Post Office launches new issue of inflation-linked bonds
Popular inflation-beating savings products get a fourth issue.
The Post Office has launched its fourth issue of its fixed-term inflation-linked bonds today. Past issues of the bonds have been oversubscribed as people look for places to put their money to shield it from the effects of inflation.
There are two bonds to choose from with different terms and interest rates. There’s a three-year bond, which offers the annual Retail Prices Index (RPI) of inflation plus 0.25% gross interest. Or there’s a five-year bond that pays RPI plus 0.5% gross interest.
You can deposit a minimum of £500 and a maximum of £1 million but you can only make one deposit. The interest is paid out on the bonds’ maturity. Note that you can’t withdraw any money from the bonds and you can only close them in exceptional circumstances; if you do you’ll be charged.
The RPI inflation measure paid out on the bonds is taken from the March RPI figure each year. At the moment, no other fixed-rate bond is beating RPI inflation.
The deadline for applications is 29 March but every issue of the bonds so far has been withdrawn before the closing date. The fixed terms begin on 27 April.
You need to apply by post. You can either go to www.postoffice.co.uk/savings or call 0800 169 7500 to get hold of an application pack.
It was confirmed this week that inflation fell sharply last month, as highlighted in Inflation falls in December. Despite this fall, it's still incredibly difficult for savers to find an inflation-beating deal.
More: The best fixed-rate savings bonds | How your savings can get you a free Kindle
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I think the Post Office investments are Bank of Ireland, not NS&I, so not backed by UK Government. NS&I would be my choice, fingers crossed they will bring back their index linked certs soon.
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They must be expecting RPI to come down? Lower mortgage payments and second hand cars? RPI plus interest make them a good deal better than anything the banks have on offer, a real terms rate of 0.25% less tax of course. NS & I might introduce their tax free version in April?
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You can't do this, you can't do that. I sometimes wonder if banks think it's their money, not yours. Don't like these fixed IRs. The economy is very unstable, far more unstable than we are being told. IRs could be 10% or higher in a relatively short time, you just don't know.
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20 January 2012