With immediate effect (29 October 2018) entrepreneurs selling their shares or business will have had to have been a qualifying owner for two years (was one year) to qualify for Entrepreneurs Relief (ER).  ER reduces the capital gains tax rate for higher rate taxpayers from 20% to 10%.

Furthermore, from 1 April 2019, the qualifying conditions have been tightened to now require owners to benefit from 5% of distributions and 5% net assets of the company.  Currently the requirements only specify 5% of voting rights.