CHESTER, England, February 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
- Average top five cash ISA rates currently 3.03 per cent*
- Nearly 14 per cent plan to use ISA allowance before tax year end
- Savers have two months to go to make use of 2011/12 tax allowance
Analysis by MoneySupermarket.com shows the average of the top five cash ISA rates is currently 3.03 per cent, a 7 per cent increase compared to this time last year when the average rate was 2.83 per cent.
In the last few weeks, we have seen new cash ISAs coming onto the market including Cheshire Building Society offering a market leading rate of 3.06 per cent. A recent site poll run on MoneySupermarket.com** found nearly one in seven (13.7 per cent) still plan to save into an ISA before the current tax year ends. With a few months to go until the end of this tax year, consumers should be looking to maximise their ISA allowance and not wait until the last minute. Taking advantage of the good rates available now will allow savers to benefit from accruing additional interest immediately.
Kevin Mountford, head of banking atMoneySupermarket.com, said: "Despite the end of the tax year being two months away, it is great to see that the top paying rates on cash ISAs are already ahead of those from the same time last year. Anyone who has not opened an ISA yet can take advantage of these great rates and benefit from two months' interest rather than wait until the last minute to use their allowance.
"If you are a UK taxpayer, then opening a cash ISA to take advantage of your tax free allowance is a no brainer Likewise, if you have savings in ISAs you have opened in previous years, then it is worthwhile checking the rates being paid, as it is likely that you will be on a low rate. Switching an existing ISA balance to a market leading deal with allows transfers in can help maximise your savings pot. However, make sure you follow the official ISA switching rules otherwise your savings will lose their tax free status. "
The site poll also found almost a fifth of Brits (19.5 per cent) just can't afford to save at the moment so have not used their ISA allowance this year and a further 6.7 per cent won't bother to take advantage of the tax free benefits.**
Kevin Mountford continued: "No matter how small the amount you are able to save, it's really important you make the most of the cash you put away. If you cannot afford to save, then review all of your outgoings and try and free up some cash which can then be used for savings. Even if you cannot afford to use the entire ISA allowance for this tax year, it is still worth opening an ISA, especially if you have existing savings held on other accounts elsewhere. The maximum cash ISA allowance is £5,340 for this tax year, increasing to £5,640 from April 6, 2012."
- Ends -
Notes to editors
*
Top 5 Easy Access ISAs as at 3 February 2012
Lender Product Minimum Deposit Rate (AER) Bonus Rate Bonus Duration Cheshire BS Direct Cash ISA GBP1,000 3.06% 2.06% 30/09/2013 (Issue 1) Newcastle BS Bonus ISA (Issue 2) GBP1 3.05% 0.95% 12 Months The AA Internet Access ISA GBP500 3.05% 1.35% 12 Months (Issue 2) ING Direct Cash ISA GBP1 3.00% 1.96% 12 Months Market Harborough BS 2011 Brigher ISA GBP5,340 3.00% 0.75% 12 Months
Top 5 Easy Access ISAs as at 4 February 2011
Provider Product AER Nationwide BS e-ISA 2.90% Santander Flexible ISA Issue 3 2.85% Halifax ISA Direct Reward 2.80% Principality BS e-ISA Issue 2 2.80% ING Direct ING Direct Cash ISA 2.80% Average 2.83%
** Have you used your ISA allowance this year?
- Yes - I've invested in a stocks and shares ISA (13.4%)
- Yes - I have already used my cash ISA allowance (37.9%)
- Yes - I split it between cash and stocks and shares (5.4%)
- No - But I will before the tax year ends on April 5 (13.7%)
- No - I probably won't bother (6.7%)
- No - I don't understand ISAs so don't invest in them (3.4%)
- No - I can't afford to save at the moment (19.5%)
Total Votes: 3844
Poll ran from 27 Jan until 4Feb 2012
MoneySupermarket.com's customer commitment
- No other site compares more prices or products
- We are independent so only find the best deals for you
- The price you see is the price you pay - you don't need to go direct and you won't get a better deal doing so
- Your details are safe with us and we won't sell them to anybody
MoneySupermarket.com compares (at 22nd December 2011)
- 86 car insurance providers and 78 home insurance providers
- 11 broadband providers and 18 energy providers
- 30 unsecured loan and 5 secured loan providers
- 62 mortgage lenders and 25 credit card providers
- 70 savings providers and 36 current account providers.
- Over 1,000,000 mobile phone deals
We promise to be clear and impartial
- All the products in our full search results tables are displayed in a completely unbiased manner.
- We don't add fees or commissions on to the prices we compare.
- There may be times when another site compares more companies than us on a particular product, perhaps because of market changes or technical issues. You'll be able to see this and know we are working hard to fix it.
We promise to be trustworthy
- We never use your data to make unwanted sales calls or send you spam.
- We never pass your personal information to third parties unless you give us permission to do so.
- Even if you choose to receive additional information from us, you can opt out at any time.
- We promise to be supportive.
- You can use our community forum to get information and help from other customers.
If you need further help or support, you can contact our sales advisors, customer services agents.
For further information please contact:
Paul Lawler
PR Manager Financial Services
+44(0)1244-370371
+44(0)787-237-9545
[email protected]
SOURCE MoneySupermarket.com
WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?
Newsrooms &
Influencers
Digital Media
Outlets
Journalists
Opted In
Share this article