Investors in small and start-up companies have reaped the benefits of the economic recovery. Venture capital trusts (VCTs) invest in companies that have assets worth £15 million or less, where previously the investment threshold was £7 million or less. In order to spread the risk, a VCT will provide capital to several companies; softening the blow to the investors should one holding go under.
Investors are rewarded by taking on the risk of investing in a start-up by receiving 30% income tax relief for the year they invest, and the capital growth is also tax free; any dividends payable are also tax-free.
You have to be invested for five years to qualify for the tax breaks, but many VCTs are held for much longer – and an increasing number are providing investors with an income along the way.
According to the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) three quarters of VCTs are now paying a yield of 5% or more.
As investor confidence has improved along with the economy, funds under management in VCTs have swollen to their highest ever levels. Investment in tax-efficient VCTs has grown to £2.9 billion - with £19 million invested in the first six months of 2013.
Manager of the Octopus Titan VCTs Alex Macpherson, said that 2014 was going to be a great year for VCTs.
“Not only are funds under management in VCTs at their highest ever level, but VCT fundraising is up 69% compared with this time last year,” he said. “The current thriving enterprise ecosystem means that there has never been a more exciting time than now for those involved in investing in smaller companies.”
The Government’s decision to lower both the annual and lifetime allowances on private pensions means that investors are looking for alternative ways to invest tax-efficiently.
“Our sense is that there is significant demand from investors for product driven by ever fewer places to shelter tax coupled with an unprecedented need for funding into the SME sector as a result of the continuing difficulty for such businesses to obtain traditional bank debt,” said Eliot Kaye, Director of Puma Investments.
VCTs are not for everyone however. Although the risk is spread among several unlisted companies within the vehicle default risk is high, and VCTs should only ever make up a small part of a diversified portfolio.
As VCTs are listed vehicles you can sell your shares before maturity should you wish. Minimum investment is typically £5,000 with a maximum allowance of £200,000.