, prepare to receive many questions from HMRC on how the company meets the condition. We recommend addressing the issue, as any questions HMRC has will delay the process of receiving your advance assurance, assuming you meet the risk to capital condition.
Download our SEIS guide to find out more about SEIS and all its many tax benefits.
Download our EIS guide to find out more about EIS and all its many tax benefits.
Download our guide for foreign companies wanting to raise money via SEIS and EIS.
Sapphire works across two UK offices, based in London and Belfast.
Investing in start-ups and early-stage businesses involves risks, including illiquidity, lack of dividends, loss of investment and dilution. It should be done only as part of a diversified portfolio. Any investments are targeted exclusively at investors who understand the risks of investing in early-stage businesses and can make their own investment decisions. Any pitches for investment are not offers to the public.
Investments made in investee companies via funds managed by Sapphire Capital Partners LLP are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). For more details please contact us or refer to their website: https://www.fscs.org.uk
In providing information about Sapphire Capital Partners LLP ("Sapphire") and Sapphire's services, Sapphire is not communicating and does not intend to communicate any invitation or inducement to any person to make any investment or divestment or to engage in investment activity, and is not offering to acquire or dispose of securities. Investors should consider carefully whether an investment in a fund managed by Sapphire is suitable for them in light of the information in the respective information memorandum and with to their personal circumstances. Sapphire is not issuing, promulgating, or providing any financial or other advice to any person. Before investing, investors are recommended to consult an appropriately authorised independent financial adviser.