Seamless saving for retirement
Consistent investment approach
Continue saving into the same range of investment portfolios when you've reached your annual ISA and pension allowances.
Flexible with no upper limit
Save as much as you like and withdraw savings when you need them (although it's meant for medium-term investing).
Savings in one place
Wherever you are on your retirement journey, it’s easier to know where you stand if all your savings are in one place.
How we bring you onboard
When you're introduced to us by your Wealth Manager or Financial Adviser, you'll be given a personal link to get started. It's then easy to come on board.
1. Tell us who you are
We ask for basic information to get started. You'll need to be over 18, a UK resident and taxpayer, and not a US person.
2. Self-serve or take advice
Make your own decisions about product and investment choices. Or you can speak to a financial adviser for a one-off fee.
3. Choose a portfolio
Choose from our range of ready-made investment portfolios by finding one that best suits your circumstances and goals.
4. Speak to a Specialist
Our Savings Specialists will take your through the final steps of your transfer and will do all the admin for you.
5. Decide how to save
After transferring your current savings to us, you can save a regular amount each month or make one-off payments.
How much will it cost?
There's a total annual fee of up to 0.75% of the value of the assets in each product. This is made up of:
- Investment service fee of 0.52% for providing ongoing support in relation to your investment portfolio.
- Platform fee of 0.13% for running the online services that hold your investments.
- Fund fee of up to 0.10% for the operation of each of the funds within your investment portfolio.
There may be further transaction costs within the underlying funds, and Hubwise (our GIA provider) might charge adhoc servicing fees.
If you would like to take financial advice before making any decisions, we charge a one-off fee of up to £500.
Learn more about the General Investment Account
A General Investment Account (GIA for short) is a place to invest money for the future. A GIA comes with no tax incentives, but there is no upper savings limit and you can withdraw your money at any time. You should be aiming to keep your money invested for at least five years though.
Remember - you can’t always withdraw money quickly from investments as it takes time to sell them. Or you might not want to withdraw money from an investment if (for example), markets are experiencing a downturn. So make sure you have cash on hand for any emergencies.
The GIA we offer has specific criteria around eligibility:
- You need to be under age 75 and resident in the UK for tax purposes. You must be at least 18 years old. Other providers may have different criteria.
- You can't open this GIA if you live and work overseas (unless you’re a Crown Servant or the spouse or civil partner of a Crown Servant), or you're a US person.
You should be comfortable investing for the long term (5 to 10 years).
A GIA can only be held by a single individual. It cannot be held jointly.
A General Investment Account doesn’t offer any tax incentives like an ISA or pension. So if you’ve not used up your tax allowances this tax year, you may want to consider doing that first.
General Investment Account savings might be exposed to capital gains tax on any investment growth when it is sold or dividends are paid out. You’re currently allowed £3,000 in gains across all your assets each tax year (ISAs are exempt) before you pay capital gains tax. This allowance is subject to change by the UK Government.
You’ll need to declare your General Investment Account savings on your self-assessment tax return.
With this GIA, you can invest any amount above £100. There’s no upper limit. Other General Investment Account limits may vary.
You should be aware that the money you put in will be at risk and you might get back less than you invested. You should only invest if you have sufficient emergency funds set aside to cover necessary expenses.
With a GIA your money is placed in funds that are designed to go up in value more than a regular savings account. But that means the value of your savings could also go down and you might not get back the amount you invested. So when you choose how to invest your money, it’s important to understand what you’re investing in, and how these potential risks are managed. If you want to find out more about our investments, visit investment options .
For information specifically on investment risk, visit investment risk.
What would you like to do next?
Speak to a Savings Specialist
If you've been introduced to us by a financial adviser, you should have a link to our transfer form. For more information about the service we offer please contact us.
Transfer other investments
Once you've opened an account, you can transfer the value of certain other investments. Then you'll see everything in one place so you know where you stand and can plan for the future.
Important information
Remember that the value of your investment can go down as well as up and you could get back less than you invest. The information on this website should not be taken as a recommendation, advice or forecast. However, we do offer regulated financial advice if you're unsure about investing. Ask our Savings Specialists for more information about this service.
The tax you pay will depend on your personal tax position, and tax rules are subject to change by the UK Government. This is not tax advice. If you need more information, please speak to a tax adviser or an accountant.