ETASSUM31050 | Schedule 3 SAYE Option Scheme: General requirements: All-employee nature of scheme
From HM Revenue & Customs · Employee Tax Advantaged Share Scheme User Manual
Paragraph 6 states that every person who meets the following criteria is eligible to participate in the scheme. The person:
is an employee or a full time director (see ETASSUM32180),
has been a full time director or employee for a qualifying period set out in the scheme rules of not more than 5 years (see ETASSUM32190), and
has earnings from the office or employment that are general earnings within section 15 of ITEPA (see ETASSUM32200).
(Prior to 17th July 2013, anyone who owned more than 25 % of the company was ineligible to participate in an SAYE scheme. This was the ‘material interest ‘ test).