Today’s Budget has been good news for entrepreneurs and investors alike:

• Small business Corporation Tax down to 20% as expected
• Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) relief for investors up from 20% to 30%, and the qualifying size of companies increased
• R&D Tax Credits for small companies increased substantially, and delinked from employers’ PAYE and NI contributions
• Entrepreneur’s relief up to £10m

I’m personally pleased that dodges like Feed In Tariffs and closed ended schemes are to be addressed.  Nevertheless, it’s sad but hardly surprising to see the 1% increase in employers’ NI contributions and so many increases in personal taxes maintained.

Is this enough to get people investing?  I’m told by my friends in the Business Angel Networks that they’ve never seen so much interest from private investors.  But how much of that is a flight from low interest rates on savings accounts into risk investment?

Or maybe that’s what I was wishing for after interviewing four prospective financial advisors today.

Unfortunately, tax is complicated.  It can drive investment behaviour and deal structure – although hopefully not investment decision-making.  But it needs sharp minds, rigorous option analysis and a shared entrepreneurial spirit to provide suitable financial advice to an owner-manager-investor.  These qualities were absent in spades from today’s grey-suited brigade.