22 per cent ISA tax rumour shut down by Treasury – Here are the true changes to ISAs next year

Lamont Pridmore - Accountants

Rumours were flying this week that HMRC announced a 22 per cent tax on your ISA if you are holding uninvested cash. This has since been described by the treasury as ‘nonsense’.

Despite the rumours it is important to note that the other planned reforms to ISAs will still come into effect from April 2027.

What are the changes that will be made to ISAs?

The Autumn Budget came with changes to ISAs for the 2027/2028 tax year. As of April 2027, your total tax-free allowance will still be £20,000 but, the way you can use it has changed for those under 65.

Under 65s will be able to put up to £12,000 into a cash ISA each tax year this is opposed to the full £20,000 allowance, which has always been the case.

The remaining £8,000 needs to be put in another kind of ISA such as stocks and shares.

A part of the plan is to ban transfers from stocks and shares ISAs back into a cash ISAs.

What do the impending changes to ISAs mean for me?

If you are already investing through a Stocks and Shares ISA it is worth checking how much is currently held in your account.

For the next tax year, you will be required to arrange your money differently as the Government has engineered the rules in hopes that more people will use Stocks and Share ISAs.

This, they believe, will create an investment culture that will, in the long run, drive economic growth and help individuals yield high returns over the long term.

It is often advised to keep a small cash buffer to pay platform fees or take advantage of buying opportunities.

It is important to note that these plans do not come into play until April 2027 so for this tax year you can still put your £20,000 into a Cash ISA if you wish.

Adjusting your investment plan

Planning ahead is vital in order to understand how to organise your money to avoid being caught out by the changes to ISAs in 2027.

If you are unsure on the best ways to manage your ISAs to manage your tax bill, please speak to a member of our tax team.

Get in touch today for advice on how to manage your tax position.

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