From 6 April 2026 the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) annual company limit doubled to £10m (£20m for knowledge-intensive companies) and the lifetime limit doubled to £24m (£40m KIC), with the gross-assets test raised to £30m pre-issue/£35m post-issue. The same package doubled EMI's employee limit to 500 and share-option limit to £6m, while cutting VCT income tax relief from 30% to 20% — measures the Treasury says unlock around £100m of new investment a year.
Home › Founders News › Taxes & Grants
EIS caps double to £10m/year and £24m lifetime for UK startups from April 2026
Why this matters for founders
Founders raising in 2026/27 can now offer EIS relief on much larger rounds and grant bigger EMI option pools to attract talent; check knowledge-intensive status to access the £20m/£40m tiers before your next raise.
Source: GOV.UK (HM Treasury)
Related updates
More that helps you.
EIS and VCT company limits doubled: £24m lifetime, £10m a year from 6 April 2026
From 6 April 2026 the EIS and VCT lifetime company investment limit doubled to £24m and the annual limit rose to £10m, with the gross assets test lifted to £30m before a share issu…
EMI share-option limits expanded from 6 April 2026: gross assets cap up to £120m
From 6 April 2026 the Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) scheme qualifies far larger companies: the gross-assets test rises from £30m to £120m, the employee cap from 250 to 500…
Canada doubles SR&ED enhanced credit limit to $6M, up to $2.1M cash back
Bill C-15 received Royal Assent on March 26, 2026, raising the SR&ED enhanced 35% refundable tax credit's annual expenditure limit from $3 million to $6 million and widening the ta…
NJ angel investor tax credit jumps to 35% (up to 40%) for 2026 applications
For qualified investments in New Jersey emerging-technology startups submitted after Dec 31, 2025, the NJEDA Angel Investor Tax Credit rises from 20% to 35% of the investment, and…
Get briefs like this tuned to you.
In the app, Founder Briefs are personalized to your country, industry and stage, and you can save the ones that matter.
See plans →
Keep exploring
Related across the site
Case studyReginald F. LewisTLC Beatrice InternationalChecklistFile business taxes with TurboTax, soloWalk through a calm TurboTax filing for your business: gather records, claim honest deductions, avoid red flags, and know exactly when a pro is worth it.ChecklistFind real grants and free business helpGovernments offer loans, grants, and free advisors that most founders never claim. This checklist shows where the real support is and how to apply without wasting weeks.ChecklistRaise startup funding without the chaosDecide whether to raise at all, then run a focused process: sharp numbers, a ranked investor list, batched meetings, and terms you actually understand.ToolFreshBooksFreshBooks is cloud accounting and invoicing software aimed at freelancers and service-based small businesses, with strong time tracking, expenses, and client billing.ToolGustoGusto runs full-service payroll for US businesses, handling paychecks, tax filing, and direct deposit, plus benefits, onboarding, and contractor payments. It automates federal, state, and local payroll tax compliance.