TL;DR
- The 2025-26 ISA annual allowance is 20,000 pounds, unchanged since April 2017.
- Subscriptions can split across cash ISA, stocks and shares ISA, Lifetime ISA and IFISA.
- The Lifetime ISA sub-limit is 4,000 pounds and counts towards the wider 20,000 pound cap.
- Unused allowance does not carry forward; it is lost at 23:59 on 5 April.
Last reviewed: May 2026 | Sources: HMRC ISA Manual, HM Treasury
The ISA allowance is the single most important number in UK tax-efficient saving, yet the rules around how it splits, when it resets and which ISA types share the pool are routinely misstated online. This guide sets out exactly how much can be paid into an ISA in the 2025-26 tax year, with reference to the HMRC ISA Manual and the relevant HM Treasury publications on gov.uk.
The 20,000 pound 2025-26 annual allowance
For the tax year running from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026 the ISA annual allowance is 20,000 pounds. This is the total amount that can be subscribed across all adult ISA types combined: cash ISAs, stocks and shares ISAs, Innovative Finance ISAs and Lifetime ISAs share the single 20,000 pound pool. The figure has been frozen since April 2017 and is set by HM Treasury, with any future change requiring legislation.
Subscriptions count when money is paid in by the saver. Interest earned inside an ISA, internal transfers between ISA wrappers and the bonus paid on a Lifetime ISA do not count as fresh subscriptions and therefore do not consume allowance. The variable-rate options that fit inside this allowance are covered in detail in the easy access cash ISA guide on Kael Tripton.
How the allowance splits across ISA types
The 20,000 pound limit is a single pool, but the Lifetime ISA has an additional ceiling. A saver may pay up to 4,000 pounds into a Lifetime ISA in any tax year (qualifying for a 1,000 pound government bonus on a fully funded LISA), and that 4,000 pounds counts towards the overall 20,000 pound figure. A saver could therefore split the allowance as: 4,000 pounds into a LISA plus 16,000 pounds into a cash ISA, or 4,000 pounds into a LISA plus 10,000 pounds into a stocks and shares ISA plus 6,000 pounds into a cash ISA.
Other than the LISA sub-limit, splits are entirely flexible. The full 20,000 pounds can go into a single ISA type, or be spread across all four, or split between multiple providers of the same type now that the 2024-25 rules permit multiple subscriptions per type per year. The Innovative Finance ISA, which holds peer-to-peer loans, is subject to the same overall pool.
RELATED GUIDES: ISA Rules and Savings
- How Many ISAs Can I Have?
- What Is a Cash ISA? UK Guide 2026
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- SIPPs UK 2026: Pension Contributions
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- UK Salary and Cost of Living Calculator
What does not count towards the 20,000 pounds
Several flows look like subscriptions but do not consume allowance. Transferring an existing ISA balance from one provider to another preserves the original subscription year and does not use the current-year allowance. Interest credited inside the wrapper compounds without affecting allowance. Replacing withdrawn funds inside a flexible ISA within the same tax year does not count as a fresh subscription. The Lifetime ISA bonus paid by HM Treasury does not count.
RELATED GUIDES: Related ISA guides
- Best easy access cash ISA UK
- How many ISAs a saver can hold
- Cash ISA rules and FSCS protection
- How to transfer an ISA without losing the tax-free status
Unused allowance does not carry forward
Allowance unused at the end of the tax year is lost permanently. There is no carry-forward equivalent to the pension annual allowance regime. A saver who subscribes only 5,000 pounds in 2025-26 cannot use the unused 15,000 pounds in 2026-27 on top of the new 20,000 pound allowance for that year.
Because of this annual reset, last-minute subscriptions in March and early April are common. Providers usually accept transfers and subscriptions up to 5 April, but cleared funds need to land before the cut-off, so most providers publish a recommended deadline several working days earlier. The easy access cash ISA shortlist can help savers identify providers with fast onboarding when an end-of-year subscription is in play.
Junior ISAs and contribution timing
Junior ISAs have a separate 9,000 pound annual allowance per child for 2025-26 and do not affect the adult 20,000 pound pool. Parents and guardians can pay into a Junior ISA up to the 9,000 pound limit, and other adults can contribute too (subject to the overall child limit). The child cannot access the funds until age 18, although they can take control of the account at 16.
On timing: contributions count for the tax year in which they are paid in, not the year for which they are intended. Cleared funds on or before 5 April count for that tax year. Funds arriving on 6 April count for the new year.
Self-employed savers and high earners
The ISA allowance is uniform across all eligible adults regardless of income. There is no taper for high earners (unlike the pension annual allowance), and self-employment status has no bearing on the 20,000 pound limit. For high earners with a fully used PSA of nil pounds, the cash ISA wrapper is a particularly important shelter for any larger cash balance that cannot fit inside a pension.
Disclaimer: This guide is general information on UK ISA contribution rules and is not personal financial advice. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change. Anyone unsure about how the rules apply to their position should speak to a regulated adviser or check gov.uk directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 20,000 pound limit per ISA or per person?
Per person, per tax year. The 20,000 pounds is the total that can be subscribed across all adult ISAs combined.
Can unused ISA allowance be carried into the next tax year?
No. Any allowance not used by 5 April is permanently lost. The next tax year starts a fresh 20,000 pound limit.
Does the Lifetime ISA bonus count towards the 20,000 pound limit?
No. The 1,000 pound government bonus paid into a Lifetime ISA is added by HM Treasury and does not consume any of the saver subscription allowance.
Are ISA transfers counted as a subscription?
No. Transferring an existing ISA balance from one provider to another, using the receiving provider transfer-in process, does not use any of the current-year allowance.
Does the allowance change mid-year if the saver becomes non-resident?
A saver who becomes non-UK-resident during the tax year can pay in up to the date they lose residency status. They cannot make further subscriptions while non-resident but the existing ISA remains open.
How This Guide Was Verified
Allowance figures and procedural rules are taken from the HMRC ISA Manual on gov.uk and from the HM Treasury policy paper on the 6 April 2024 ISA reform. Junior ISA rules are sourced from the dedicated gov.uk page. All linked sources were checked against the current published version as of May 2026.
