The least risky of investment options are those offered by National Savings, which raises money on behalf of the UK Government.

While investment returns are not exceptional and some involve tying your money up for long periods, they are nevertheless stable and in some cases can be paid tax free.

They include National Savings Bank accounts and various forms of savings and Income Bonds. These savings and investment products are backed by H.M. Treasury, which makes them the most secure cash products available in the UK.

Individual Savings Accounts for children or Junior ISAs were introduced in November 2011 replacing Child Trust Funds. They are long-term, tax-efficient savings accounts for children who

• are under 18
• live in the UK
• have not invested in a Child Trust Fund account.

If your child lives outside the UK, they can only open a Junior ISA if you are a Crown servant (for example, you work in the UK’s armed forces, diplomatic service or overseas civil service) and the child depends on you for care.

A child cannot have a Junior ISA as well as a Child Trust Fund account. A Junior ISA can be opened and the trust fund transferred into it.

There are two types of Junior ISA, namely a cash Junior ISA and a stocks and shares Junior ISA. A child can have one or both types at any one time but the total annual amount which can be paid into either or both combined is £9,000 (tax year 2026/27).

Investing In Offshore Collective Funds

Offshore investment vehicles include unit trusts, mutual funds or investment companies. The offshore company will normally be situated in a country where the investment fund pays little or no tax on its income or gains. While this does allow the investor some benefit while invested, if the proceeds are brought back to the UK they will be taxed at that point.

Risk & Reward

As with any other investment, the risks and rewards will be dictated by the investment strategy and decisions of the investment managers. However, it should be borne in mind that many offshore investments do not benefit from the legislative and regulatory protections that UK-authorised investments have.

Capital Investment bonds are life insurance contracts used for the purposes of investment. They are designed to give capital growth and/or income over the medium to long term with access to your money by taking regular or one-off withdrawals. Most bonds are designed for investment over at least five years. If you cash in your investment before that time, you are likely to be charged an early surrender penalty.

Bonds are set up through insurance companies without the need for a check on your health status and normally people of any age can hold a bond. Bonds can be opened onshore (within the UK) or offshore (usually in the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands) to take advantage of tax concessions. The decision will depend on your personal tax situation.

Most bonds have no upper limit on how much you can invest, but barriers to entry can start higher than other investments, with a £10,000 minimum contribution being typical.

Why Save?

Often, people save for a specific reason and it's usually the safest way to build up a pot of money.

It’s less risky than investing, but it offers limited growth. The most you'll earn on the money you save is the interest added. Saving is perfect for people who don’t want to take any risks with their money, and most savings accounts have easy access or are for a fixed term.

There are many different ways to save, but whichever way you choose, the general idea is the same: to build up some money - savings - that can be used, for example, to make a large purchase such as a new fridge, go on holiday, pay for school fees or cover the cost of expensive times like Christmas.

Savings also provide security by making sure that some money is put aside for emergencies or unexpected costs.

Where Can I Put My Money?

There are several different types of savings products out there. The links in this section will provide a guide to what is available to you.

Critical illness insurance pays out when one of the specified critical illnesses occurs. For example, following a heart attack, stroke, cancer or some other specifically defined critical illness.

Cover is for a set term, which may be equal to a mortgage term, or for when children have grown up, until retirement, or until another life stage milestone is achieved. It may be worth considering having one policy for a set term to cover the mortgage and another that will provide money to help provide for your different lifestyle if a serious illness happens.

Most people choose a lump sum to be paid out. There is the option of receiving the payout as a set income over the term remaining, which is often a lower-cost option.

This is insurance that pays the hospital or doctor for your treatment. It can include treatment in a private ward or getting seen earlier in an NHS ward. Some plans allow you to claim if you are not able to be seen by the NHS within a set period. Other plans may charge a little more and don’t have any relevance to NHS waiting times.

You are either medically checked and underwritten at the outset (so you know what you’re covered for and what you won’t be). Premiums are usually reviewable annually.

This provides income where you are ill or injured, and as a result your income through employment or your normal route stops.

It is designed to replace most of your net income.

Cover lasts for either a set term in whole years, or to a given age (typically your state retirement age). The amount you pay is called the premium. It can either be guaranteed not to change, or it can be reviewable. Reviewable cover normally changes based on the claims experience of the life assurance company.

This cover will pay out if death occurs and provides an income per year for the term remaining on the policy. For example, for a 20-year term, where the claim occurred after five years, there would be 15 annual payments made in total. Payments can paid out either monthly or annually.

The payments are not normally subject to income tax but may impact some state benefits.

This is cover that pays out on death. Some plans pay upon earlier confirmation of a terminal illness where the prognosis is death within 12 months. Proceeds can pay out as a lump sum or as annual amount for the remainder of the policy term.

Cover can last for a set term called Term Assurance, or can last throughout life, called Whole of Life.

The amount of cover can remain the same or increase/decrease annually. Level term assurance stays the same throughout. Decreasing cover is sometimes used to cover a reducing debt, such as a repayment mortgage and usually assumes a given interest rate. Provided your mortgage rates don’t exceed that rate, then the cover should reduce at around the same rate as the mortgage. The amount you pay is called the premium. It can either be guaranteed not to change, or it can be reviewable.

Reviewable cover normally changes based on the claims experience of the life assurance company.