An ISA explainer as 2026 sign-up deadline looms

YOUR CONSUMER RIGHTS CHAMPION

- MARTYN JAMES

April is on the horizon, bringing showers and price hikes on everything from your council tax to your broadband bill.

But not everything about April is depressing. Spring will be bursting in to life. Days will get longer. And it's ISA season.

Millions of people use ISAs - Individual Savings Accounts - as a way to save and build on their cash. However, if you've struggled to save in the past you may not be familiar with how ISAs work.

So I've roped in my fellow television expert, Sarah Pennells from Royal London, to bring you our beginner's guide to all things ISA.

What is an ISA?

An Individual Savings Account is a way to save money and earn interest or invest it and get a return - and it's tax-free. There are four main types:

■Cash ISAs: These allow you to save money without paying tax on your earnings.

■Stocks and shares ISAs: These let you invest your money in a huge range of different types of investment within the ISA 'wrapper'. Again, any profit is tax-free.

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