UK ISA Limits 2025/26 Quick Reference

A quick reference to ISA allowances and limits for all types of ISA in 2025/26.

Overview of ISA Limits

Adult ISA Allowance

Limit	Amount
Total annual allowance	£20,000
Tax year	6 April - 5 April
Shared across	All ISA types
Use it	Or lose it

ISA Types Available

ISA Type	Within £20,000?
Cash ISA	Yes
Stocks & Shares ISA	Yes
Innovative Finance ISA	Yes
Lifetime ISA	Yes (but has own £4,000 cap)
Junior ISA	Separate £9,000 limit

Adult ISA Types

Cash ISA

Feature	Details
Annual limit	Up to £20,000
Investment	Cash/savings
Risk	None (capital safe)
Returns	Interest
Tax-free	Interest earned

Stocks & Shares ISA

Feature	Details
Annual limit	Up to £20,000
Investment	Shares, funds, bonds
Risk	Value can fall
Returns	Dividends + growth
Tax-free	Gains and dividends

Innovative Finance ISA

Feature	Details
Annual limit	Up to £20,000
Investment	Peer-to-peer lending
Risk	Can lose money
Returns	Interest from loans
Tax-free	Interest earned

Lifetime ISA (LISA)

Feature	Details
Annual limit	£4,000 (within £20,000)
Age requirement	18-39 to open
Bonus	25% government top-up
Max bonus	£1,000/year
Uses	First home or retirement
Penalty	25% on other withdrawals

How the £20,000 Works

Splitting Your Allowance

Example Split	Amount
Cash ISA	£8,000
Stocks & Shares ISA	£8,000
Lifetime ISA	£4,000
Total	£20,000

Another Example

Example Split	Amount
Cash ISA only	£20,000
S&S ISA	£0
LISA	£0
Total	£20,000

Maximum Flexibility

Situation	Allowed (from 2024/25)
Multiple Cash ISAs	Yes
Multiple S&S ISAs	Yes
Split between providers	Yes
Stay under £20,000 total	Must

Lifetime ISA Details

Bonus Rules

Your Contribution	Government Bonus
£4,000	£1,000
£2,000	£500
£1,000	£250
£500	£125

Lifetime Limits

Over Time	Accumulation
Max contribution	£4,000/year
From age 18-50	32 years max
Max contributions	£128,000
Max bonus	£32,000
Total potential	£160,000 + growth

Withdrawal Rules

Purpose	Penalty?
First home (under £450k)	No
Age 60+	No
Terminal illness	No
Any other reason	25% penalty

The 25% Penalty

Situation	Effect
£4,000 contribution	+ £1,000 bonus = £5,000
Withdraw early	25% penalty = £1,250
You receive	£3,750
Lost	£250 of your own money

Junior ISA

Limits

Feature	Amount
Annual limit	£9,000
Age	Under 18
Per child	One cash, one S&S
Separate from	Adult allowance

Rules

Feature	Details
Who opens	Parent/guardian
Who contributes	Anyone
Access	Child at 18
Converts to	Adult ISA at 18

ISA Transfers

Transfer Rules

From	To	Counts as New?
Old ISA	New ISA	No
Previous years	Different provider	No
Current year	New provider	Depends

Current Year Transfers

Situation	Effect
Transfer current year	Counts towards allowance
Transfer previous years	Doesn’t count
Adding more	New allowance used

Key Dates

ISA Tax Year

Date	Significance
6 April	New tax year, allowance resets
5 April	Deadline for current year
Unused allowance	Cannot carry forward

Deadlines

Action	By
Use 2025/26 allowance	5 April 2026
LISA contribution before 50	Birthday deadline
Open LISA	Before 40th birthday

Tax Benefits

What’s Tax-Free

ISA Type	Tax-Free Element
Cash ISA	All interest
S&S ISA	All dividends
S&S ISA	All capital gains
LISA	All growth/interest

Compared to Non-ISA

Tax Type	Non-ISA	ISA
Interest	After PSA	Tax-free
Dividends	After £500	Tax-free
Capital gains	After £3,000	Tax-free

Summary Tables

Adult ISA Limits 2025/26

ISA Type	Maximum
Total ISA allowance	£20,000
Cash ISA	£20,000
Stocks & Shares	£20,000
Lifetime ISA	£4,000
Innovative Finance	£20,000

Junior ISA Limits 2025/26

Type	Maximum
Junior ISA total	£9,000
Cash JISA	£9,000
S&S JISA	£9,000

Quick Reference

Key Number	Amount
Adult allowance	£20,000
LISA max	£4,000
LISA bonus	25% (max £1,000)
Junior ISA	£9,000
Tax year end	5 April