Becoming an AIC member

From technical guidance, our PR work and lobbying on your behalf, the AIC offers a range of valuable services to members – and the first year of membership is free.

Who can join the AIC?

Our members are companies which are closed-ended funds, investing in a portfolio of assets and with their shares traded on a stock exchange. Member companies assist investors in building diversified portfolios by offering access to a range of asset classes or through diversification within a specific asset class.

What you get from membership

We offer our members:

Lobbying

We engage with government departments and regulators to develop the best possible tax and legal position for our members and their shareholders.

We achieve this by opening a dialogue at the earliest stage of regulation, right through to implementation. Our goals include reducing unnecessary compliance burdens, maintaining and enhancing market access and securing free and fair competition.

Advice and guidance

We keep members up-to-date with legal and regulatory changes and provide guidance and advice on how to comply with them.

We also provide useful guidance such as our 'Marketing matters', our Directors and officers insurance guide and our PRIIPs guidance etc.

Our guidance is tailored to the specific needs of our members and copyrighted solely for their use.

AIC Code

The AIC Code of Corporate Governance helps members to comply with their corporate governance reporting requirements in a way which is sympathetic  to the special features of investment companies. The AIC Code is endorsed by the Financial Reporting Council and we have received similar statements of support  from both the Guernsey and Jersey Financial Services Commissions. The AIC Code is copyrighted and only members of the AIC may state that they are following it.

Events

We hold regular conferences, seminars and roundtables on key topical issues which are free for members to attend. These will take place as digital or physical events.

Our flagship UK conference attracts over 400 attendees. Focusing on the headline strategic issues facing the investment company sector, it features both internal and external speakers covering a broad range of topics. In addition, we run a Channel Islands conference and a VCT conference focussing on items of relevance to each of these specific sectors.

Presence on the AIC website

We calculate and publish performance information on our members in accordance with robust methodologies which we develop in conjunction with industry stakeholders. This information is distributed primarily through the AIC’s website, which is used by thousands of investors, financial advisers and journalists to get reliable and up-to-date information and news about investment companies. Users are able to conduct peer group analysis on AIC members and AIC sectors by using various website comparison tools and functions, including the AIC's Income Finder.

AIC members receive an expanded company offering on our company profile pages.

Inclusion in our media work

Our press team works with the media and opinion-formers to engage investors and financial advisers. We lead the news agenda for investment companies, emphasising their benefits and promoting our members. We do this through regular press releases, roundtables and the contribution of articles, regular briefings and social media updates and frequent contact with personal finance journalists. 

The AIC’s social media programme is a vital component in our communication with financial journalists. 

Membership fees

So you can see the benefits of membership before you make a financial commitment, the first year of membership is free.

Our current membership fees are:

  Members (excluding VCTs) VCTs
Subscription rate 0.75 basis points of shareholders' funds (£75 per £1million) 1.50 basis points of shareholders' funds (£150 per £1million)
Minimum fee £3,600 £3,600
Maximum fee £21,000 £21,000

How to join

Contact the Membership & Statistics Director, David Michael, on [email protected]

David will check whether your company is eligible to join and, if it is, he’ll then agree a membership start date with you.  At this point, we’ll ask you to complete a brief membership form to give us contact details and some statistical information.  (The membership form does not need to be submitted before membership commences.)

Professional advisers

Professional advisers to investment companies can access guidance papers through our Member Centre. Please access this area by registering with us using the registration form found here or in the top right of your screen by clicking 'Sign in' and selecting 'Member' from the registration options.