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: (1) a reminder of the 6th July filing deadline for annual share schemes returns to...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes: (1) a focus on executive pay, as the AGM season continues and (2) a new Q&A which...
The Data (Use and Access) Bill (DUA) is set to receive Royal Assent and become an Act of Parliament on Thursday 19 June 2025. This follows its...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes the FCA’s publication of the final rules for the PISCES sandbox to allow trading in...
This week's edition of Share Incentives weekly highlights includes: (1) a focus on executive remuneration, as the 2025 AGM season continues and (2) a...
Latest Share Incentives Practice Notes
Automatic Exchange of Information (AEoI) in the UK—Employee incentive arrangementsFORTHCOMING CHANGES: The UK is due to implement the OECD’s...
EMI schemes versus CSOPsEnterprise management incentives (EMI) schemes and company share option plans (CSOPs) are both tax advantageous discretionary...
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR)—essentialsIn each section of this Practice Note, links are given to the relevant provisions of EU and/or UK legislation,...
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000—essentialsScope of this Practice NoteThe principal role of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA...
Brexit—introduction to the Withdrawal AgreementThe UK’s formal withdrawal from the EU took effect at 11 pm on 31 January 2020 (exit day). At this...
Latest Share Incentives Precedents
Board minutes—approving the adoption of an SAYE scheme and the first invitations to participate under it[insert name of company adopting the SAYE...
SAYE share option scheme rules[Approved by resolution of the shareholders on [insert date of shareholder approval]]Adopted by the Directors on [insert...
Letter to be sent to LTIP award holders on a rights issue[insert name of award holder][insert address][insert postcode][insert date]Dear [insert name...
Deed of renouncement of optionI, [insert full name of option holder], refer to the option over [insert number and class of shares under option] shares...
Standalone unapproved share option agreement for a worker engaged via an employer of recordThis Agreement is made on [insert date of execution of the...
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
Conditional share award
A conditional share award is a commitment to issue or transfer shares to the relevant employee participant subject to the attainment of a period of service and/or performance conditions.
Executive Remuneration Working Group (ERWG)
An independent panel established by the Investment Association in 2015 to address the concern that executive remuneration had become too complex and was not fulfilling its purpose.
Shares and Assets Valuations (SAV)
The Shares and Assets Valuations (SAV) team are a specialist area of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) who value the following for tax purposes, amongst other things: unquoted shares, intangible assets, foreign shares, foreign residential property, bloodstock and chattels (such as antiques, art and jewellery).
CONTACT US
