Cash ISA
What is a Cash ISA?
A Cash ISA is a savings account wrapped in a tax-free shell. Any interest (money the bank pays you for keeping savings with them) you earn is yours to keep. No tax, ever. ISA stands for Individual Savings Account.
How is it different from a normal savings account?
With a normal savings account, you might pay tax on your interest once you exceed your Personal Savings Allowance. That’s £1,000 for basic rate taxpayers, £500 for higher rate taxpayers. With a Cash ISA, there’s no tax regardless of how much interest you earn.
How much can you put in?
Up to £20,000 per tax year across all your ISAs combined. This is called your ISA allowance. You could put the full £20,000 in a Cash ISA, or split it with a Stocks and Shares ISA (for investing rather than saving).
The £20,000 limit is how much you can pay in each year. Not how much you can hold. If you’ve been using ISAs for years, your total balance can be much higher.
You can have Cash ISAs with multiple providers and pay into more than one in the same tax year. Before April 2024, you could only pay into one Cash ISA per year. That rule no longer applies.
What types of Cash ISA are there?
Cash ISAs come in the same varieties as normal savings accounts:
- Easy access Cash ISA. Withdraw anytime, lower rate
- Fixed rate Cash ISA. Money locked away, higher rate
- Notice Cash ISA. Give notice before withdrawing
Is a Cash ISA worth it?
Depends on how much you’re saving. If your interest is below your Personal Savings Allowance anyway, you won’t pay tax either way. But Cash ISA interest stays tax-free forever, even if your savings grow or tax rules change.
Scrimpr tracks savings rates daily across UK banks and building societies.
Compare Savings Rates →Key points about Cash ISAs
- Interest is tax-free. No matter how much you earn
- £20,000 annual limit. Shared across all ISA types
- Same varieties as normal savings. Easy access, fixed, notice
- Most useful for higher earners or larger savings
More information
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