In this, our last special Tax-Efficient Investment edition of IFA Talk for 2025, we’re reflecting on the recent Budget and the ramifications for EIS and VCTs.
Matt and Sue are joined by Tom Wilde, from the Tax Department of UK law firm Shoosmiths, where he heads up the firm’s EIS and VCT practice. With the reduction of VCT tax relief from 30% to 20% next year potentially driving more interest towards EIS investment, as well as other measures, Tom shares his expert insight on what the changes in the 2025 Budget mean for EIS and VCTs.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Budget 2025 EIS & VCT changes – How new funding and gross asset limits expand investment opportunities.
- VCT relief reduction – Why the cut from 30% to 20% may shift focus toward EIS products and a boost to demand in the current tax year
- Client suitability guidance – Which clients and planning scenarios may now benefit from EIS over VCT.
- Regional implications – The Budget’s failure to reform age limits and how this affects companies outside the South-East in particular
- Practical advice for advisers – How to navigate structural limitations and identify client opportunities.
Hearing from a tax expert like Tom really does highlight why 2026 is looking extremely positive for the tax-efficient investment sector.
Be sure to check out this episode and all other episodes of IFA Talk on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon!
We’ll be back with more TEI podcasts in 2026. But in the meantime, look out for our 2026 Tax Efficient Investing Insights publication coming out in January. We’re sure you’re going to like it!
Also, check out the episode we recorded recently with Octopus Investments’ Toyin Oyeneyin, mentioned in this episode, by clicking here!
Tom Wilde
Tom Wilde leads Shoosmiths’ Tax department and heads the firm’s EIS and VCT practice, advising investors and companies on tax-efficient structuring, compliance and exits. Shoosmiths acts on over 200 EIS and VCT investments annually, and Tom is recognised as one of the UK’s leading experts in this field. His clients include Octopus Ventures, Gresham House, Beringea and Maven Capital Partners.
Since joining Shoosmiths, Tom has advised on business transactions, reorganisations and ongoing compliance. He is a Chartered Tax Adviser and sits on the EIS Association’s Tax and Technical Committee, as well as the EIS Association’s Board of Directors and the BVCA’s Model Documents Working Group. Shoosmiths won Best EIS/SEIS Tax Adviser at the EISA Awards in 2024.
