FAQ: How many shares can I get?
Your employer can offer you
free shares - worth up to £3,000 per year
partnership shares - bought with up to £1,500 or 10% of your salary per tax year, whichever is lower
matching shares - up to two matching shares for each partnership share you buy
dividend shares - bought with up to £1,500 worth of dividends per year.
Your employer can set lower limits than these, which will be set out in the plan rules.
Your companys plan may link the award of free shares to your
level of pay
length of service
hours worked, or
performance.
The number of partnership shares you receive depends on how much of your income you contribute. The number of matching shares you may receive (if any) depends on the number of partnership shares you buy and the matching ratio set by your employer.
Source: Inland Revenue