Most SEIS and EIS advance assurance applications are straightforward. The company qualifies, the investors are eligible, the application goes in, HMRC approves it.

I get involved when they're not.

Connected persons complications. Financial health requirement failures. Asset purchases from a predecessor entity. Multi-round funding with SEIS to EIS transitions. Advance Subscription Agreements with conversion timing issues.
Applications that have already been rejected.

These are the structures that most advisors won't touch - or don't realise are solvable. I've been unpicking them for over a decade.

What I Handle

Rejected advance assurance applications. HMRC has said no. That doesn't always mean the structure can't work - it often means the application didn't address the right issues. I review the rejection, identify what HMRC is actually concerned about, and either restructure or resubmit with the technical arguments properly made.

Connected persons issues. An investor was a director of a predecessor company. A shareholder has a relationship with an existing investor. The connected persons rules in ITA 2007 are notoriously complex and easy to fall foul of. I map the relationships and find a compliant path through.

Financial health requirement. Your client's accumulated losses exceed the thresholds. The balance sheet looks problematic. This kills more SEIS/EIS applications than people realise - and it's often fixable with the right structuring,
if you catch it early enough.

Multi-round funding. The company raised SEIS, now wants EIS. Or raised EIS at one valuation and is coming back at another. Each round interacts with the previous ones, and the compliance requirements compound. I manage the full funding history to ensure each round is clean.

Investor eligibility. Not every investor qualifies for relief, and the consequences of getting it wrong fall on the company. I review investor eligibility before shares are allotted, not after HMRC challenges.

Post-investment compliance. SEIS1/EIS1 compliance statements, share allotment filings, ongoing monitoring for disqualifying events over the three-year qualifying period. If something goes wrong after investment, I help manage the
consequences.

For Professionals

If you're a corporate finance advisor structuring a deal with SEIS/EIS components, a lawyer advising on a transaction, an accountant whose client is raising investment, or an investor whose tax relief is at risk - I work alongside you.

You handle the deal. I handle the tax relief structuring. Your client stays your client.

Common scenarios where professionals call me:

• CF advisor structuring a funding round that doesn't fit standard SEIS/EIS parameters
• Lawyer who needs confirmation that the articles and share terms are SEIS/EIS compliant
• Accountant whose client has received an advance assurance rejection
• Angel investor or network whose relief is in question on an existing investment

For Companies and Investors

If your company is raising investment and the SEIS/EIS structure has a wrinkle - or if you're an investor whose relief is at risk because of a structural problem - I can help assess your position and find a route through.

I work with companies across all stages of SEIS and EIS funding, from first seed rounds through to later EIS raises. The common thread is complexity - if it were simple, your existing advisor would handle it.

How I Work

1. Structure review. I map the full corporate structure - entities, shareholders, directors, funding history - and identify every potential obstacle to SEIS/EIS qualification. This includes connected persons analysis, financial health
   assessment, qualifying trade review, and investor eligibility checks.
2. Solution and application. If the structure can work, I draft or redraft the advance assurance application with the technical arguments that address HMRC's likely concerns head-on. If it can't work as-is, I advise on restructuring
   options.
3. HMRC engagement. I manage the application through HMRC's Small Companies Enterprise Centre, handle all queries and supplementary information requests, and negotiate on disputed points.
4. Implementation support. Once assurance is granted, I review share allotment documentation, prepare or review compliance statements, and confirm ongoing requirements so the relief isn't lost after the fact.

Discuss a Case

If you've got an SEIS/EIS structure that isn't straightforward - whether you're a professional advisor, a company raising investment, or an investor - I'd welcome a conversation.

Email: info@iptaxsolutions.co.uk
Phone: 0161 961 0096