phizz, this is a useful site: thisismoney.co.uk. Use the drop-down menu to find the types of accounts you are interested in and it quickly brings up a results page where you can compare rates etc.

Thank you so much for your advice. I've spent so long comparing accounts my head's in a spin. Not that any of them are going to make me rich unfortunately.
Thank you again.

Went with good old Saga...as good a rate as any...
Thanks for your advice folks....never let me down yet.

We are approaching the end of the current financial year and soon many providers will be in a competition to offer tempting ISA rates. Many of the best are only around for a couple of weeks either side of the year end so as to catch those who have not yet taken up this year's allowance or those who wish to open one for next year. Only go for those with a fixed rate which covers the whole year. Last year I got a rate of 3.1%, fixed until the end of May this year. Be prepared to transfer to a new provider at the end of the financial year because at the end of the fixed rate the new rate is usually very much lower.

While waiting for the year end you could do worse than look at Coventry BS who have on offer a new postal account offering 3.3% (variable) including a 1.3% bonus for the first year.

I always go for a 'fixed rate' ISAs, in fact I'm just sorting one out now as it is due.

MoneySavingExpert.com is a weekly newsletter you can get e-mailed to you (Martin Lewis appears on TV/Radio). Gives you advice on lots of different accounts and other issues.

There is also another weekly e-mail newsletter you can get which is thisismoney.co.uk

In my opinion 5yrs is too long. ISA rates for 1 and 2 year terms are rubbish at the moment.
We are moving into ISA time so there may well be some good offers about but snap them
up fast cos they wont last.

In the meantime while you are waiting Coventry B/Soc have an instant access rate of 3.15%
for the 1st year, then back to 2%.

They have also launched a fixed rate bond, fixed until 31st Aug 2012 at 4.25%.

Also the same from Alliance and Leicester - still seems to be running separate from despite being taken over by Santander!

And this has the advantage that they guarantee to increase that 3.5% by any increase in Base Rate for the first year! The interest goes down to 0.5% after a year too

These ISAs are a minefield! We decided ours weren't doing too well at Nationwide. Took them out at a good rate in 2004, but failed to notice they'd dropped to a 0.5% rate this year. Grrrr.

But it seems that you may not be able to transfer from this (or any other) into that A & L (and Santander) "Flexible ISA".
Further, because we haven't paid anything into the NW ISAs in 2 years, the government evidently require the providers to "lock" the ISA account.
And the ISA rules don't allow more than one Cash ISA account to be paid into. So it looks like we can't transfer from old to new, and add more funds.

Needless to say I haven't found any clear detail on the internet! So going into Solihull on Saturday to talk to A & L about that possible block to transfer, and to Nationwide about the consequences of a locked ISA.

Richard

Regarding what to do Phizz, with your cash...I know alot of people would disagree, but I think I would be tempted to get some Premium Bonds, if you are one for abit of a gamble..you could leave them in say, for a year or so., and see if they bring you any luck

I know I took money out of investments november 08 because of the collapse, and bought P.Bs, and I have had much more luck with them, and theres always the 'big win' on the horizon, does it matter that ' the money depreciates'.. we all do. thats life, have a gamble!


and good luck !

My husband and I both have fixed rate cash ISA,s with the Britannia Building Society. We have built up savings over the years and one of the additional benefits was the Britannia Membership Reward Scheme, which paid out an additional cash bonus each year depending on the amount of savings and other financial products we had with the Society. Last year the Britannia merged with the Co-operative Building Society and the rewards scheme was replaced by the Co-operative membership scheme, a similar scheme that pays out a share of the profits depending on how many financial products you have. I would like to warn other savers that this scheme does not include fixed rate cash Isa's. This is hidden in the small print so you will not qualify for any bonus. We shall be looking to move our savings as we feel this is very unfair on the many fixed rate savers. I have just joined SAGA zone and wanted to make other members aware of this. I shall be looking at other comments for the best home for our ISA's