Make Your Startup Investment Irresistible with SEIS & EIS Tax Relief
Expert SEIS and EIS Specialists Helping Startups Raise Investment and Investors Maximise Tax Relief
Based in Sutton and serving Surrey, South London and the wider UK, My Tax Helper specialises in the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) helping ambitious startups secure growth funding and sophisticated investors build tax-efficient portfolios.
Whether you’re raising your first £250,000 through SEIS or scaling to multi-million pound EIS rounds, we guide you through every stage of the journey from initial eligibility assessment and HMRC advance assurance to compliance management and successful exits.
Book Your Free SEIS/EIS Consultation
Why SEIS and EIS Matter for Your Business
SEIS and EIS are government schemes designed to encourage investment in high-growth UK companies by offering generous tax reliefs to investors. This makes your funding round significantly more attractive than competing opportunities.
For early-stage startups (SEIS):
- Investors receive 50% income tax relief immediately
- Raise up to £250,000 to fuel initial growth
- A £100,000 investment costs investors just £50,000 after tax relief
- Perfect for pre-seed and seed stage companies
For growth-stage companies (EIS):
- Investors receive 30% income tax relief on investments
- Raise up to £5 million annually (£12 million lifetime)
- Access to angel networks and EIS funds actively seeking opportunities
- Ideal for scaling beyond the seed stage
Additional investor benefits:
- Complete capital gains tax exemption on successful exits after three years
- Loss relief if investments fail, reducing effective risk
- CGT deferral relief on other gains when investing
- Inheritance tax relief after two years for EIS
How We Help: Complete SEIS & EIS Services
Eligibility Assessment and Strategic Planning
Before you approach investors, we conduct comprehensive eligibility reviews covering all HMRC requirements. We identify potential issues early and recommend solutions, ensuring your application succeeds first time.
What we assess:
- Company age, trading activities and qualifying trade status
- Gross assets and employee thresholds
- Previous funding history and remaining capacity
- Shareholder structure and connected party considerations
- Knowledge-intensive company qualification (for extended EIS limits)
Advance Assurance Applications
Sophisticated investors expect HMRC advance assurance before they commit funds. We prepare comprehensive applications including detailed business plans and technical appendices that satisfy HMRC's stringent requirements.
Our advance assurance service:
- Complete application preparation and drafting
- Business plan development for HMRC expectations
- Technical appendices addressing all qualifying conditions
- All HMRC correspondence and query management
- Knowledge-intensive company evidence (where applicable)
- Typical turnaround: 4-8 weeks from submission to approval
Three-Year Compliance Monitoring
SEIS and EIS status must be maintained throughout the three-year holding period. We monitor your activities continuously, flag potential disqualifying events, and keep you compliant.
Ongoing support covers:
- Annual compliance health checks
- Disqualifying event identification and prevention
- Follow-on funding round planning
- Trade change assessments
- Share structure modifications review
- Exit planning whilst preserving tax benefits
Tax Relief Claims and Optimisation
We help angel investors and high-net-worth individuals maximise tax relief across their SEIS and EIS investment portfolios through expert Self Assessment preparation and strategic planning.
Investor tax services include:
- Income tax relief claims (50% SEIS, 30% EIS)
- Carry-back election optimisation to previous tax years
- Capital gains tax exemption tracking and confirmation
- Loss relief claims when investments fail
- CGT deferral relief planning for new investments
- Portfolio-level tax strategy
Portfolio Management and Compliance
Managing multiple SEIS and EIS investments creates complexity. We provide comprehensive portfolio management ensuring you remain compliant and tax-efficient across all holdings.
Portfolio services cover:
- SEIS3/EIS3 certificate tracking and organisation
- Holding period monitoring across all investments
- Connected party rule navigation
- Exit planning and CGT calculations
- Multi-year tax strategy development
- Coordination with your wealth manager or financial adviser
Loss Relief Optimisation
When investments fail—as some inevitably do in early-stage investing—proper loss relief claims can significantly reduce your tax liability. We calculate optimal strategies considering your complete tax position.
Book Your Free SEIS/EIS Consultation
Why Choose My Tax Helper for SEIS & EIS?
Local Expertise with National Reach
We’re based in Sutton with deep roots in the Surrey and South London business community. Unlike large London firms, we provide truly personal service whether you prefer face-to-face meetings at our office or remote consultations across the UK.
Our local advantage:
- Convenient Sutton location serving Surrey and South London
- Personal service from partners who know your business
- Genuine relationships, not just client numbers
- Available for in-person meetings, not video-only
We Serve Both Sides of the Investment
Most accountants focus solely on companies raising funding. We specialise in helping both startups seeking investment and investors claiming tax relief giving us unique insight into what makes applications successful and investments tax-efficient.
This dual perspective means we understand investor expectations when preparing company applications, and we understand HMRC requirements when advising investors on compliance.
Systematic, Detail-Oriented Approach
SEIS and EIS rules are complex and unforgiving. Our comprehensive eligibility assessments identify and resolve issues before HMRC sees them, dramatically increasing approval probability.
Our process:
- Thorough upfront eligibility review
- Detailed application preparation with supporting evidence
- Proactive HMRC correspondence management
- Clear communication in plain English throughout
- Ongoing compliance monitoring for the full three-year period
Clear Communication, No Jargon
We explain complex tax rules in plain English. You’ll always understand where you are in the process, what’s happening next, and what actions you need to take. No confusing jargon, no surprises.
Understanding SEIS & EIS: Which Scheme Is Right for You?
Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)
SEIS is designed for very early-stage companies and offers the UK’s most generous tax reliefs to investors.
SEIS is right for you if:
- Your company is less than three years old
- You have fewer than 25 employees
- Your gross assets are under £350,000
- You're raising your first external investment
- You need up to £250,000 to reach key milestones
Investor benefits:
- 50% income tax relief (up to £100,000 relief on £200,000 invested)
- Complete CGT exemption on gains after three years
- 50% CGT exemption on reinvested gains even before three years
- Loss relief reducing effective investment risk
Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)
EIS supports growing companies raising larger funding rounds whilst offering substantial tax benefits to investors.
EIS is right for you if:
- Your company is less than seven years old (ten for knowledge-intensive companies)
- You have fewer than 250 employees (500 for knowledge-intensive)
- Your gross assets are under £15 million
- You're raising £250,000 to £5 million per round
- You've completed a SEIS round and are now scaling
Investor benefits:
- 30% income tax relief (up to £300,000 relief on £1 million invested)
- Complete CGT exemption on gains after three years
- Unlimited CGT deferral relief on other gains
- Inheritance tax relief after two years
- Loss relief reducing effective investment risk
Not Sure Which Applies to Your Company?
Most companies follow a natural progression: SEIS first for initial funding (up to £250,000), then EIS for subsequent growth rounds (up to £5 million annually). We assess your specific circumstances and plan your funding sequence to maximise total capital available.
Book a free consultation and we’ll review your eligibility for both schemes, advising which route best suits your current stage and growth plans.
Who We Help
Who We Help
Technology Startups and SaaS Companies
Software businesses typically qualify strongly for SEIS and EIS. We help you evidence qualifying trade status, manage the "substantial UK activities" requirement for global operations, and structure your fundraising for maximum impact.
E-Commerce and Consumer Brands
Product-based businesses qualify provided they develop proprietary products and own their brands. We help you evidence qualifying trade status beyond pure retail.
Biotech & Life Sciences
Research-intensive businesses often qualify for knowledge-intensive company status under EIS.
Manufacturing
Capital-intensive businesses need careful gross assets management given SEIS and EIS limits.
Professional Services
Service businesses qualify excluding certain prohibited activities like legal and accounting.
Angel Investors and Private Investors
Whether you're making your first angel investment or managing a portfolio of 20+ SEIS/EIS companies, we provide specialist tax expertise.
Financial Advisers
We partner with IFAs and wealth managers who need specialist SEIS/EIS support for their clients.
Common SEIS & EIS Questions
HMRC typically responds within 4-6 weeks for straightforward applications. Complex cases or knowledge-intensive company applications may take 8-10 weeks. We expedite the process by ensuring all documentation is complete upfront.
Technically yes, but sophisticated investors won’t commit without advance assurance in place. We strongly recommend applying for advance assurance before serious fundraising begins.
Rejection is rare when applications are properly prepared. If HMRC raises concerns, we work with you to address their queries or restructure your business to qualify. Our thorough eligibility assessment minimises rejection risk.
Yes, but sequentially. Companies typically raise SEIS first (up to £250,000), then EIS for subsequent rounds (up to £5 million annually). We plan your funding sequence to maximise total capital available.
This depends on the scheme and your role. SEIS has strict connected party rules limiting founder participation. EIS allows director investment under certain conditions. We navigate these rules for your specific situation.
We specialise in complex situations including subsidiaries, IP holding companies, and international structures. Book a consultation to discuss your specific circumstances.
Many clients retain their existing accountant for day-to-day bookkeeping and compliance whilst engaging us specifically for SEIS/EIS expertise. We work collaboratively with your current advisers to provide specialist support.
