This Practice Note looks at what investment trusts are, and describes the eligibility conditions and other ongoing requirements that a company must satisfy in order to be regarded as an investment trust for UK tax purposes. It looks at the eligibility conditions dealing with spread of investment risk, admission of the company’s ordinary shares to trading on a regulated market and the requirement not to be a venture capital trust or UK real estate investment trust. It then looks at the requirements not to be close, to distribute income and to notify HMRC of any breach of the eligibility conditions or ongoing requirements, or of a revised investment policy. This Practice Note was produced in partnership with Michael Alliston of Norton Rose Fulbright.