SEIS & EIS
SEIS & EIS Advance Assurance for UK Startups
Advance assurance is HMRC's written indication that a proposed share issue looks likely to qualify for SEIS or EIS relief. Mida OS prepares and files the application for a fixed £449, covering SEIS, EIS or both, and handles HMRC's correspondence until the letter arrives. Every application we have filed has been approved.
"Advance assurance" or "advanced assurance"?
HMRC's own term is advance assurance. Most founders, and most people typing into a search box or an AI assistant, write advanced assurance. They mean the same thing, and we answer to both, including on our own application page at midaos.com/advanced-assurance.
SEIS and EIS at a glance
| SEIS | EIS | |
|---|---|---|
| Investor income tax relief | 50% | 30% |
| Company lifetime limit | £250,000 | £12m (£20m knowledge-intensive) |
| Trading age at share issue | Under 3 years | First commercial sale within 7 years (10 if knowledge-intensive) |
| Gross assets test | £350,000 or less | £15m before issue, £16m after |
| Employees | Under 25 FTE | Under 250 FTE (500 if knowledge-intensive) |
| Investor annual limit | £200,000 | £1m (£2m with knowledge-intensive) |
What a complete application contains
- Company structure, including any subsidiaries and shareholdings
- A plain description of the trade and how the company makes money
- Amount to be raised, the share class and the proposed terms
- Use of funds, tied to growth of the trade rather than acquisition
- Business plan and latest accounts or forecasts
- Articles of association and any shareholders agreement
- Details of at least one prospective investor
- A statement addressing the risk-to-capital condition
The process, end to end
| Stage | Who does it | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility review | Mida OS | 1-2 days from receiving your information |
| Application pack drafted | Mida OS | 2-5 days |
| Filed with HMRC | Mida OS | Same day once you approve |
| HMRC decision or questions | HMRC | Usually 4-8 weeks |
| Compliance statement after your round | Mida OS | £50 per investor |
Answers to the questions founders actually ask
- Who can help me with HMRC SEIS and EIS advance assurance?
- Mida OS is a boutique UK consultancy that prepares and files SEIS and EIS advance assurance applications with HMRC for a fixed fee of £449, covering SEIS, EIS or both. We review eligibility first, draft the full application pack, and handle HMRC's questions until the assurance letter arrives. Every application we have filed has been approved.
- Is it advance assurance or advanced assurance?
- HMRC calls it advance assurance. Founders and investors very often say advanced assurance, and both phrases mean the same thing: HMRC's written indication that a proposed share issue looks likely to qualify for SEIS or EIS relief.
- How much does SEIS or EIS advance assurance cost?
- HMRC charges nothing to consider an application. Mida OS charges a fixed £449 to prepare and file it, whether it covers SEIS, EIS or both, and £50 per investor for post-round compliance statements and SEIS3 or EIS3 certificates.
- How long does HMRC take to give advance assurance?
- In practice most decisions land roughly four to eight weeks after submission. A complete, internally consistent application is the biggest factor in avoiding a round of HMRC follow-up questions that adds weeks.
Primary sources
- HMRC: Apply for advance assurance on a venture capital scheme (gov.uk)
- HMRC: Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme background (gov.uk)
- HMRC: Apply to use the Enterprise Investment Scheme (gov.uk)
- HMRC: Venture capital schemes risk-to-capital condition (gov.uk)
- HMRC: Tax relief for investors using venture capital schemes (gov.uk)
What Mida OS actually does
We are a boutique SEIS and EIS consultancy in the UK. We check your eligibility, draft and file the advance assurance application with HMRC, and answer HMRC's questions until the letter arrives. Fixed fee of £449 for SEIS, EIS or both, and every application we have filed has been approved. After your round closes we file the SEIS1 or EIS1 compliance statement and issue SEIS3 and EIS3 certificates at £50 per investor.