Latest Savings News

Inflation all wrapped up

Oliver Roylance-Smith / 01 February 2012

Recent weeks have provided confirmation of the interest rate status quo from the Bank of England along with the release of the latest inflation figures from the Office for National Statistics. Combi... Read more

Inflation and interest rates - what it means for you

Oliver Roylance-Smith / 01 February 2012

In the last fortnight we have had a further vote on the base rate by the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee as well as the revised inflation figures released by the Office for Nationa... Read more

Savings vs Inflation

Oliver Roylance-Smith / 29 November 2011

With so much uncertainty surrounding what will happen to inflation in the future, we review the current range of savings plans and see how their returns stack up against the rising cost of living. F... Read more

Latest investment commentary

What lies in store in 2012

Oliver Roylance-Smith / 10 January 2012

2011 has certainly been a year of strong themes which have dramatically shaped the market as well as the opportunities available for savers and investors. We take a look at what these have been and ... Read more

A review of the FTSE in 2011 and what we can learn

Oliver Roylance-Smith / 10 January 2012

The FTSE is one of the most important indicators of investment performance and acts as a key benchmark for many investors in the UK. For this reason we take a look back at 2011 and review what happe... Read more

Our Top 10 most popular plans in 2011

Oliver Roylance-Smith / 09 January 2012

With 2012 well underway, there is already a competitive range of plans available across a wide number of plan types, whether you are looking for traditional savings routes, investments with the pote... Read more

Savings Account Guides 

SIPP Charges
 Do you know how safe your savings are? Should you choose a fixed rate or a bonus rate? Our useful savings guides could help you to make the most of your money.
Read more »

First Direct Cash ISAs

Tax free savings with First Direct ISAs...

If you are interested in investing in an ISA then it could be worth considering First Direct cash ISAs. A cash ISA is a great way to save on tax - see below for our selection of the latest ISA deals:

Cash ISA Selection
ProviderAccountInterest Rate (AER)TermApply
RPI Tracker5 YearsApply Now >
5 year capital protected structured deposit plan offering 100% of any growth in the Retail Prices Index with no cap, or a minimum return of 16%. Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
8.25% per annumUp to 5 YearsApply Now >
A 5 year capital protected structured deposit plan offering potential early maturity, paying 8.25% a year. Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
7.25%6 YearsApply Now >
A 6 year capital protected structured deposit plan designed to pay 7.25% annual income. Also available as a cash ISA and ISA transfer.

*Income payments and returns are dependent on the performance of the FTSE 100 index.

Instant Access Cash ISAs
ProviderAccountInterest Rate (AER)TermApply
3.10%Instant AccessApply Now >
Introductory fixed rate of 3.10% AER tax-free until 31 January 2013 for balances over £1,000. Reverts to variable rate currently 1.00% AER tax-free.
3.00%Instant AccessApply Now >
3.00% AER (2.96% gross p.a) tax free guaranteed for 12 months. Open with £1. No restrictions on withdrawals.
2.60%Instant AccessApply Now >
2.60% gross/AER variable tax-free. Instant access.
2.50%Instant AccessApply Now >
2.50% AER/tax-free. Transfers accepted. No restrictions on withdrawals or additional deposits.
2.50%Instant AccessApply Now >
Instant access cash ISA open to new and existing customers. Transfers accepted. £10 minimum deposit.
2.00%Instant AccessApply Now >
Earn 2.50% on balances of £30,000 or more, 2.25% on £10,000-£29,999, or 2.00% on balances up to £9,999 (AER) Open to Natwest current account holders only.
0.55%Instant AccessApply Now >
Earn from 0.55% (balances up to £8,999); 0.75% (£9,000-£14,999); 0.95% (£15,000-£21,999); 1.75% (£22,000-£26,999); 1.90% (£27,000-£49,999); 2.00% (£50,000 or more) ISA transfers are eligible for additional bonus interest payments. Open to RBS current account holders only.
0.50%Instant AccessApply Now >
Minimum deposit just £1. Rates from 0.50% - 2.00% AER. Open to Natwest current account holders only.
Fixed Rate Cash ISAs
ProviderAccountInterest Rate (AER)TermApply
4.20%5 YearsApply Now >
Cash ISA with a fixed rate of 4.20% AER for 5 years. £500 minimum balance. No withdrawals or additional deposits.
4.10%4 YearsApply Now >
Cash ISA with a fixed rate of 4.10% AER for 4 years. £500 minimum balance. No withdrawals or additional deposits.
up to
4.20%		3 YearsApply Now >
Earn 4.20% Gross/AER when you transfer in or 3.80% Gross/AER standard rate. £1,000 minimum deposit. Transfers allowed from other cash ISAs.
up to
4.20%		3 YearsApply Now >
Earn 4.20% Gross/AER when you transfer in, or 3.80% Gross/AER standard rate. £1,000 minimum deposit. Transfers allowed from other cash ISAs.
up to
3.90%		2 YearsApply Now >
Earn 3.90% Gross/AER when you transfer in or 3.50 standard rate. £1,000 minimum deposit. Transfers allowed.
up to
3.90%		2 YearsApply Now >
Earn 3.90% Gross/AER when you transfer in or 3.50% Gross/AER standard rate. £1,000 minimum deposit. Transfers allowed.
3.50%2 YearsApply Now >
Cash ISA with a fixed rate of 3.20% AER for 2 years. £500 minimum balance. No withdrawals or additional deposits.
up to
3.35%		1 YearApply Now >
Earn 3.35% when you transfer in, or 2.60% Gross/AER standard rate. Minimum deposit £1,000. Transfer in from other Cash ISAs.
up to
3.35%		1 YearApply Now >
Earn 3.35% Gross/AER when you transfer in, or 2.60% Gross/AER standard rate. Minimum deposit £1,000. Transfer in from other cash ISAs.
2.25%1 YearApply Now >
Cash ISA with a fixed rate of 2.25% AER for 1 year. £500 minimum balance. No withdrawals or deposits.
Growth Structured Deposits
ProviderPlan NameMaximum Potential Return*TermMore Info
Inflation Protected Deposit BondRPI Tracker 5 yearsMore Info >
5 year capital protected structured deposit plan offering 100% of any growth in the Retail Prices Index with no cap (minimum return of 16%). Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
FTSE 100 3 Year Deposit Plan 19%3 yearsMore Info >
3 year capital protected deposit plan with the potential to receive a defined return of 19%. Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
FTSE 100 Kick Out Deposit Plan - Option 26.25%
per annum		Up to
5 years		More Info >
Capital protected deposit plan with the potential to mature after years 2, 3, 4 and 5. If the plan matures early it will return 6.25% times the number of years the plan has been in force. Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
FTSE 100 Kick Out Deposit Plan - Option 16.00%
per annum		Up to
5 years		More Info >
Capital protected structured deposit plan with the potential to mature after years 1, 2, 3, and 4. If the plan matures early it will return 6% times the number of years the plan has been in force. Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
Moneybuilder5.75%
per annum		6 yearsMore Info >
A 6 Year capital protected structured deposit growth plan with the potential to pay 5.75% pa, up to a maximum of 34.5% over 6 years at maturity. Also available for Cash ISA and ISA Transfer.
FTSE 100 Deposit Growth PlanNo limit5 yearsMore Info >
5 year capital protected structured deposit plan which aims to return 1.0 x any FTSE 100 growth. Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
Growth Deposit Bond50%6 yearsMore Info >
6 year capital protected structured deposit plan which returns the greater of 8.00% or 1 x any FTSE 100 growth, capped at 50%. Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
Enhanced Growth Plan40%6 yearsMore Info >
6 year capital protected structured deposit plan which aims to return 5 x any FTSE 100 growth capped at 40%. Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
Annual Locked-In Return Plan36%6 yearsMore Info >
6 year capital protected structured deposit plan which aims to return 6% annual growth capped at 36%. Also available for Cash ISA and Cash ISA transfer.
* Maximum Growth Yields are not guaranteed and subject to certain conditions
First Direct cash ISAs can be managed 24 hours over the internet, helping you to keep on top of your savings. First Direct Cash ISAs also include:
  • Competitive interest rates
  • Minimum contribution of £1 
  • Immediate access to your money 

For up to date rates and deals from other leading UK ISA providers, see the tables above.

Cash ISA Reviews

Popular Cash ISA Searches