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
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes publication of Pensions UK’s Stewardship and Voting Guidelines 2026....
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes a focus on executive remuneration issues....
Tax analysis: The Final Report of the independent review of the Loan Charge, together with the government’s response to the Final Report, were both...
Tax analysis: The government published Finance Bill 2026, also known as Finance (No 2) Bill 2024–26 and Finance Bill 2025–26 (FB 2026), on 4 December...
The National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill was published and had its first reading on 4 December 2025. The second...
Latest Share Incentives Practice Notes
Introduction to the EU GDPR and UK GDPRThis Practice Note provides an introduction to both the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, Regulation...
The Budget and Finance Bill processThe Budget is a Parliamentary event at which the Chancellor of the Exchequer makes important announcements relating...
Employee benefit trusts—Investment Association Principles of RemunerationThis Practice Note covers the application of the Investment Association (IA)...
Employee benefit trusts—UK taxation issuesFORTHCOMING CHANGE: As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the government commissioned an independent review of...
Disguised remuneration and the self-employedFORTHCOMING CHANGE: As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the government commissioned an independent review...
Latest Share Incentives Precedents
Letter to trustees of EBT—notification of proposed grant of awards[insert full name of trustee]as trustee of the[insert full name of the employee...
EMI—rollover offer letter[insert option holder’s name][insert option holder’s address]Dear [insert option holder’s name]Offer to roll over an option...
Covering letter to unapproved share option holders for options granted pursuant to standalone option agreements[insert date of letter][insert name of...
Board minutes—approving the adoption of a LTIP and the grant of LTIP awards pursuant to it[insert name of company adopting the LTIP] (Company)—[insert...
SAYE application form[Letter to be printed on company headed paper][Insert name of Company] SAYE share option scheme (the Scheme) Application formYou...
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
Dodd-Frank
The Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 2010, a corporate governance regime in the United States.
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
The UK financial services regulator, with primary responsibility for the conduct of firms authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
Market value share option
A share option which is granted with an exercise/option/strike price greater than or equal to the actual market value of the share (the market value of a share taking into account any restrictions and risks of forfeiture) under option as measured at the date of grant of the option.
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