06
The Britain Welcome Programme
Attract investment, jobs and long-term commitment to Britain.
Offer qualifying businesses relocating substantial economic activity to the United Kingdom 0% Corporation Tax for their first 24 months, in return for a genuine long-term commitment to UK investment, employment and economic activity.
Published Manifesto 1.0 policy. The sections below set out the proposal as published. Questions and challenges are open questions, not settled answers.
Key figures
- Incentive
- 0% Corporation Tax
- For the first 24 months for qualifying businesses.
- Minimum commitment
- 10 years
- Required activity
- Substantial economic activity
- Including UK premises, equipment, infrastructure and employment.
- Objective
- Investment, jobs, skills, technology
- Building long-term productive capacity in Britain.
01 · The Idea
Proposal 06 would create a Britain Welcome Programme to compete actively for international investment. Qualifying businesses that relocate substantial economic activity to the United Kingdom would pay 0% Corporation Tax for their first 24 months in Britain.
The incentive is not a blanket tax holiday. It is offered in return for a genuine long-term commitment to the UK, including investment in premises, equipment or infrastructure and meaningful economic activity and employment in Britain.
02 · How it works
A qualifying business would receive a 0% Corporation Tax rate for its first 24 months after relocating substantial economic activity to the UK.
In return, the business would be required to make a minimum ten-year commitment to the UK, backed by investment in UK premises, equipment or infrastructure and by meaningful economic activity and employment in Britain.
The programme would include safeguards against shell-company relocations, artificial restructuring and businesses leaving immediately after the incentive period. These safeguards are integral to the design, not an afterthought.
| What Britain offers | What the business commits |
|---|---|
| 0% Corporation Tax for the first 24 months | Minimum ten-year commitment to the UK |
| A competitive, stable business environment | Investment in UK premises, equipment or infrastructure |
| Access to UK markets, skills and institutions | Meaningful economic activity and employment in Britain |
The incentive is conditional and time-limited. It is offered in return for a genuine, verifiable long-term commitment, not for a paper relocation.
Safeguards against abuse would include
- Rules against shell-company relocations with no real activity
- Restrictions on artificial restructuring designed only to capture the incentive
- Clawback or penalty provisions if a business leaves immediately after the incentive period
- Verification of UK premises, employment and capital investment
- Ongoing compliance review during the commitment period
Qualifying activity could include
- Establishing or relocating headquarters with decision-making functions
- Opening or expanding manufacturing or research facilities
- Creating skilled jobs in technology, life sciences, engineering or advanced industries
- Investing in UK infrastructure, supply chains or training programmes
03 · Why it is being proposed
The objective is to attract investment, jobs, skills, technology and long-term productive capacity to Britain — not simply to offer a short-term tax giveaway.
Tax is one factor among many in investment decisions, so the programme is intended to operate alongside wider efforts on skills, infrastructure, energy costs, regulation and political stability.
The proposition is that Britain should compete openly for high-value economic activity while ensuring that any tax incentive is earned through real, lasting commitment.
What this proposal does not say
- The 0% Corporation Tax rate applies only to the first 24 months and only to qualifying businesses that meet the commitment requirements.
- The programme is not an open-ended tax giveaway; it requires a minimum ten-year commitment and genuine economic activity in Britain.
- Safeguards against shell companies, artificial restructuring and early departure are part of the design, not optional extras.
04 · Questions & Challenges
Nothing in Manifesto 1.0 is presented as settled fact. These are open questions the proposal must be able to answer — they are not answered here.
- 01What counts as 'substantial economic activity' and who certifies it?
- 02How is the ten-year commitment enforced if a business restructures, is sold or relocates part of its operations?
- 03What clawback or penalty arrangements apply if a business leaves before the commitment period ends?
- 04How would HMRC prevent shell-company relocations, artificial restructuring and treaty abuse?
- 05What is the estimated revenue cost per qualifying business, and what break-even test would determine whether the programme is worthwhile?
- 06How does the programme interact with international tax rules, including OECD minimum tax frameworks and anti-state-aid considerations?
- 07Which sectors and activities would be prioritised, and how would the programme avoid simply displacing investment that would have happened anyway?
Have Your Say
What is your view on this proposal?
Scrutiny, not endorsement. Disagreement is as useful here as support.
Responses are counted anonymously and the running totals are shown publicly beside each option. One response per device, changeable at any time.
Have an objection, question or better alternative?
Set out your argument. Serious challenges shape later versions of the manifesto.