Frequently asked questions

Opening a Lifetime ISA

• Can I open the Lifetime ISA if I already have other ISAs?

  Yes, you can open and add money to other types of ISAs (Cash ISAs, Stocks and Shares ISAs or Innovative Finance ISAs) alongside your Lifetime ISA. You’ll only be able to save into one Lifetime ISA each tax year.

  You can contribute up to £20,000 across all your ISAs in the 2023/24 tax year, with up to £4,000 in your Lifetime ISA. The government bonus doesn’t count towards the £20,000 overall limit or the £4,000 Lifetime ISA limit.

• I’m 40 - can I open a Lifetime ISA?

  You can only open a Lifetime ISA before your 40th birthday. If you already have a Lifetime ISA when you turn 40, you can still add money until you turn 50.

• Can I hold cash in a Lifetime ISA?
  Yes. There’s no charge to hold cash and no time limit on how long you can hold cash, but you’ll only receive a limited amount of interest.
• Can I use the Lifetime ISA for my first home and retirement?

  Yes, there are two ways you could use the Lifetime ISA to invest for both your first home and retirement.

  If you don’t use your whole Lifetime ISA to buy your first home, your Lifetime ISA will stay open. You can keep adding to it until the day before your 50th birthday, then use that money for your retirement.

  If you use your whole Lifetime ISA to buy your first home, your Lifetime ISA will be closed. But if you’re still between 18 and 39 you can open a new Lifetime ISA to save for your retirement.

  Remember, if you close your Lifetime ISA when you’re over 40, you can’t open a new one.

• Can I open and pay into a Lifetime ISA for someone else?

  Under HMRC rules, a Lifetime ISA can only be opened and topped up by the account holder.

• Can I open a Lifetime ISA in joint names?

  You can only open a Lifetime ISA in your name. This is the same with all ISAs. But each adult under 40 can open a Lifetime ISA. So first-time buyers buying together could both use their Lifetime ISA and bonus towards their home.

• Can I have a Help to Buy ISA and a Lifetime ISA?

  Yes, you can have a Help to Buy ISA and a Lifetime ISA at the same time, if you’re eligible for both. But you’ll only be able to use the bonus from one of the accounts to buy your first home. Please note, the Help to Buy ISA is now closed to new applicants.

• When is my Lifetime ISA open?

  Your Lifetime ISA is open when you add cash with a debit card, transfer money in, or the date your first Direct Debit is due.

The Lifetime ISA bonus

• How do I use my Lifetime ISA to purchase my first home?

  We claim the government bonus for you and add it to your Lifetime ISA.

  We’ll do this as soon as possible each month and you should see it in your account in four to nine weeks from the date of your contribution.

Withdrawing money from a Lifetime ISA

• How and when do I get the government bonus?

  First you’ll need to send us the Lifetime ISA home purchase form telling us about your conveyancer and how much you want to withdraw. We’ll then send your conveyancer a form they should complete and return to us to request the withdrawal. You will also need to contact your conveyancer to complete a declaration for them.

  Once everything is ready we’ll pay the amount requested directly to your conveyancer. If your purchase doesn’t complete within 90 days of the withdrawal, the amount withdrawn must be returned to your Lifetime ISA.

  You’ll need to have had your Lifetime ISA open for at least 12 months before purchasing your first home to avoid the government withdrawal charge.

• How do I withdraw money from a Lifetime ISA if I'm not buying a house?

  You can withdraw your money tax free when you’re ready to use it for an eligible house purchase (worth up to £450,000) or after you turn 60. You're also allowed to withdraw your Lifetime ISA money if you are terminally ill.

  If you withdraw money from your Lifetime ISA at any other time, this is called an unlisted or chargeable withdrawal and there will be a 25% charge from the government. This could mean you get back less than you put in.

  If you need to sell investments to withdraw cash, it can take three to five days after the sale before the cash settles in your account and you can withdraw it. However, if you have recently topped up your account, we may need to process the withdrawal via a debit card refund. This can take 3 - 5 working days for the funds to clear with your bank. We do this to meet anti-money laundering regulations.

  The easiest way to make an unlisted withdrawal is to call us on 0117 314 6219. Alternatively, you can download and complete this form.

• What are the rules for using my Lifetime ISA to buy a home?

  You’ll need to have had your Lifetime ISA for a full year, and you’ll need to be a first-time buyer.

  The house you’re buying has to be in the UK and cost £450,000 or less. This is just the house price and it doesn’t include fixtures and fittings. It also needs to be your main residence. If it’s still being built, it’ll need to be your main residence as soon as it’s ready for you to live in.

  You’ll need to be buying the house with a mortgage, regulated home purchase plan or through a shared ownership arrangement. If you’re buying a house with cash, you can still use your Lifetime ISA money. But you’d have to pay the government withdrawal charge, which means you could get back less than you put in.

• When can I take money from my Lifetime ISA?

  You can withdraw your money tax free when you’re ready to use it for an eligible house purchase (worth up to £450,000) or after you turn 60. You're also allowed to withdraw your Lifetime ISA money if you are terminally ill.

  You can take money out at other times too, but there will be a 25% charge from the government. This could mean you get back less than you put in.

• Who qualifies as a first-time buyer?

  You’re a first-time buyer if you don’t own, and have never owned, a residential property anywhere in the world, either by yourself or together with someone else. This includes any property that you inherited or that was given to you.

Transferring to a Lifetime ISA

• Can I transfer other existing ISAs to a Lifetime ISA?

  Yes, you can transfer other (non-lifetime) ISAs to an HL Lifetime ISA and benefit from the 25% government bonus.

  Unfortunately, we can’t currently accept transfers from other Lifetime ISAs.

  Find out more about transferring

• Can I transfer a Help to Buy ISA to a Lifetime ISA?

  If you transfer a Help to Buy ISA to a Lifetime ISA, you could get a bigger bonus and also enjoy greater flexibility when saving for your first home. But unlike the Help to Buy ISA, there are penalties if you withdraw money from your Lifetime ISA and it’s not used for your first home or after age 60.

  Find out more about transferring

• How do transfers between ISAs affect the overall ISA allowance?

  If you transfer from an ISA (including a help-to-buy ISA) to a Lifetime ISA, your transfer won’t count towards your overall ISA allowance (£20,000 for the 2023/24 tax year), but it will count towards your Lifetime ISA allowance (£4,000 for the 2023/24 tax year).

• What happens to my Lifetime ISA when I die?

  Any cash or investments you hold with HL can be passed on to your loved ones. For anything held outside of a pension, you should plan ahead and make a Will. Options will depend on the type of accounts you have.

  Find out more

Other questions about the Lifetime ISA

• How much interest is paid on cash in the HL Lifetime ISA?

  You can find details of the current interest rate paid on cash held in the Lifetime ISA here.