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Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)

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Evidence of investment in UK business

This page describes the documents that you must provide as evidence that you have invested in UK business, if you are applying to extend your permission to stay in the UK under Tier 1 (Entrepreneur).

For more information about this requirement, see the Scoring points for investment in UK business page.

You must send as many of the specified documents below as necessary. If you are claiming points on the basis that you have invested in more than 1 business, you must supply evidence for each business.

If you are a member of an entrepreneurial team, both people can use the same evidence of investment in the business or businesses.

If you have already invested all or part of the funds in cash directly into 1 or more businesses in the UK, the balance of funds must be held in a regulated financial institution and disposable in the UK. In this case you should use the evidence required for the previous investment of money, together with the evidence required for access to the balance of sufficient funds.

Audited accounts

If you are a director of a registered company, you should send your company's audited accounts to us. The Companies House website explains who needs to produce these accounts.

The accounts should clearly show the name of the accountant and the date. Your accountant must be a member of a recognised UK supervisory body and must provide evidence of this membership. If he or she does not provide evidence, we will not award any points for this item of evidence.

The accounts must show how much you have invested in the business.

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Unaudited accounts and an accountant's certificate of confirmation

If your business does not need to produce audited accounts, you must provide unaudited accounts (sometimes called 'management accounts') and a certificate of confirmation from a suitably regulated accountant.

Your accountant must be a member of a recognised UK supervisory body and provide evidence of this membership. If he or she does not, we will not award any points for this item of evidence.

The accounts must show how much you have invested in the business.

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Evidence of a director's loan

If you have made the investment in the form of a director's loan, you must also provide a legal agreement between you and the company. This agreement should show:

  • the company name and your name as shown in your application;
  • the terms of the loan;
  • any interest that is payable;
  • the period of the loan; and
  • that the loan is unsecured and subordinated in favour of third-party creditors.

If it is not clear from the information provided that the loan is unsecured and unsubordinated in favour of third-party creditors, you will not score any points for the loan.

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Evidence that the business is in the UK

For each business you rely on to claim points and to prove that the business benefiting from your investment is a UK business, you must provide 1 piece of evidence from each row in the table below. 

One piece of evidence from rows 1, 2 and 3 in the table should be provided for each business or company. The required evidence differs depending on whether the applicant is self-employed or a director of a company.

Requirement Evidence required if you are self-employed  Evidence required if you are a company director
Business has premises in the UK If you do not have a business office, we will use your registration with HM Revenue & Customs to show that the business is based in the UK. Printout of a Companies House document showing the address of the registered office (or head office if it has no registered office) and your name as a director.
Business has a UK bank account
  • personal bank statement showing transactions for your business; or
  • business bank statement; or
  • letter from a UK bank confirming that you have a business and act through that bank.
  • company bank statement showing that the company has a UK bank account; or
  • letter from a UK bank confirming that the company has a UK business and a bank account.
Business pays UK taxes

Evidence that you are registered as self-employed for National Insurance assessment:

  • the welcome letter from HM Revenue & Customs; or
  • the small earnings exception certificate; or
  • a copy of the quarterly National Insurance bill from HM Revenue & Customs; or
  • a copy of the your bank account showing that National Insurance is taken by HM Revenue & Customs by direct debit.

Evidence that the business is registered for corporation tax with HM Revenue & Customs:

  • your copy of form CT41G from HM Revenue & Customs - this must be completed and show the company's date of registration and the unique reference number; or
  • a completed HM Revenue & Customs tax return document showing the company's tax reference number. This can be either the company short return form or the company tax return form. If the reporting is done online, you should provide a printout of the form.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are currently in the UK as a business person or an innovator, you do not need to provide this evidence.

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