FAQ

A: EIS is a government backed scheme which provides tax incentives for UK residents to invest in smaller British companies.

It is particularly attractive to higher rate tax payers, those with capital gains to defer and those prepared to invest for a long period of time (minimum three years). If you are a basic rate tax payer, do not have capital gains to roll over or need to access your capital and income on a regular basis, it is probably not suitable.

We strongly recommend that you take independent financial advice before committing to an EIS scheme.

A: At WH Ireland we pride ourselves on delivering a tailored, personal service. We see our clients as individuals, and have an approach that is bespoke to your needs, rather than a mass market, one size fits all style that many of the larger banks and wealth managers provide. Our charges are competitive, clear and transparent, with nothing hidden or added.

As private client stockbrokers we invest directly in shares, rather than layering costs through multiple structures such as funds of hedge funds. Above all you will receive a dedicated investment service from our experienced and professional investment managers.

A: We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and are members of the London Stock Exchange. We are a substantial business, with 20,000 private clients, assets under management of £1.8bn and revenues in excess of £20m, with our shares quoted on the London AIM market.

Money held by us on your behalf will be dealt with in accordance with the FSA (client money) rules. These require us to hold your money in a separate bank account with an approved bank.

In the event of our being unable to pay you the money we owe, you may be eligible for compensation under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Most types of investment business are covered for 100% of the first £50,000 per person per firm. Deposits are covered to a level of £85,000 per person per firm.

A: A discount broker merely provides a platform to deal - we provide a bespoke service. You can receive investment advice and recommendations from your adviser as you manage your own portfolio. Alternatively you can choose to delegate full responsibility to your manager. We also provide a suite of extra services, for example, full Capital Gain Tax calculations and our secure nominee service for holding your share certificates. Our own in-house dealing service is fast and efficient.

A: We make markets in the shares of a number of our corporate clients. We believe that competitive market making is essential for the creation of an orderly, liquid market in these shares. WHI has a highly experienced team, who commenced operations in 2011. Where possible we try to narrow the spread of the quoted price (i.e. the difference between the bid and offer price) and to increase the minimum size that we are willing to trade, thereby creating more liquidity. Our aim is to be the number one market maker in the stocks that we make markets in.