Martin Lewis: Got a cash ISA? You should probably ditch it

Press the rewind button and go way back – before Covid, before Brexit – to April 2015, then picture a devastatingly handsome man at home, on the sofa, talking about money with his wife. Well, he has nowt to do with this, but possibly on the telly in the corner, I was on-air at the time urging savers as usual to use their new tax-free cash ISA allowance – because 'money was nicer in an ISA'.

The (morally questionable) way to earn 2.25% on up to £50,000 savings

Update 10/04/2018: This is an old blog but the logic in it still stands. Though note the rate has since increased to 2.5%.  Savings rates are disgustingly low. The top easy access account is just 1%, the top one-year fix 1.4%, yet I’ve a trick that lets you save up to £50,000, in safety, at 2.25%, and withdraw...

The new personal savings allowance means some will be better off earning LESS interest

Until now for every £100 of interest a basic-rate taxpayer earns outside an ISA, the taxman takes £20. Yet on 6 April, the savings landscape changes.  The new personal savings allowance (PSA) means ALL basic-rate taxpayers will be able to earn £1,000 a year interest on all savings, higher rate £500, tax-free. But within the way this works...

Santander 123 is now 3% TAX-FREE for most – is the £5/mth fee worth it?

Update June 2016: This was written in April 2016. We’ve updated the products mentioned here, but Martin’s analysis still stands – the MSE team. Santander 123 is the UK’s most switched to bank account – due to the high interest paid on savings, and cashback given on bills. And from tomorrow, it’ll become even more attractive as...