The Enterprise Investment Scheme Association (EISA) has launched a new Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) training course and qualification for financial advisers.
The qualification, heralded during the EISA chairman’s annual reception at the House of Lords, marks an important milestone for the EIS sector, and will allow more advisers to be actively engaged with their clients in this increasingly important area of financial planning.
This is particularly important following the introduction of RDR, as those advisers who are classified as independent (as opposed to restricted) must consider all investment options for their clients.
These advisers will therefore need to be fully conversant with EIS, and this robust qualification structured by Tolleys in association with the EISA will provide the “gold standard” qualification for advice in respect of EIS. Up until now there has been no dedicated qualification for EIS advice, and this new EISA qualification is coming just at the right time as demand for EIS from investors is increasing and the funding gap for small businesses is as big as ever.
Increasingly compliance officers are restricting advisers from providing advice on EIS because they do not have a relevant qualification.
The new qualification course can be accessed online via the EISA website and offers a straight forward approach to study followed by an online exam and CPD.
Lord Flight, chairman of the EISA and political champion of enterprise, says: “This education programme has been evolved in response to demand from our members and is likely to revolutionise the way financial advisers invest in EIS investments.
“This scheme, in conjunction with successful platforms like Kuber, will help propel EIS investment in such a way, that not only will small businesses gather the support they badly need, but will also give investors broader access to this valuable and tax efficient style of investment.”
The idea of introducing an EISA qualification was first conceptualised last year, but now, with the help of funding by the industry’s only specialist platform, Kuber Ventures, the programme has been able to come to fruition.
John Williams (pictured), managing partner, Kuber Ventures, says: “Kuber Ventures are delighted to be sponsoring the EISA training course and qualification. We are keen to support financial advisers with their ongoing education.
“A decline in qualified EIS advisers will have a far reaching impact on small businesses across the country and the UK economy as a whole and we hope that by having a fully regulated and dedicated education programme on EIS, the industry is demonstrating that it is both unified in its approach and that it is prepared to meet the challenges of a post-RDR world.”
