The 2025 Autumn Budget launched a Call for Evidence on tax supports for entrepreneurs to which the Institute is formulating a response. This is focusing on how UK tax policy can better support investment in innovative high growth companies. We’d like to hear your views on this issue before Monday 16 February 2026. Contact us by email to participate.
In the Call for Evidence which is open until 28 February 2026, the Government’s view is that a shortfall in domestic scale-up capital is causing some of the UK’s most innovative companies and founders to move abroad. To address the issue, views are sought on:
- how effective existing tax supports are,
- any gaps in the tax system for founders and scaling companies, and
- options and ideas to improve, rebalance, and better target current supports that would allow the Government to fill these gaps where needed.
A number of changes were made to several of the UK’s tax advantaged venture capital schemes in the 2025 Autumn Budget which aim to enable larger and more established companies to continue to qualify to use the schemes. However, the Call for Evidence notes that these changes “take the existing schemes as far as possible within their current design”. As a result, the government is keen to consider how it could provide more targeted and effective support which also represents good value for money for the taxpayer.