If your employer offers you company shares, you could get tax advantages, like not paying Income Tax or National Insurance on their value. 

Tax advantages only apply if the shares are offered through the following schemes: 

• Share Incentive Plans 
• Save As You Earn (SAYE) 
• Company Share Option Plans 
• Enterprise Management Incentives (EMIs) 

You may be offered shares outside these schemes. However these will not have the same tax advantages. 

You can also get tax advantages if you are an employee shareholder. 

See Also: 

• Employee shareholder shares 
• Transferring your shares to an ISA