Straight answer
SEIS advance assurance checklist 2026: what HMRC needs from you
What do you need to apply for SEIS advance assurance in 2026?
To apply for SEIS advance assurance you need a business plan with financial forecasts, your latest accounts if you have them, current articles of association, your register of members, any investor documents and, on a first application, named prospective investors. Apply online. HMRC aims to answer most applications within 15 working days, complex ones within 40.
Last reviewed 11 September 2026. Written by Steph Hamill, HAM Agency.
The SEIS company rules in 2026
Checked against GOV.UK on 11 September 2026.
| Rule | What GOV.UK says |
|---|---|
| Total you can raise through SEIS | £250,000 |
| Gross assets | No more than £350,000 when the shares are issued |
| Staff | Fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees when the shares are issued |
| Age of the trade | Not carried on for more than 3 years, by you or anyone else |
| Spending the money | Within 3 years of the share issue |
| Shares | Full risk ordinary shares, not redeemable, no special rights to assets, paid up in full in cash when issued |
| Earlier investment | You cannot use SEIS if you have had EIS or venture capital trust investment |
| Control | Not controlled by another company since incorporation |
| Listing | Not listed, and no arrangements to list |
| Exits | No arrangement at issue to sell the shares at the end of, or during, the investment period |
What your investors get
| Relief | SEIS |
|---|---|
| Income tax relief | 50% of the amount invested |
| Maximum per investor per tax year | £200,000 |
| Minimum holding period | 3 years |
| Carry back | Can be claimed against the previous tax year |
| Capital gains | Gains on SEIS shares can be exempt if income tax relief was claimed; reinvestment relief is available |
| Losses | Loss relief against income is available |
| Connected persons | No relief if the investor and associates hold more than 30% of the company |
The application checklist
Before you apply
- The amount you are raising is fixed, and matches the business plan and forecasts
- Investors are lined up and you have their names and addresses
- Your articles give the SEIS shares no preferential rights to dividends or assets
- No other company controls yours, and no studio or holding company is about to
- You have not taken EIS or venture capital trust money
- You know your company's Corporation Tax reference
Documents to send
- Business plan
- Financial forecasts, including any follow-on funding you expect
- Latest accounts, if you have them
- Up to date memorandum and articles of association
- Register of members as at the date you apply
- Latest draft of anything you show investors: deck, information memorandum, subscription documents
- Names and addresses of prospective investors, on a first application for a direct raise
- A clear explanation of how you meet the risk to capital condition: the plan to grow the trade long term, and why the money is genuinely at risk
- A plain account of how the money will be spent
Company housekeeping
- Confirmation statement up to date
- Every director has verified their identity with Companies House. It became a legal requirement on 18 November 2025; existing directors give their personal code with the company's next confirmation statement
- Share allotments filed and the cap table matches the register
Why applications stall
- Investor names missing on a first application
- A vague use of money, with no link to the forecasts
- Share rights that give SEIS investors preference
- A parent or studio company that controls the business
- Asking for assurance on shares already issued. Advance assurance is for an issue you have not made yet. After issue, the route is the compliance statement
After the money lands
Submit the SEIS1 compliance statement once the trade has run for at least 4 months or you have spent at least 70% of the money raised. Investors need the certificate that follows to claim their relief.
What advance assurance is not
GOV.UK is plain about it: advance assurance is not a general endorsement and says nothing about how the investment will perform. It is HMRC's view on the facts you gave. Change the facts and the assurance may not hold.
How HAM helps
HAM prepares SEIS and EIS rounds through Capital: the application pack, the model, the data room and the investor story. To check whether you are ready, take the investor-ready scorecard or the discovery quiz.
Questions
Do I have to get advance assurance before raising under SEIS?
No. It is optional. In practice many angel investors want to see it before they commit, because it is HMRC's view that the share issue is likely to qualify.
How long does SEIS advance assurance take?
HMRC says it aims to respond to most applications within 15 working days and to complex cases within 40 working days. A response can be an assurance, a rejection or a request for more information.
Can I apply before I have investors lined up?
On a first application HMRC asks for the names and addresses of prospective investors if you are raising directly rather than through a fund. Line them up first.
Can I use SEIS after taking EIS money?
No. GOV.UK says you cannot use SEIS if you have already received investment through EIS or from a venture capital trust. Sequence the rounds with that in mind.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Apply to use the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme to raise money for your company
- GOV.UK: Apply for advance assurance on a venture capital scheme
- HMRC Venture Capital Schemes Manual VCM60270: SEIS advance assurance, responding to applications
- GOV.UK: Tax relief for investors using venture capital schemes
- GOV.UK: Verifying your identity for Companies House
Practices
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Practice
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