by Undo Capital
December 15, 2025

What Is Money-At-Risk (Risk-to-Capital Condition)?

Money-at-risk refers to the requirement that an investor’s capital must be genuinely exposed to real commercial risk for SEIS or EIS tax relief to apply.

Money-At-Risk (Risk-to-Capital Condition) Meaning

The money-at-risk meaning is central to HMRC’s risk-to-capital test under SEIS and EIS. To define money-at-risk in practice, investors must face a realistic chance of losing their investment and have the potential for a genuine commercial return. Any structure that limits downside, such as guaranteed exits, capital protection, side agreements or pre-arranged returns, can breach this condition. A clear money-at-risk definition ensures that tax relief only supports real growth investment, not low-risk tax planning. It stands for true exposure to business success or failure.

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