EMI Share Option Schemes

Service overview: EMI share options legal advice

EMI share option schemes are a way of offering your employees the legal right to later purchase shares in the company with favourable tax treatment.
They’re popular with high-growth and high-risk companies, like tech start-ups, as a way to attract, reward and retain hard working staff right through to an exit (such as the company being sold).
Both the company and the employee must meet certain conditions to qualify for the scheme, or the tax benefits might not be realised. These criteria mean EMI schemes are HMRC tax advantaged share option schemes, as they need to meet specific requirements set out in tax legislation to enjoy the tax treatment.
We can handle everything from checking whether your company and employees qualify, share valuations (and agreeing them with HMRC), to designing and drafting share scheme rules and award agreements, and registering and notifying HMRC.
EMI share options can be combined with a number of other share schemes, such as non-tax advantaged share schemes like share options or growth shares/hurdle shares.
Check out our FAQs on EMI schemes for lots of useful information.

What we do: EMI scheme legal advice

The Enterprise Management Incentive scheme (EMI) is designed to allow you to provide a share option scheme for your employees, with great tax advantages.

A share option plan gives your company’s employees the right to acquire shares in your company at a future date, but at a price that is fixed now. They’re intended to help you recruit and retain valued employees and reward them for investing their time and skills in helping to grow your business.

If the value of the shares increases over time after the grant of the options, employees may make significant gains.

Provided certain conditions are met, a company can set up an EMI scheme to grant share options worth up to £250k to each employee/director – without paying income tax or national insurance on exercise of the options, subject to an overall maximum of £3M.

On the sale of shares acquired as a result of an exercise of an EMI option, any increase in value will be treated as a capital gain and capital gains tax may be payable on the gain (subject to the availability of various exemptions and reliefs).

The company should also benefit from a corporation tax deduction when the EMI options are exercised equal to the value in the options at the date of exercise.

You can find out much more on our EMI FAQs page, which also contains a useful glossary of EMI terms.

Leaver provisions are a key element of how share options operate. Watch our corporate solicitor Jas Bhogal explaining how they can affect shareholders:

How Can Harper James Help?

Our expert employee incentive lawyers can help you set up an employee share scheme such as an EMI share plan for your employees. We will:

Establish that your company qualifies (and if not, find an alternative approach)
Apply for advance clearance from HMRC that your company qualifies to grant EMI options
Design and draft the EMI scheme rules and share option agreements
Agree a valuation of the EMI shares with HMRC
Review any pre-existing shareholders’ agreements and articles of association to check if any amendments are necessary, or if particular consents are required
Prepare board minutes and shareholder written resolutions
Make filings at Companies House
Report the grant of the EMI option to HMRC

Pricing plans

Our three transparent pricing packages are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:

City

Straightforward access to senior solicitors at a competitive rate.

An affordable solution for businesses needing one-off legal support. Receive ‘City’ partner-level expertise at a fraction of ‘City’ prices.

Enterprise

Have legal peace of mind for £189 per month with additional support from £99 per hour.

A monthly subscription legal support package specifically designed for start-ups and smaller businesses.

On-Demand

For businesses requiring 60+ hours of support a year, with prices equivalent to £99 per hour.

Fully account managed quarterly subscription service for businesses with more complex legal needs.

Learn more about our pricing plans

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EMI Share Option Schemes

Service overview: EMI share options legal advice