ISA Ideas

• Cash ISAs
• Fixed Rate Cash ISAs
• Instant Access Cash ISAs
• Structured Cash ISAs
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• ISAs Explained
• 5 Factors to Consider when choosing a Cash ISA
• What can Cash ISAs include?

Instant Access Cash ISAs

Compare instant access Cash ISA deals

Instant access ISAs offer quick and easy access to your savings. There are a selection of market-leading instant access and easy access ISA options to maximise your tax-free returns.

 

James Caldwell, Director

 

Instant Access Cash ISA Selection

Fund Manager	Account	Rate	Term	More Info
	Nationwide Web ISA	2.25%	Instant Access	More Info >
2.25% AER on balances over £10,000 including a tax-free introductory bonus fixed until 30 September 2014 Open and manage your account Online After September 30 2014 reverts to variable rate, currently 0.50% You'll need to hold or open a card account to apply for a Web ISA
	E-Cash ISA	1.30%	Instant Access	More Info >
No bonus included in the rate No notice period or loss of interest for withdrawals Transfers accepted Minimum balance £10 Access – online, telephone and post Annual interest Variable interest rate

Instant Access Cash ISAs

Instant access cash ISAs allow you the freedom to withdraw your tax-efficient savings as and when you need to. If you're a UK taxpayer over 16 years old, you can save up to £5,760 in an instant access cash ISA for the 2013/14 tax year.

This type of ISA allows you to pay in and withdraw money at any time throughout the financial year, which runs until 5^th April. Many providers will allow you to pay in and withdraw any amount you wish, and these instant access cash ISAs can be opened with as little as £1. Other instant access ISA providers have more stringent conditions - for example, they may require a minimum deposit to open an account, or operate a yearly withdrawal limit. One thing to remember when choosing an ISA is that instant access cash ISAs often have comparatively low rates of interest compared to other types of ISA. This is the price you pay for the freedom of a having a fully flexible ISA.

It is important to remember that if you make a withdrawal from a cash ISA, any money you take out will still count towards that year's cash ISA allowance. For example, imagine you've put £3,760 into an instant access cash ISA, leaving you a further £2,000 of potential cash ISA allowance for that tax year. If you then withdraw £1,000, your remaining allowance for that tax year remains £2,000 despite the fact that you now only have £2,760 in your account. In short, you can't replace any of the money you withdraw, so think carefully before doing so.

Things to look out for when choosing an instant access ISA account

There is a wide range of instant access or easy access ISA account deals to choose from, so we have highlighted some of the features to look out for:

• Interest rates - the interest rates paid on instant access ISAs tend to be comparatively low compared to fixed-rate ISAs or other types of savings accounts, such as notice accounts. The trade-off is that you get easy, fast access to your cash whenever you need it - so shop around to find the instant access ISA with the best current rates, and be prepared to switch providers if rates change.
• Additional benefits - some instant access ISA providers offer incentives to those opening a new account. This may mean that you'll be offered an increased rate of interest for a fixed duration - usually around one year - or a bonus if you transfer your old cash ISA balance to the new provider. Savers should bear in mind that the ongoing interest rate may not be competitive, so get ready to switch to a different ISA provider once any incentives or bonuses have been paid.
• Interest calculation method - some instant access cash ISA providers pay interest on a monthly basis, while others do so on a quarterly or annual basis. Make sure you know which calculation method will be used before signing up for an instant access ISA.
• Withdrawal restrictions - some instant access ISA accounts have withdrawal restrictions, so ensure you understand the details of the account before you sign up.

Want to find out more about instant access ISAs and alternative options?

ISA.co.uk provides information on a variety of instant access cash ISAs. If you're happy to tie up your savings for a longer period with the potential to gain more interest in the long term, then take a look at fixed-rate cash ISAs. If you're happy to commit your cash for even longer, then you may be interested in finding out about structured deposit plans, which require a commitment of three to six years.