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DIY Investment ISA

What is a DIY Investment ISA?

Investment ISAs put your capital at risk & you may get back less than you originally invested

Stocks & Shares ISA

from Interactive Investor

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Access 40,000+ UK, US and international shares on 17 global exchanges. Choose from over 3,000 funds.
  • Invest From: £25 pm
See Deal Open an ISA before 31 December and get £100 cashback. New customers only, invest £5k or more. Terms & fees apply. Capital at risk.

Share Dealing ISA

from IG

Allows ISA Transfers
  • Trade From (frequent trader rate): £3.00
  • Trade From (standard trader rate): £8.00
See Deal Choose from over 13,000+ global stocks & ETFs. Invest in UK shares from as little as £3 per trade. IG offer a "Smart Portfolio ISA" where you can get an expertly built portfolio that is right for your risk profile. Capital at risk.

Stocks & Shares ISA

from Shepherds

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Invest in the Shepherds With Profits Fund which offers medium to low risk investing, with the aim of growing your money in a smooth manner over the long term. Please note: As with all investing, your capital is at risk you may get back less than you have put in. The value of the ISA will depend on the performance of the investments and any bonuses cannot be guaranteed. Additionally, if investment conditions are poor, we may apply a Market Value Reduction (MVR)
  • Invest From: £30 pm

Stocks & Shares ISA

from AJ Bell

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Invest in over 2,000 funds, shares and more across 25 markets. Invest from £25 per month. Which? Recommended Provider for Investment Platforms 2019–2023. Low-cost online dealing from £1.50. Open your account in minutes from app or website, manage your portfolio on the move. FSCS protected. Capital at risk
  • Invest From: £25 pm

Stocks & Shares ISA

from Wealthify

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Choose your risk profile and have an investment Plan built and managed for you
  • Invest From: £1

Stocks & Shares ISA

from Nutmeg

ISA Option
Allows ISA Transfers
  • Fund Choice: Nutmeg offer 5 diversified portfolios with ETFs, using technology to keep charges low. Capital at risk. Approved by Nutmeg 24/02/2023
  • Invest From: Min. £500 single

Stocks & Shares ISA

from InvestEngine

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Offering commission-free DIY investing or low-cost, professionally managed income or growth portfolios built for you. Capital at Risk
  • Invest From: £100

Stocks & Shares ISA

from Tillit

ISA Option
Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: From well-known classics to trailblazers and wildcards, TILLIT filter the market and select the best-in-class active and passive funds across asset classes, regions and styles. No one needs 5,000 funds. Get breadth and variety, without the choice paralysis

Stocks & Shares ISA

from Best Invest

ISA Option
Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Over 2,500 funds, UK shares, investment trusts and ETFs or choose Ready Made & Managed Portfolios
  • Invest From: No minimum

Stocks & Shares ISA

from Fidelity

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Choose from over 4,000 investment options, including one of the widest fund ranges in the UK. With online guidance tools and expert fund ideas to help you choose. Capital at risk
  • Invest From: £25 pm

Stocks & Shares ISA

from Hargreaves Lansdown

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Choose from over 3,000 funds, shares, investment trusts and more to build your portfolio. Capital at risk.
  • Invest From: £25 pm or £100 lump sum

Share Dealing ISA

from Interactive Brokers

Allows ISA Transfers
  • Trade From (frequent trader rate): £3.00
  • Trade From (standard trader rate): £3.00
See Deal Eligible UK Investors can open ISA's and Earn £55 of Commission Credit. For new clients. Limited time only, Terms apply

Investment ISA

from Barclays Smart Investor

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Invest in over 2,000 funds, plus Exchange Traded Funds, Investment Trusts, Shares and more. 5 Ready-made Investment funds if you’re not sure where to invest. Capital at risk.
  • Invest From: Any amount

My Money Builder Select ISA

from Scottish Friendly

ISA Option
Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: When you set up a My MoneyBuilder Select (ISA), your money will be invested in a single fund - the Unitised With-Profits fund. A mixed managed fund from Scottish Friendly where premiums are pooled with those of other clients and returns are linked to the performance of the underlying assets within the fund. Remember the value of investments can go down as well as up, and you could get back less than you’ve paid in. If you cash in before the end of 5 years there will be a £50 deduction from your cash-in value
  • Invest From: £10 pm o r £100 single

Stocks & Shares ISA

from & me

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Range of portfolios managed by investment experts from M&G Wealth, who continually review a range of factors and global trends to make ongoing decisions about where to invest, and find new opportunities with the potential to deliver long-term growth for investors

Stocks & Shares ISA

from Moneyfarm

Allows ISA Transfers
Regular Savings
  • Fund Choice: Choose your risk profile and have it matched to an investment portfolio expertly built and managed.
  • Invest From: £1,500

Stocks & Shares ISA

from ChipX

ISA Option
Allows ISA Transfers
  • Fund Choice: Save and invest across investment funds, cash savings, and real assets
  • Invest From: No minimum

What is a DIY Investment ISA?

A DIY Investment ISA allows you to take control over what you invest in.

Different platforms offer different levels of control.

Some platforms give you the freedom to choose from a range of funds to make up your ISA investment. E.g. Legal & General offer 50 funds within their portfolio all with different objectives and risk profiles.Barclays offer a similar offering.

So if you are inclined to invest for income or growth or you want to pick only funds that invest in companies that have been ethically screened then you can have that choice.

Going deeper some fund platforms offer you complete control so you buy individual company shares and bonds. These platform providers include Hargreaves Lansdowne and AJ Bell.

What to Consider when choosing a DIY ISA provider?

  1. What are the charges? Choosing active management of your investments isn’t always cheaper than DIY: there are some price advantages to trading in scale. You need to be looking at annual administration charges, dealing fees, and any other costs, including exit charges.
  2. How much are you investing? Platforms that charge flat-rate fees work better for large investors with £50K or more in their portfolios.
  3. What kind of tools does the platform offer? Many investors are prepared to pay a bit more in fees for a platform that offers really useful apps and services.
  4. Do you want to be able to invest in independent funds, or are you happy investing via a fund manager such as Legal & General that offers just its own funds?
    1. Platforms such as Nutmeg, Shepherds Friendly and Scottish Friendly offer their own funds as well as managed portfolios including other products.

Some ISAs require large minimum deposits whereas some don’t. Make sure you find one that suits your needs 

Investment ISA

An Investment ISA is a tax-efficient and flexible way to invest in the market.

Features:
  1. Options to put away a little money each month or investing some spare cash, you could possibly receive a higher return on your savings when compared with a standard ISA
  2. Many accounts now offering managed collective investment portfolios for you, it is now easy for people to begin investing as no experience is required. This also works for very busy people
  3. It’s always worth remembering however, that there is an element of risk involved and you could end up with less than you originally invested. Investment ISAs are viewed as a long term investment, usually for a minimum of 5 years.

What to Consider when Choosing a Stocks and Shares Provider?

  1. Assess the level of risk you’re willing to take, most providers can filter assets depending on the level of risk you’re willing to take or even provide you with a ready-made portfolio
  2. Low risk investing tends to focus on bond funds which pay interest or dividends regularly, whereas higher risk portfolios tend to focus on property investment and the stock market
  3. Some providers hold a limited amount of carefully selected options to invest in whereas others have a much larger range of funds. Work out which is right for you
  4. Some providers have a simple interface with clear copy about each investment and its past performances. Make sure you find one that you find easy to use, helpful and clear
  5. Be careful of management charges and account fees. All investment ISAs have some form of charge, whether that’s a trading fee or an account management fee. Make sure you know how much your ISA will be costing you before you invest
  6. Providers often let you hold cash in your account, ready to invest whenever you choose. You can even earn interest on that money so make sure your potential provider offers this if you think you may need this option
Oliver Roylance-Smith
Edited by Oliver Roylance-Smith - ISA.co.uk

Frequently Asked Questions

The annual ISA allowance is £20,000. This is the amount you can contribute to Stocks and Shares ISAs and Cash ISAs combined.

Yes. Remember that your shares or funds can go down as well as up in value. You should always understand the risks before you invest in a product.

Yes, you can withdraw from a Self Select ISA at any time once you sell your investments.

You can withdraw as much as you want.

It’s usually free to open a Self Select Stocks and Shares ISA, but you’ll pay ongoing charges on the investments you take out. You can view these in your ISA provider’s terms and conditions.

You should also look out for dealing and other ad hoc charges that may apply to you.

Important Risk Information:

Capital at risk. Tax treatments depend on your individual circumstances and may change. The value of investments can go down in value as well as up, so you could get back less than you invest. It is therefore important that you understand the risks and commitments. This website aims to provide information to help you make your own informed decisions. It does not provide personal advice based on your circumstances. If you are unsure of how suitable an investment is for you, please seek personal advice.