With the end of the tax year falling over Easter, deadlines to open and fund or top up investment ISAs are likely to vary depending on how you do it.
The deadline for savers to take advantage of their 2014/15 ISA allowance is fast approaching, but this year there is even more urgency as the last day of the tax year (5th April) falls on Easter Sunday.
So if you want to make the most of your £15,000 tax-free allowance, don't leave it until the last minute to open a Stocks & Shares ISA. The bank holiday means ISA providers are operating different deadlines which you may have already missed.
The table below covers the deadlines we know about so far and what you still have time to do.
Open a Stocks & Shares ISAs for 2014/15
AXA Self Investor
AXA Self Investor is an online-only ISA and trading account.
|
Action |
Deadline |
|
Submit ISA application online |
Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund /top up ISA online |
Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by electronic bank transfer (CHAPS) |
Thursday 2nd April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by electronic bank transfer (BACS) |
Deadline passed |
Barclays Stockbrokers
|
Action |
Deadline |
|
Submit ISA application online |
23:45 Sunday 5th April |
|
Submit ISA application over the phone |
14:00 Sunday 5th April |
|
Submit ISA application by post |
Saturday 4th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA online |
23:45 Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA over the phone |
14:00 Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by cheque |
Saturday 4th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by electronic bank transfer (CHAPS/BACS) |
Thursday 2nd April |
|
Transfer investments and cash from a Barclays Stockbrokers Market Master trading account into an ISA |
14:00 Sunday 5th April |
|
Using share certificates you already hold via post |
Saturday 4th April |
Cavendish Online
|
Action |
Deadline |
|
Submit ISA application online |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Submit ISA application over the phone |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Submit ISA application by post |
Thursday 2nd April |
|
Fund/top up ISA online |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA over the phone |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by cheque |
Thursday 2nd April |
|
Bed & ISA (fund ISA using investments from a non-ISA portfolio) |
Deadline passed |
Charles Stanley
Charles Stanley only accepts applications online.
|
ISA Action |
Deadline |
|
Submit ISA application online |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA online |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by cheque |
Thursday 2nd April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by electronic bank transfer or Faster Payments |
Thursday 2nd April |
|
Bed & ISA (fund ISA using investments from a non-ISA portfolio) |
Deadline passed |
Fidelity
Fidelity says it will have people on-hand at 13 collection points between 8am-6pm on Thursday 2nd April for applications to be dropped-off in person.
The Kingswood and Oakhill offices are also open on Good Friday and during the Easter weekend, right up to the midnight deadline on Sunday 5th April to accept applications, even those delivered in person.
|
Action |
Deadline |
|
Submit ISA application online |
Midnight 5th April |
|
Submit ISA application over the phone |
Midnight 5th April |
|
Submit ISA application by post |
Midnight 5th April (hand delivered) |
|
Fund/top up ISA online |
Midnight 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA over the phone |
Midnight 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by cheque |
Midnight 5th April (hand delivered) |
|
Bed & ISA (fund ISA using investments from a non-ISA portfolio) |
Deadline passed |
Hargreaves Lansdown
Hargreaves Lansdown is no stranger to last minute ISA openings and funding. Last year 111 accounts were opened and 72 top ups were made between 11pm and 12pm.
|
Action |
Deadline |
|
Submit ISA application online |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Submit ISA applications over the phone |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Submit ISA application by post |
Thursday 2nd April |
|
Fund/top up ISA online |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA over the phone |
Midnight Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by cheque |
Thursday 2nd April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by electronic bank transfer or Faster Payments |
17.00 Thursday 2nd April |
|
Bed & ISA for funds submitted by post |
Deadline passed |
|
Bed & ISA for shares submitted by post |
Deadline passed |
|
Bed & ISA for funds submitted online |
17:00 Wednesday 1st April |
|
Bed & ISA for shares submitted online |
15:00 Thursday 2nd April |
Nutmeg
|
Action |
Deadline |
|
Submit ISA application online |
23:59 Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA online |
23:59 Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by cheque |
Deadline passed |
|
Fund/top up ISA by electronic bank transfer |
Deadline passed |
|
Fund/ top up ISA using Faster Payments |
Midday Thursday 2nd April |
|
Bed & ISA (fund ISA using investments from a non-ISA portfolio) |
Deadline passed |
Rplan
|
Action |
Deadline |
|
Submit ISA application online |
23:00 Sunday 5th April |
|
Submit ISA application over the phone |
n/a |
|
Submit ISA application by post |
Midday Saturday 4th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA by cheque |
Midday Saturday 4th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA online |
23:00 Sunday 5th April |
|
Fund/top up ISA over the phone |
n/a |
|
Fund/top up ISA by electronic transfer and Faster Payments |
Friday 3rd April |
|
Bed & ISA by post (fund ISA using investments from a non-ISA portfolio) |
Midday Saturday 4th April |
Opening your investment ISA
You’ll need your national insurance number and a way to fund the account to open your Stocks & Shares ISA. You'll also need to know what other contributions you have made to other ISAs in this tax year.
If the application and subscription are not completed by the given deadlines, it will not qualify as a contribution for the 2014/15 tax year.
Adrian Lowcock, head of investing at AXA Self Investor, said that investors should consider doing their ISA transaction before the banks close for the Easter weekend (Thursday). Then if for some reason the payment fails that means you have some time to call your bank to fix the problem.
Compare Stocks & Shares ISAs for 2014/15
More on ISAs:
Stocks & shares ISA offers and discounts
Peer-to-peer ISAs: what happens next?
The best Cash ISAs for the 2014/15 tax year