Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) have become a cornerstone of the UK savings and investment landscape.
Quarter of a century – a worthy celebration
By any standard, the humble ISA has been a tremendous success, launched on 6 April 1999 as successor to PEPs and TESSAs. According to the latest HMRC figures, over 22 million UK adults hold an ISA, with the total market value of these accounts exceeding £740bn. The primary advantage of ISAs is the tax exemption on dividends, interest or capital growth. ISAs will collectively save investors around £7bn in tax this year alone.
The early bird
Evidence1 suggests that those individuals who choose to invest early in a new tax year are likely to have amassed a larger amount than those who waited until the end of the tax year. Showing that time in the market that counts rather than timing the market. The same analysis suggests that anyone who invested the maximum stocks and shares annual ISA allowance each year over the last quarter of a century could, depending on the performance of their chosen investments, have accumulated an investment pot worth around £900,000.
Little and often pays off too
Some people may favour adding little and often to their ISA, another approach that can certainly amount to significant sums being saved over time too. So, whether saving on a regular basis or investing a lump sum, the key is making sure you utilise as much as possible (having regard for other aspects of your current and future finances) of your ISA allowance each year.
1Vanguard, 2024
It is important to take professional advice before making any decision relating to your personal finances. Information within this article is based on our current understanding and can be subject to change without notice and the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed. It does not provide individual tailored investment advice and is for guidance only. Some rules may vary in different parts of the UK.