Best ISA accounts for 2011/12

[owenjt]

Seen as the new ISA tax year is coming up thought a thread with the best rates you can find would be useful.

Having done a bit of searching the best I can find is the Santander Flexible ISA (http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/Satellite?appID=abbey.internet.Abbeycom&c=Page&canal=CABBEYCOM&cid=1237855061169&empr=Abbeycom&leng=en_GB&pagename=Abbeycom%2FPage%2FWC_ACOM_TemplateW2) which offers 3.15% AER, but doesn't allow you to transfer an existing ISA in.

The best rate for an account that you can transfer an existing ISA into seems to be the Halifax ISA Direct Reward (http://www.halifax.co.uk/savings/accounts/cash-isas/isa-direct-reward/?tag=isas_home_banner) at 3.00% AER.

Anyone better those?

[cjanderson]

you can't open one until 6th April 2011 so there is a month to go before best rates are out.

Weirdly barclays have always been the best for new money isa's so i'll probably use them as i can set it up online easily (rather than it take a month like some of them do :mad: )

[Toge]

I remember having a Barclays ISA that gave 6% interest. Good times.

[cjanderson]

ah yes, the 6% good old days!

Anyway, barclays have annouced Golden isa issue 3 at 3.25%, open online if a barclays customer, so that will be me done come 6th April.

(and boyfriend opened one last night, took 3 minutes and its now set up, viewable online and has £500 already transferred in from his other barclays account)

[owenjt]

Just noticed The AA (http://www.theaa.com/savings/access-isa.html) are offering 3.35% on their ISA:

* Invest any sum from £500 up to £5,100 in this tax year.
* Unlimited access to your money with no notice withdrawals; if you have used your tax-free cash ISA allowance, then you cannot repay withdrawals back into the ISA until the following tax year, and then only within that tax year's ISA allowance.
* Yearly interest available only – you'll receive a bonus of 1.65% tax free fixed for 12 months.
* Interest is variable and calculated daily.
* Manage and keep track of your account online.
* Transfers from other cash ISAs are not allowed.

[cjanderson]

2 days to go until new isa starts.

I think I am still going to be with barclays as i can open it and fund it 6th April.

the AA one above has been taken offline. Its closed for 2010/11, says it will open for 2011/12 but not say the rate. If its good, well that would be a bonus as i have savings in the AA. In theory that should mean i could open online and transfer the money but maybe thats unrealistic.

[mjb1975]

Will go for Santander Loyalty on Wednesday for new money = 3.5%

Have already opened Halifax Direct ISA for old money (allows transfers) and a new c/a to get 3.2%. Will move £1000 around a couple of c/as each month to get the bonus! :nuts:

[pjg]

Unless there are any good new offers (not eligible for the Santader one :( ) then I think I will just stick with my Natwest one which is still paying 3.26% as its easier to keep it all in one place.

[rbullivant]

My Halifax Direct pays 3.2% as an existing customer, think the bonus runs out about christmas time. Not sure whether to keep paying into this or signing up with someone else in the new ISA year

[mr starface]

Went with the Barclays Golden ISA, was very impressed that I could set it all up online with no paperwork or phone calls.

[cjanderson]

now that is leaving it to the last second :D

(actually, i assume i can apply today and then stick money in tomorrow, will give it a try)

[carlito8]

Went with the santander isa for new money as it seems the best return without messing around with swapping money out of current accoounts.

Am I correct in thinking I can open another isa purely to transfer in last years money as well as long as I don't add to it ?

[owenjt]

the AA one above has been taken offline. Its closed for 2010/11, says it will open for 2011/12 but not say the rate. If its good, well that would be a bonus as i have savings in the AA. In theory that should mean i could open online and transfer the money but maybe thats unrealistic.
Back online and is still 3.35%.

[cjanderson]

oh well done now :D like to get it done on the 1st day :dork:

£5.34 thrown down the drain :cry:

[brendonw]

Barclays seem to want to make it difficult for non current account holders AGAIN :|

[rezabelady]

I requested a transfer of my Santander cash ISA for 10/11 to an old NatWest ISA a couple of weeks ago. I've have just noticed that NatWest have put 5100 in the ISA but they've added the interest to my current account. Is this how it's supposed to work?

This is the first time I've transferred ISA funds to an existing account. I had previously transferred the complete balance of an Egg ISA to this NatWest one when I first set it up and the whole lot was added including interest. I assumed this should be the same.

[cjanderson]

don;t think its how its supposed to work.

They should

1) caclulate the closing interest on the account
2) transfer the lot (assuming thats what you requested)

They have always transferred all including interest with my cash isa transfers.

[rezabelady]

Thanks, it looks like they have made a mistake so I will visit my local branch in the morning.

I requested the whole balance to be transferred and I received a letter from Santander that says the full amount "has been forwarded to the above provider" and there was only one final transaction listed on the account. I don't understand why NatWest would have split out the interest and paid it into a different account.