About Share Incentives
The world of share incentives and employee ownership is currently one of the hottest topics and a huge priority for the current government. The law is constantly changing and companies are regularly having to grapple with new legislation, new guidance and new ideas. In such a complex, ever-changing area, where the repercussions of getting it wrong can be unforgiving, companies need to understand the law and implement it correctly.
Corporate governance content
Reports on executive pay are regularly in the news. We include subtopics on corporate governance, remuneration issues for financial services firms and a comparison of UK Corporate Governance remuneration principles.
Disguised remuneration
Get updated documents and a Practice Note examining common disguised remuneration scenarios in share schemes. There’s nothing like this elsewhere.
Key Share Incentives developments
Keeping up-to-date on developments naturally important. We produce a weekly Share Incentives highlights report and email it straight to subscribers' inboxes. It's also posted on our news carousel.
Topics We Cover
Our Share Incentives Experts
Nicky Griffin
Stephen Woodhouse
David Pett
William Franklin
David Cohen
Latest Share Incentives News
HMRC has published Employment Related Securities Bulletin 63...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes (1) Bill Committee proceedings including government amendments to the Finance Bill...
The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has announced the final group of signatories to the UK Stewardship Code 2020. The Code now has 291 signatories,...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes (1) the Welsh Final Budget for 2026 to 2027 and (2) a report from ISS Governance on...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes (1) the Scottish Budget for 2026 to 2027 and (2) a report from WTW on the use of...
Latest Share Incentives Practice Notes
Convertible securities—definitionConvertible securities are: • employment-related securities (see Practice Note: What is an employment-related...
Corporate issues in relation to share incentivesThis Practice Note focuses on some key corporate issues that arise in relation to share incentives,...
Offering shares to workers engaged via an employer of recordIntroductionThis Practice Note discusses the key UK tax and legal considerations that...
Equity and incentive compensation arrangements for employees of startup companies in the USThis Practice Note provides a brief introduction to the...
When is a prospectus needed for an offer to employees?FORTHCOMING CHANGE: On 1 July 2021, the government launched a consultation on the UK prospectus...
Latest Share Incentives Precedents
SAYE share option scheme rules[Approved by resolution of the shareholders on [insert date of shareholder approval]]Adopted by the Directors on [insert...
Board minutes—approving the adoption of a CSOP and the grant of CSOP options[insert name of company adopting the CSOP] (Company)—[insert Company...
Board minutes—approving the adoption of an unapproved option plan and the grant of unapproved options[Insert name of company adopting the unapproved...
EMI standalone share option agreementFORTHCOMING CHANGE: On 26 November 2025 as part of Budget 2025, it was announced that with effect from 6 April...
Unapproved share option scheme rulesRULES OF THE [INSERT NAME OF COMPANY] SHARE option SCHEMEAdopted by the Directors on [insert...
Latest Share Incentives Q&As
Featured Share Incentives content
Malus and clawback
Malus and clawbackThe use of malus and clawbackThe concept of withholding or even recovering value from executives if a material adverse event occurs...
What is a long-term incentive plan?
What is a long-term incentive plan?A long-term incentive plan (LTIP) is a term that is commonly used among listed companies to describe executive...
Nil paid shares and partly paid shares—practical considerations
Nil paid shares and partly paid shares—practical considerationsWhat are nil paid shares and partly paid shares?When shares are issued, their...
Implementing share plans—ways to manage dilution of existing shareholders
Implementing share plans—ways to manage dilution of existing shareholdersWhat is share dilution?Share dilution happens when a company issues...
Introduction to enterprise management incentives (EMI) schemes
Introduction to enterprise management incentives (EMI) schemesIntroduction to EMI schemesThe EMI scheme is a highly flexible and tax-efficient scheme...
Corporation tax relief and employee share schemes
Corporation tax relief and employee share schemesCorporation tax deduction for costs incurred in setting up and operating employee share schemesCosts...
What is an employee benefit trust?
What is an employee benefit trust?The EBT as a trustAn employee benefit trust (EBT) is a form of trust. A trust refers to the legal relationship...
Phantom share awards and options
Phantom share awards and optionsWhat is a phantom award?Phantom awards, broadly speaking, can be split into two categories, phantom share awards and...
Growth shares—practical examples and comparisons with options
Growth shares—practical examples and comparisons with optionsWhat are growth shares?Growth shares, also known as value shares or hurdle shares, are a...
Value Creation Plans
Value Creation PlansWhat is a Value Creation Plan?The term ‘Value Creation Plan’ (VCP) normally refers to an employee incentive plan which is designed...
Cashless exercise of options
Cashless exercise of optionsWhat is a cashless exercise of options?The ‘cashless exercise’ of options or a 'cashless exercise facility' refers to the...
Employee ownership trusts
Employee ownership trustsWhat is an employee ownership trust?An employee ownership trust (EOT) is a particular type of employee benefit trust (EBT)...
Shares for non-executive directors—issues and considerations
Shares for non-executive directors—issues and considerationsMeaning of ‘non-executive director’The general definition of ‘director’ is not exhaustive....
Underwater share options
Underwater share optionsWhat is an underwater share option?'Underwater option' is the term used to describe a share option (granted under any share...
What is a SIP?
What is a SIP?This Practice Note provides an introduction to the HMRC tax-advantaged share incentive plan (SIP). It provides a summary of:•the types...
Pitfalls of setting up and operating an employee ownership trust
Pitfalls of setting up and operating an employee ownership trustWhat is an employee ownership trust?An employee ownership trust (EOT) is a particular...
Long-term incentive plans—income tax and NICs treatment
Long-term incentive plans—income tax and NICs treatmentTypes of LTIP awardsThe most common type of awards that can be made under a long-term incentive...
Notice of exercise of option
Notice of exercise of optionThe Company Secretary[insert date of letter][insert name of company who granted the option] (Company)[[insert address of...
Associated legal terms
Company Share Option Plan
An company share option plan (CSOP) is a share plan that meets the requirements of Schedule 4 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (ITEPA 2003). It is specific Government backed discretionary employee share option scheme which, if operated correctly, can be tax advantageous.
Exercise of share options
Share options gives the option holder the right to buy and sell shares at a predetermined price. The exercise of share options relates to the process of paying that pre-determined price (know as the exercise/strike/option price [can we link to this glossary term]) and receiving the shares under the option.
Unapproved share option
'Unapproved option' is used to refer to any share option that does not benefit from HMRC tax advantageous treatment.
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