Chancellor to look again at shaking up ISAs - report

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering overhauling cash ISAs, it was reported on Wednesday, as she looks to boost investment in UK equities.

Source: Sharecast

Under current rules, savers can pay £20,000 annually into an ISA without incurring tax.

But according to the Financial Times, Reeves is considering halving the cap to £10,000, in the expectation people will shift funds out of cash ISAs and into domestic stocks.

An unnamed ally of Reeves told the newspaper: "She wants to see people investing more in British stocks because it’s good for growth and it generates better returns for savers.

"But we can’t win the argument on our own. Lots of businesses support the idea but never say it."

Reeves first mooted the shake-up earlier this year, but her plans were halted after widespread opposition from banks, building societies and consumer groups.

In particular, building societies argued that money deposited into ISAs was vital to fund mortgages and home purchases.

Investing in stocks rather than saving accounts such as ISAs is also more risky.

ISAs have proved immensely popular since they were introduced in 1999 by then-chancellor Gordon Brown. More than 18m people now have one, with an estimated £300bn sitting in their accounts.

Neil Wilson, UK investor strategist at Saxo Markets, said: "It will take a lot more than tweaking around with allowances for retail investors [to invest in UK equities]. And I’m not sure about the second order effects - do you move up the risk curve or just plump for a less tax efficient cash rates?

"This has been discussed a lot already but suffice to say a stick is maybe not as good as a carrot."

Reeves is due to present her Budget to Parliament at the end of November.

While keen to bolster sluggish economic growth, she is also facing a number of headwinds, including soaring government spending, sticky inflation and higher borrowing costs.

Tax rises are increasingly seen as inevitable, despite manifesto pledges to the contrary.

The private sector is also lobbying hard to prevent any further cost hikes for businesses, after increases to both the minimum wage and employer’s National Insurance contributions came into effect in April.

Compare our accounts

If you're looking to grow your money over the longer term (5+ years), we have a range of investment choices to help.

Bank of Scotland is not responsible for the content and accuracy of the Markets News articles. We may not share the views of the author. Understand the risks, please remember the value of your investment can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invest. We don't provide advice so if you are in any doubt about buying and selling shares or making your own investment decisions we recommend you seek advice from a suitably qualified Financial Advisor. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.

Important legal information

Bank of Scotland Share Dealing Service is operated by Halifax Share Dealing Limited. Halifax Share Dealing Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 3195646. Registered Office: Trinity Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 2RG. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, 12 Endeavour Square, London, E20 1JN under number 183332. A Member of the London Stock Exchange and an HM Revenue & Customs Approved ISA Manager.

Logo Allfunds

The information contained within this website is provided by Allfunds Digital, S.L.U. acting through its business division Digital Look Ltd unless otherwise stated. The information is not intended to be advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any of the shares, companies or investment vehicles mentioned, nor is it information meant to be a research recommendation. This is a solution powered by Allfunds Digital, S.L.U. acting through its business division Digital Look Ltd incorporating their prices, data news, charts, fundamentals and investor tools on this site. Terms and conditions apply. Prices and trades are provided by Allfunds Digital, S.L.U. acting through its business division Digital Look Ltd and are delayed by at least 15 minutes.

FE fundinfo Logo

Data provided by FE fundinfo. Care has been taken to ensure that the information is correct, but FE fundinfo neither warrants, represents nor guarantees the contents of information, nor does it accept any responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions or any inconsistencies herein. Past performance does not predict future performance, it should not be the main or sole reason for making an investment decision. The value of investments and any income from them can fall as well as rise.

Refinitiv Logo

© 2025 Refinitiv, an LSEG business. All rights reserved.