The 2023 autumn statement is on Wednesday. Many investors will be watching keenly to see if the chancellor increases the Stocks and Shares ISA allowance.
A rise in the overall ISA allowance is long overdue. Last increased in 2017, had the allowance kept up with inflation, it would be around £25,500 today.
The potential ISA changes has brought a lot of debate. We want people to be able to pay into as many ISAs of the same type as they like each tax year. This would make it easier to open, subscribe to, and transfer ISAs.
However, this seems likely to be brought into a wider consultation on ISA reforms. While this gives the government scope for ground-breaking change, consultation takes time and there’s no guarantees at the end of it.
More disappointing news is that Jeremy Hunt will very likely rule out cutting the Lifetime ISA (LISA) penalty. We wanted to see the penalty cut from 25% to 20%, removing one of the biggest concerns people have with the LISA.
Find out what else we wanted to see in the Autumn Statement
It’s worth keeping your eye on developments from a government that seems keen to make major changes to the ISA regime. And to consider whether you’re making the most of the ISA opportunities right now.
Where have our Stocks and Shares ISA clients invested their money since the last autumn statement?
Here’s a look at the most popular actively managed funds (trying to beat the market) and tracker funds (trying to track the market), by HL's ISA investors since the last autumn statement on 17 November 2022.
This article has been written independently of our investment research team to offer some inspiration. But it’s not personal advice or a guide on how or where to invest.
You should choose investments based on your own objectives and attitude to risk. If you're not sure whether an investment is right for you, ask for financial advice.
| Most popular active funds (number of buys minus sales) | Key Investor Information |
|---|---|
| Fundsmith Equity | KII |
| Jupiter India | KII |
| Jupiter Asian Income | KII |
| Rathbone Global Opportunities | KII |
| HL Adventurous Managed | KII |
| Most popular tracker funds (number of buys minus sales) | Key Investor Information |
|---|---|
| UBS S&P 500 | KII |
| Legal & General US Index | KII |
| Legal & General International Index Trust | KII |
| Fidelity Index World | KII |
| Legal & General European Index | KII |
Investments by Direct Debit are excluded.
How to pick investments for an ISA
Investing in these funds won't be right for everyone. Only invest in a fund if its objectives align with your own, and there's a specific need for that type of investment within your portfolio.
Investors should understand the specific risks and charges of a fund before they invest and be investing for the long term (five years or more).
It's also important not to put all your eggs in one basket. Spreading your money and diversifying, gives you access to more opportunities and can reduce risk. Remember the value of investments can rise and fall so you may not get back what you have invested.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT DIVERSIFICATION
If you're looking for inspiration from our investment research team on where to invest your ISA this tax year, explore our latest ISA investment ideas.
Or you can use our Wealth Shortlist. It's designed to help investors build and maintain a well-balanced and diversified portfolio.
Our expert analysts have put funds under the microscope to make sure the list only contains the funds that our in-depth analysis shows have the greatest long-term performance potential.
If you don't feel comfortable building and maintaining a portfolio, take a look at our ready-made portfolios. These all-in-one portfolio funds let you choose how to balance risk and potential returns from four options. HL’s investment experts will make the day-to-day investment decisions from there.
All you'll need to do is review your investments every now and then to make sure they still meet your needs and objectives.
HL’s fund ranges are managed by our sister company Hargreaves Lansdown Fund Managers Ltd.
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Before you apply, make sure you're happy with our Terms and Conditions with Tariff of Charges (PDF) and Key Features (PDF). Then all you need is your debit card and national insurance number to hand.
You can’t pay into more than one of the same type of ISA in the same tax year. You can however split your ISA allowance between the different types, for example you could invest £10,000 in a Stocks and Shares ISA and the remaining £10,000 in a cash ISA.