The highest paying tax-free savings accounts
Individual Savings Accounts, or ISAs, let you earn interest without paying tax. Though they aren’t the only way to do this, they can still be worth looking at to get the best rates on your cash.
In this best buys guide we’ve listed the top paying option across both easy access and fixed ISAs.
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Best ISAs
Best limited access fixed ISAs
These are a little different as they’re a mix of access and fixed ISAs. As with a fix, your money is locked away for the duration of the fix (though as with any ISA you can take the whole lot out for an interest penalty).
The key difference is you can access up to 10% of the balance up to three times each year. You can also add to the ISA throughout the year (though transfers are only in the first month). So they’re good options for higher rates if you want some but not all access.
Best easy access Cash ISA
When looking at easy access Cash ISAs, a “Flexible” ISA means you can withdraw money and pay it back without it impacting that year’s £20,000 allowance.
Best limited access Cash ISA
Limited access ISAs still give you access to your money when you need it, but you might be restricted how may times you can make those withdrawals. If you exceed these limits you might have to close the account and withdraw the entire balance.
Occasionally you can get a better rate of interest by holding cash in a Stocks & Shares ISA. However, you'll need to watch out for any charges, which can sometimes be avoided if none of the money is invested via the same ISA.
This type of account could also be an option if you have already paid into a Cash ISA in the current financial year, though bear in mind you won't be able to do this if you have already contributed to another Stocks & Shares ISA in the same period.
Best fixed Cash ISA
Unlike fixed savings accounts you can withdraw money from a fixed ISA, though you'll pay a penalty to do so. For a one-year fix that's normally 90 days interest.
Best one year fixed Cash ISAs
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Best 18 month fixed Cash ISAs
Best two year fixed Cash ISAs
Best three year fixed Cash ISAs
Best four year fixed Cash ISAs
Best five year fixed Cash ISAs
Best seven year fixed Cash ISAs
Andy's Top ISA rules
It's worth remembering these key ISA rules.
- You can only pay into one of each type of ISA in a financial year
- There's a combined £20,000 annual limit of new money across all ISA types
- Alwasy transfer to a new ISA rather than withdraw and redeposit
- Flexible ISAs let you put back in money withdrawn without impacting your annual allowance
Best Lifetime ISAs
Lifetime ISAs are available as cash savings or as investment products. You can open on up to the age of 40 and save up to £4,000 a year into one and get a 25% bonus. Here are the leading Cash Lifetime ISAs:
ISA special offers
Sometimes it's possible to get a bonus or special rate on top of your ISA. We go into more detail on these in our savings special offers page, but here are the latest ones to consider.
Santander: £50 bonus when you transfer £10,000
Open up a new Santander fixed rate ISA and transfer at least £10,000 to get a £50 bonus.
Hi Andy, I have 2 newborns and would like to open savings including ISAs accounts or current accounts with linked savings for them, do you have any info that can help please?
Virgin Money are currently listed at the top of 1 year fixed cash ISA with 5.8%, however this account is only available to eligible current account holders (any of Virgin Money, Clydesdale Bank, Yorkshire Bank). If you don’t have one of these current accounts, the best they offer is 5.61% on their 1 Year Fixed Rate Cash E-ISA.
Thanks very much for all of the content you provide Andy. I was just looking at transfering a cash ISA to Marcus, as looks like from your table this is allowed. However, a couple of clicks through on their site (as an existing customer after having just entered my National Insurance number), part way through the Additional Information section:
“You can’t transfer from an existing ISA with another provider to us. We also can’t accept additional permitted subscriptions.”
They also mention it here: https://www.marcus.co.uk/uk/en/savings/cash-isa Shame!
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your great work and helpful content.
Just wanted to say it seems that Paragon Bank offers 5.75% AER for one-year fixed cash ISA, which is a bit higher than Shawbrook Bank and Virgin Money 5.71%.
Tesco ISA 4.25% is Flexible ISA, its incorrect in the page. Please review/correct this.
Virgin ISA now tops the ISA table with 4.25%. Its also Flexible.
Can you please list more easy access Flexible ISAs please other than just one listed? e.g. Tesco, Skipton, Virgin, YBS, Ford etc. Its important if we want to spread money across few providers
You can NOT do that with ISA.
You can only pay into one of each type of ISA in a financial year
Hi Andy,
Love what you are doing! Keep the great work up mate! People Power!
Best easy access Cash ISA – up to 3.75%
Virgin Money (3.75% AER variable from 1 June 2023)L min £1
Requires current account
Transfers in / flexible
Its the 1st June 2023
However the Virgin Easy Access ISA it still states its 3.00% on their website?
Bit confused should it have already changed as its the 1st June 2023
Also Andy I watch and follow you on youtube and keep up-to-date on your website and newsletters!
Are the newsletters weekly?
According to the Virgin Money press release it’ll happen at some point today.
Yes, they’re weekly!
Virgin did change their website yesterday to show the higher rate. Also 1 year fix now at 4.47%, 2 year fix at 4.57% and 3 year fix at 4.62% all now almost top of market.
Hi Andy
Great website and YouTube channel !
My question is what are the best instant access FLEXIBLE Cash Isa’s at the moment?
I have a heathy cash balance and want to avoid tax on savings but want to have access to in effect use it as a savings account that I can transfer in and out of between my current account and the flexible ISA.
I am using pensions contributions to invest new money in but want to protect my cash balance as best I can.
All Cash ISAs are in fact flexible (kind of) – as the bank/society has to let you have your money. So if it is in a fix but a higher interest rate, put it in there then when you need it transfer it to an easy access and take the money out (there might be a hit but you are getting a higher rate). I would say, why you need the money, if it is a one-off case in the future then you might as well fix or go for limited access. If you are using it like a place to put your cash and letting it gain interest until your next shop or when you use it to buy something then no CASH ISA will be right for you as they are not really meant for this. I have mine in Coventry, good rate, I have access to my cash if need be but probably will not so thinking of fixing as will be better for me. I hope this helps
My understanding is that a ‘non’ flexible Cash ISA means that you have an annual £20,000 total addition limit. For example if i put £20,000 into the ISA, I am maxed out and have used all my annual allowance. I could withdraw from it but I couldn’t put anything back in because I have already reached my limit for the year.
A Flexible Cash ISA would allow me to replace the the money, withdrawing and adding to the pot as often as I wished, so long as the total balance didn’t increase by more than 20k in a tax year.
Coventry bank offers now 1 year ISA at 4.35% above others
Hi Andy thanks for youtube message to my question, any possibility to do a montly interest pay cash ISA five year or more fixed?
Thanks for great advice.
Excellent roundup. Very helpful.
The Moneybox Stocks and Shares ISA does have an attractive cash “stanby” option, but because it’s a stocks and shares ISA the fees are relatively high, including a 0.45 management fee. This effectively brings it way down the list in terms of net returns.
So you only pay the fee if you invest. If it’s just held as cash (in the stocks and shares ISA) you’ll get the full interest rate
Do you mean you can not transfer your money from another LISA to Bath?
I am in moneybox but the rate I got is 2.75% because I had the account for more than 1 year already.
the bath LISA is intriguing but no transfers in