EIS in Practice

The EIS in Practice webinar series was designed as a structured learning journey for financial advisers looking to deepen their understanding of the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS).

Hosted by Steven Powell, Sales Director, Deepbridge, this series was designed to provide practical insights, case studies, and actionable strategies to help you navigate the evolving EIS landscape to support your client conversations and enhance your technical knowledge.

Warning: EIS investments are high-risk and not suitable for all investors. Tax reliefs depend on individual circumstances and may change. Capital is at risk.

Who is Steven Powell?

Sales Director, Deepbridge

Steven joined Deepbridge in 2015 after a previous role with a tax mitigation strategy company as a Relationship Manager. Steven joined as a Business Development Manager, was later promoted to Regional Director in 2019, and is now the Sales Director as of early 2024. Steven’s role is heading up the product distribution team via financial advisers for Deepbridge’s core products in EIS, SEIS and Business Relief.

Steven has a wide range of contacts in the industry and holds various tax-efficient investment-related qualifications as well as a BA (Hons) in Business Management.

Learning outcomes from the Series

Webinar dates: 29 January, 5 February & 12 February 2026
Presented by: Steven Powell, Sales Director, Deepbridge

The EIS in Practice webinar series was designed as a structured learning journey for financial advisers looking to deepen their understanding of the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS).

Across three sessions, the series moved from core EIS fundamentals, through practical planning applications, and into year-round EIS strategies, supporting advisers in building confidence when discussing EIS with clients.

This article brings together the key educational themes from the full series.

EIS was introduced to encourage private investment into UK small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting innovation, job creation and economic growth. In return for taking on higher investment risk, investors are offered a range of tax reliefs.

From an adviser’s perspective, EIS typically sits beyond pensions and ISAs, forming part of wider tax and estate-planning conversations for suitable clients. Understanding why EIS exists and the type of businesses it supports is a foundational step before considering how it may be used in practice.

A central focus of the series was developing a clear, practical understanding of the tax reliefs associated with EIS and how they interact with client circumstances.

Key areas covered included:

  • Income tax relief and how carry back can be applied
  • Capital gains tax deferral, including qualifying time windows
  • Inheritance tax planning using Business Relief
  • Loss relief and how it can mitigate downside risk
  • Tax‑free growth on qualifying exits

Importantly, the sessions explored how the structure of an EIS fund influences the timing of tax relief claims, particularly the difference between conventional and knowledge‑intensive approaches, helping advisers avoid common misunderstandings around EIS certificates and claim deadlines.

The second episode shifted from theory to practice, using case studies to demonstrate how EIS may be applied in real world planning.
Typical scenarios explored included:

• High earners seeking alternatives once pension allowances are restricted
• Clients with recent capital gains, particularly from property disposals
• Investors with entrepreneurial experience or sector familiarity
• Clients considering long-term inheritance tax planning

The case studies reinforced a key educational message: EIS outcomes should be viewed at portfolio level, not company by company. Failures are part of the journey, and effective diversification – combined with the available tax reliefs – plays a significant role in shaping overall outcomes.

Understanding the investor experience
A further learning objective of the series was to help advisers clearly explain what clients should expect after investing.
Topics explored included:

• Typical investment timeframes and liquidity expectations
• The reality of company failures alongside successful exits
• When and how EIS tax certificates are issued
• The role of investment managers in governance and exit planning
• Ongoing reporting and communication through digital portals

Setting expectations early was highlighted as critical to maintaining long term client confidence in EIS strategies.

The final session introduced Flex EIS as a different way of approaching EIS planning.Rather than viewing EIS solely as a tax year-end solution, Flex EIS supports a monthly contribution model, allowing clients to invest over a 12-month period. This approach aligns more naturally with how many clients already invest in pensions and ISAs.

From a planning perspective, this supports:

  • A more consistent, proactive approach to EIS
  • Reduced reliance on last minute tax year end decisions
  • Regular deployment of capital
  • A phased flow of EIS certificates
  • Potentially broader diversification over time

The session encouraged advisers to think about when EIS fits into planning – not just if it fits.

Throughout the series, the Deepbridge proposition was referenced to provide practical context to the educational content.

Key elements included:

  • Two evergreen EIS funds focused on technology growth and life sciences
  • A monthly deployment model
  • Digital access to investment documentation and updates
  • A fee structure designed to maximise capital deployment into qualifying companies

These elements were discussed in terms of process, transparency and client experience, rather than as product promotion.

The EIS in Practice series was designed to help advisers progress from understanding what EIS is, to how it works, and ultimately to how it can be used responsibly within long‑term financial planning.

For advisers supporting clients with complex tax and estate planning needs, EIS can play an important role, provided it is approached with the right knowledge, structure and expectations.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: These videos are for professional advisers, as defined by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (“FSMA”), only. The content of these videos is not intended to constitute investment, tax or legal advice. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each prospective investor and may be subject to change in future. The availability of tax reliefs depends on the Company invested in maintaining its qualifying status. Investment in unquoted companies carries high risks. It is highly speculative, and your clients or prospective investors should be advised that they could lose the total value of their investment. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Prospective investors should not invest if they are likely to require the capital in the near term. Any decision to invest should be made only on the basis of the relevant documentation for each investment. This is not an exhaustive list of EIS, SEIS and IHT tax rules and is intended for information purposes only. No reliance should be placed upon the content. Nothing in the video shall be regarded as constituting tax advice, and it is the responsibility of professional advisers to ensure their own understanding of the relevant tax implications before making or recommending any investment decisions. Figures stated throughout this presentation are approximate.

REGULATORY INFORMATION: Deepbridge Capital LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England & Wales, Company No. OC356449. Registered Office: Deepbridge House, Honeycomb East, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QN. Deepbridge Capital LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 563366).