Best Cash ISA rates UK (July 2026)
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Quick answer: Top easy-access Cash ISAs pay around 4.4–4.6% AER in July 2026; some include time-limited bonuses on new money only. You can put up to £20,000 into ISAs this tax year — interest is tax-free regardless of your tax band.
Cash ISAs suit anyone who would otherwise pay tax on savings interest above their Personal Savings Allowance. Transfer rules let you move older ISAs without losing tax-free status — never withdraw to your bank account to switch.
Skip this if: Skip a Cash ISA if your interest already fits inside your Personal Savings Allowance and a non-ISA account pays materially more after tax, or if you need a live best-buy table. Never withdraw an old ISA to your current account to switch — use the official transfer.
Last reviewed:
Read the full savings & ISAs guide →ISA allowance 2026/27 →Primary source: www.gov.uk/individual-savings-accounts
Should you pick easy access or a fixed Cash ISA?
Easy access suits money you may need soon. Fixed Cash ISAs pay more for locking away — breakage charges apply if you withdraw early.
| If this is you | Usually choose | Skip if |
|---|---|---|
| Interest would be taxed outside an ISA | Fill Cash ISA before a taxable easy-access account | Your PSA already covers the interest and a non-ISA rate is better after tax |
| Moving an old ISA that pays poorly | Official transfer (about 15 working days) | You withdraw to a current account — that can lose the wrapper |
| Saving for five years or more | Compare a Stocks & Shares ISA for the long slice | You need the money next year |
Transfer or open new?
If an old ISA pays under 2%, transfer to a top payer. Bonus rates on new money may not apply to transferred historic years — read terms.
Common questions
Should I use a Cash ISA or Stocks & Shares ISA?
Cash ISAs for short-term goals and emergency funds. Stocks & Shares ISAs for five-year-plus horizons where inflation risk matters more than capital volatility.