Cash ISAs: The Best Currently Available List

Malchester

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81940061#Comment_81940061

When the changes to ISAs came in a lot of banks and building societies had the same condition that you could not subscribe to an ISA with them if you had subscribed to one elsewhere that fiscal year. I remember a long conversation with Paragon Bank who refused me an account as I had subscribed to one elsewhere. They agreed they could not enforce it and could not get the information to do so. Thankfully almost all of them have changed that condition. Quite a lot still only allow subscription to one ISA each fiscal year with them but many say it is due to their IT systems rather than anything else.

Angelica123

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81939845#Comment_81939845

It's badly worded but I don't think it's transfer only. But rather they say they only accept transfers when the money is available within in the coming 14 days (and money has to be in account within 30 days of opening account). I think they are suggesting that you can't set up a transfer for an ISA maturing in say 2 months time.

SnowMan

Looks like the Saffron Building Society Online ISA (Issue 3) 4.5% AER is no longer available, well at least for the time being

https://www.saffronbs.co.uk/

There is a pop up message when you enter their website which says

Important Messages

Important Notice for ISA Applications:
Due to high demand at the end of the tax year, we have withdrawn our Online ISA and Everyday ISA products to new applications. Existing account holders can use the accounts as normal, and applications already received will be processed. Thanks for your patience at this busy time.

To ensure your ISA is opened within this tax year, please submit your application as early as possible.
Due to high demand during the Easter period and the Bank Holiday, any postal or online ISA applications received after 23:59 on 31 March may not be processed in time for the end of the 2025/26 tax year.

To transfer money from a Cash ISA with another bank or building society, you'll need to complete and return an ISA Transfer Authority form via email, post or in branch, within 15 days of opening your account.

There is no longer any sign of this issue 3 on their website at https://www.saffronbs.co.uk/savings/cash-ISA-savings-accounts/online-easy-access-isa so it does look like it has gone although the reference to 31st March is a bit confusing.

dave_dph

Glad I opened the Saffron account earlier this morning.

CuparLad

The first part of that message was displayed on Thursday when I applied. They have added the bit about ISA Transfers (and the Royston branch being down for maintenance). TBH this was always going to be a short-lived product at that rate.

To be fair to Saffron, I posted the transfer form to them 1st Class on Thursday. On Friday I got a secure message to say they'd submitted the transfer request to the other ISA Manager. Not sure whether the speed of Saffron processing the request that quickly, or Royal Mail delivering a first class letter next day, was more surprising!

happybagger

Re: Saffron

I opened with zero balance and emailed the completed transfer form, just in case. They confirmed receipt and submit the transfer request a short while after. Saffron have a habit of allowing account rates to fall by the wayside though.

flaneurs_lobster

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81941213#Comment_81941213

Why would they not make that way of submitting a transfer form official!

Would have saved me a trip in the !!!!!! rain to the PO and the eight quid (or whatever it is) for a stamp.

happybagger

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81941239#Comment_81941239

I just read it on the bottom of the form 🙂

I know some people don't like sending this stuff by ordinary email but there was no id to send so I'm happy with it

allegro120

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81940847#Comment_81940847

I broke my own rule to grab a competitive product at launch, put it in my diary for Monday morning😣 I thought this one will be filled quick, but didn't expect it to go NLA on Saturday.

Eponym

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81941253#Comment_81941253

Thank you! I spent so long trying and failing to get my printer to work that I hadn't realised you could email it.