Next year one of my companies will be sold and it should leave me fairly well off. In 2018 I went through hell and friends of mine helped me out.

I'll want to furnish them with some moolah to say thank you, and it'll be coming from me personally, from savings that come from my already taxed income (i.e. from the sale of the business).

I don't plan on carking it for well over seven years, fingers crossed, so will they be liable for tax on it?

I can't make head nor tail of "advice" from various websites.