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                           ISA COMPARATOR SPREADSHEET
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Compare Cash ISA, Stocks & Shares ISA, Lifetime ISA, and Innovative Finance ISA
side‑by‑side to decide which suits your goals.

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                               FEATURES
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- Purpose
- Risk level
- Access to funds
- Withdrawal penalties
- Annual contribution limit
- Government bonus
- Age restrictions
- First home eligible
- Retirement eligible
- Interest/growth type
- FSCS protection
- Typical provider

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                             HOW TO USE
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1. Review each ISA type's characteristics in the table below (or in your
   preferred spreadsheet software).
2. Match the features to your financial goals, risk tolerance, and
   time horizon.
3. Choose the ISA that best aligns with your needs, or consider a
   combination across different ISA types (within your £20,000 annual
   allowance).

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                           EXAMPLE TABLE
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| Feature               | Cash ISA       | Stocks & Shares ISA | Lifetime ISA        | Innovative Finance ISA |
|-----------------------|----------------|---------------------|---------------------|------------------------|
| Purpose               | Short-term savings, emergency fund | Medium‑long term growth | First home or retirement (under 40) | Peer‑to‑peer lending, alternative investments |
| Risk Level            | Very low       | Low to high (market‑dependent) | Low to medium (depends on underlying investment) | Medium to high (borrower default risk) |
| Access to Funds       | Instant access, no penalty | Usually instant (may have settlement delay) | Restricted: penalty‑free for first home (after 12 mo), age 60+, or terminal illness | Varies by platform; may have notice periods or early‑exit fees |
| Withdrawal Penalties  | None           | None                | 25% charge on amount withdrawn (claws back govt bonus + some principal) | Varies by loan agreement |
| Annual Contribution Limit | £20,000 (part of overall ISA allowance) | £20,000 (part of overall ISA allowance) | £4,000 (counts toward £20,000 overall ISA allowance) | £20,000 (part of overall ISA allowance) |
| Government Bonus      | None           | None                | 25% bonus on contributions (up to £1,000 per year) | None |
| Age Restrictions      | 16+            | 18+                 | 18‑39 to open; can contribute until 50 | 18+ |
| First Home Eligible   | No             | No                  | Yes (after 12 months, property ≤ £450,000) | No |
| Retirement Eligible   | No             | Yes                 | Yes (from age 60) | No |
| Interest/Growth Type  | Fixed or variable interest | Market‑based (stocks, bonds, funds, etc.) | Cash or stocks & shares (choice) | Interest from loan repayments |
| FSCS Protection       | Yes (up to £85,000 per institution) | Yes (up to £85,000 per provider, if cash held) | Yes (same as Cash or Stocks & Shares ISA, depending on holdings) | Generally NOT covered by FSCS (check platform) |
| Typical Provider      | Banks, building societies | Investment platforms, banks | Banks, investment platforms | P2P lending platforms |

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                         NEXT STEPS
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- Open this file in a spreadsheet program (Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice) to edit, sort, or filter.
- Keep a copy for your records and update as your goals change.
- Remember: you can split your £20,000 ISA allowance across different ISA types each tax year.

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