Cash ISAs: The Best Currently Available List

Oasis1

hoppy2 said:

Trading 212  to Vida 1 year fixed isa took 4 days

winkowinko said:

My recent Chip to Vida transfer was completed in just 2 days.

The Vida app is incredibly basic, especially when compared to Chip. However, I have done a couple of test deposits/withdrawals, and they've gone through without any issues.

I'm curious what made you choose Vida over Vanquis?

CuparLad

ISA Transfer Timeline

Kent Reliance --> Aldermore

• Thu at 12:00 - Online transfer request sent to Aldermore
• Fri at 11:30 - Kent Reliance acknowledge transfer request
• Tue at 15:15 - Aldermore confirm receipt of funds

Can't complain about that.

winkowinko

Oasis1 said:

hoppy2 said:

Trading 212  to Vida 1 year fixed isa took 4 days

winkowinko said:

My recent Chip to Vida transfer was completed in just 2 days.

The Vida app is incredibly basic, especially when compared to Chip. However, I have done a couple of test deposits/withdrawals, and they've gone through without any issues.

I'm curious what made you choose Vida over Vanquis?

The fact that Vida have an app, and Vanquis don't. Just personal preference. The extra 0.05 that Vanquis are offering amounts to an extra £10 on £20k over the course of a year.

Think I may have read some horror stories about Vanquis too.

allegro120

fuzzzzy said:

wiseonesomeofthetime said:

clairec666 said:

Marvel1 said:

Currently with Virgin, matures 24th July, says:
"If we haven't heard from by 6pm Wednesday 23 July 2025, we’ll move your savings into our Easy Access Online Cash ISA" 1.25%

Found a potiential new ISA with Trading 212, on this site:
"The top rate of 4.98% is currently shared by Trading 212 and Plum – though both pay lower rates if you transfer in from an existing ISA."

Virgin's highest offer is 4.16%

I get from Trading 212 I can't transfer from Virgin to get the highest rate - I have around £11,000 and doubt I will even put in £9000 (not put any in so far since this year) by 5th April 2026, so I will under the limit anyway so not transferring in does not affect me.

Wondering though I do - do I wait until the 24th July to close the Virgin account then open the Trading 212 account or can I do it now?

If I wait, the rate may disappear.

You should be able to open the Trading 212 account with a minimal amount just to secure the good interest rate, then pay in the money from Virgin once it matures.

Also worth checking if the Virgin east access is flexible - if it is, it's worth keeping the account open with £1 in it, just in case you get a windfall and could pay the money back in during the tax year. Even if it's not flexible you could transfer the whole lot to a flexible ISA first, then make the withdrawal. If you think the extra hassle is worth it.

I had a Virgin Money Easy Access Flexible ISA that I wanted to retain, however, when I transferred the funds to Monument, Virgin closed my account!

I was using VM as an intermediary initially, to move money held within Trading212 in chunks to different providers. Of course, only managed to move chunk one before door was shut on me.

So be aware that if initiating a FULL ISA transfer, VM may not allow you to keep the ISA.

I thought all providers would close an ISA if you did a full ISA transfer out. Do some providers leave an easy access ISA open with zero balance after a full transfer?

Depends on provider. Normally after full transfer accounts get closed, but I've recently done it with Trading 212 and the account is still alive.

1spiral

Because of the regulations surrounding isa transfers, I think all companies should keep the accounts open, at least until they have had confirmation from the receiving provider that the funds have been credited. My Coventry to Monument transfer was rejected and because Cov had closed the account, the returned money sat in a holding account for a week whilst Mon and Cov between them had to come up with a way to send and accept the funds from Cov's holding account and credit it to my isa.

Aidanmc

1spiral said:

Because of the regulations surrounding isa transfers, I think all companies should keep the accounts open, at least until they have had confirmation from the receiving provider that the funds have been credited. My Coventry to Monument transfer was rejected and because Cov had closed the account, the returned money sat in a holding account for a week whilst Mon and Cov between them had to come up with a way to send and accept the funds from Cov's holding account and credit it to my isa.

You would think that would be the case that if a ISA transfer was rejected by the receiving provider the funds would be returned to the originating ISA if it remained open, but that wasn't what happened when Vida rejected my ISA transfer from T212.

The funds didnt go back to my open T212 ISA account, but to T212 holding account where it sat for 10 days before it was eventually sorted out.

masonic

The process of transferring an ISA involves removal of the funds from the ISA to a holding account, transfer from this holding account to the new provider's holding account, then application to the customer's new ISA. If anything fails, the money would always have to be returned via the old provider's holding account. Regardless of whether an ISA was there to receive returned funds, the old provider would need to take action to apply them to the ISA, which could take time.

Kim_13

Skipton Base Rate Tracker ISA Iss 8 NLA

Growingold

Don't know if this has already been mentioned.
PARAGON has a 15mth FR ISA at 4.28% AER .Min deposit £500, 28 days to fund.  Annual or monthly interest available.  Can be paid away. Accepts transfers.

CiceroFan

Growingold said:

Don't know if this has already been mentioned.
PARAGON has a 15mth FR ISA at 4.28% AER .Min deposit £500, 28 days to fund.  Annual or monthly interest available.  Can be paid away. Accepts transfers.

@Growingold !
I'm a bit concerned (ISA amateur) though, as I spotted this Paragon offer, and wanted to transfer in a £6K ISA that's been languishing with Nationwide for over a decade and at 1.3% interest now, I realised.

I've read enough here to appreciate that you have to transfer ISAs directly from one to the next so you don't lose the tax-free element, but in their T&C for this ISA, Paragon say that 'all deposits must come from your nominated bank account which must be in the name of the ISA holder; elsewhere they say that you 'must set up a UK current account as your nominated bank account' (my bolding).

Doesn't this mean that they want to funnel the £6 out of Nationwide, through my current account (thus losing a chunk) before accepting it?
TIA for any insights.