1.       What is an ISA and what benefits does it offer me?

An ISA (Individual Savings Account) is a tax-free savings or investment account that gives you the opportunity to save or invest a certain amount of money every year, without having to pay tax on any growth in your investments or savings. There are 4 types of adult ISA available (stocks & shares ISA, cash ISA, innovative finance ISA , and lifetime ISA).  The interest on cash accumulates on a tax-free basis, as does income and capital gains made on investments.

A stocks and shares ISA lets you invest in “qualifying instruments” such as stocks and shares, funds, etc. A stocks and shares ISA is not an investment in its own right.  The best way to think of a stocks and shares ISA is as a ‘wrapper’ with which you can shelter your savings and investments from both Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax. The IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA lets you choose from a range of investments to invest in (see below section 10 ‘What can I invest in?’). You can select and manage your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA yourself or arrange for your financial advisor to do so on your behalf (see below section 8 ‘Can I appoint a financial advisor to manage, on a discretionary basis, my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?’).

When deciding which type of ISA to open, you should consider the pros and cons of each so that you can choose the type that best fits with your personal needs, circumstances and financial goals. We offer stocks and shares ISAs only.

Tax treatments depend on your individual circumstances and may change in the future.

 

2.       What ISA types are offered at IBUKL?

Interactive Brokers (U.K.) Limited (IBUKL) only offers stocks and shares ISAs (including, Junior Stocks and Shares ISA). IBUKL does not offer cash ISAs (including, Junior cash ISA).

 

3.       Who is eligible for an IBUKL Stocks and Share ISA?

In accordance with HMRC regulations, any individual who is a resident for tax purposes in the UK and over the age of 18 is eligible to open a stocks and share ISA.

Click on the link for additional details:

https://www.gov.uk/tax-foreign-income/residence

 

4.       How many ISAs can I have?

There is no overall limit on the number of ISA accounts, but you can only subscribe to one type of each ISA in the same tax year. This means if you have already subscribed to a Stocks & Shares ISA with a different provider in the current tax year, you cannot also subscribe to an Interactive Brokers Stocks & Shares ISA.

 

5.       What is a flexible Stocks and Shares ISA?

ISA flexibility refers to whether you’re able to withdraw from your ISA without affecting your annual allowance. A flexible stocks and shares ISA allows the individual to withdraw funds from their stocks and shares ISA and put them back into it, within the same tax year, without affecting their annual ISA allowance.

 

6.       Does IBUKL offer a flexible Stocks and Shares ISA?

No, an IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA isn't flexible. That means you can take money out, but it'll count towards your annual ISA allowance if you pay it back in the same tax year.

https://www.gov.uk/tax-foreign-income/residence

 

7.       Can you lose your money paid into a Stocks and Shares ISA?

The value of investments you hold in your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA and the income received from them can fall as well as rise. As a result, you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not an indication of future performance, and some investments need to be held for the long term to achieve a return. The IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA is an execution only service, Interactive Brokers does not provide investment advice.  If you need advice about whether an investment is suitable, you need to consult a suitably qualified financial advisor.

 

8.       Can I appoint a financial advisor to manage, on a discretionary basis, my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?

Yes, you can appoint a financial advisor to manage your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA on your behalf. Click on the link for additional details:

https://ibkr.info/node/134

 

9.       Can I trade on margin under the IBUKL  Stocks and Shares ISA?

No. You can only open an IBUKL  Stocks and Shares ISA under a GBP cash account type. A cash account requires that all transactions are made with available cash or long positions.

 

10.   What can I invest in?

Under a stocks and shares ISA you can invest in any of the following investments (also known as 'qualifying investments'):

• Shares;
• Securities issued by Companies;
• Recognised UCITS;
• Depository Receipts, American Depository Receipts and American Depository Shares.

Full details can be found on the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) website. 

Please Note: Ineligible investments

·       ISA accounts cannot hold non-qualifying investments.

 

11. What is a non-qualifying investment in an IBUKL ISA (Individual Savings Account)?

Examples of non-qualifying investments include warrants or delisted securities. On occasion a corporate action (on a qualifying investment) may result in your IBUKL ISA account holding a non-qualifying investment.

 

12. What happens to non-qualifying investments held in an IBUKL ISA (Individual Savings Account)?

Where such a situation arises, HMRC regulations require IBUKL to remove the non-qualifying investments from the ISA account within 30 calendar days. To do this IBUKL will open a non-ISA account in your name if you do not have one already open and you may be asked to complete that application.

Once the non-ISA account is opened, IBUKL will transfer the non-qualifying investments to ensure we continue to operate your ISA account in accordance with HMRC regulations. If you already have a non-ISA account with IBUKL, then the non-qualifying investments will be transferred to your existing account.

 

13.   What exchanges does IBUKL support?

HMRC recognised exchanges supported by IBUKL:

Country	Exchange
Australia	The Australian Stock Exchange (and any of its stock exchange subsidiaries)
Austria	Vienna Stock Exchange
Belgium	NYSE Euronext Brussels
Canada	Toronto Stock Exchange Montreal Stock Exchange Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX Venture Exchange)
France	MATIF MONEP
Germany	Frankfurt Stock Exchange Stuttgart Stock Exchange
Hong Kong	Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Italy	Italian Stock Exchange (Borsa Italia)
Japan	Tokyo Stock Exchange Osaka Stock Exchange
Lithuania	NASDAQ OMX Vilnius
Mexico	Mexico Stock Exchange
Poland	Warsaw Stock Exchange
Singapore	Singapore Exchange Limited
South Korea	Korea Exchange
Spain	Spanish Stock Exchange (Bolsa de Valores in Madrid)
Switzerland	Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange)
United Kingdom	London Stock Exchange
United States of America	BATs Exchange Inc Chicago Board Options Exchange Chicago Stock Exchange International Securities Exchange National Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange NYSE ARCA NASDAQ OMX PHLX NASDAQ

 

14.   What is the ISA Allowance for 2023/2024 tax year?

Tax year runs from 6 April to the following 5 April. Each tax year’s ISA subscription limit is specific to that year and can be checked on the HMRC website. 

For the 2023/24 tax year the annual ISA allowance is £20,000 per person. Any of the ISA allowance that goes unused in the current tax year cannot be rolled over to the subsequent tax year. You can divide this cash allowance across multiple ISAs, provided that not more than 1 of each type of ISA is subscribed to in any given tax year. NB.  If you are already subscribed to another stocks and shares ISA in the current tax year, you are not permitted to subscribe to our stocks and shares ISA for the remainder of the tax year.

NB. For each tax year, you can check (via the funding page in Client Portal) how much you have subscribed to your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA and the maximum amount that you can contribute to your IBUKL stocks and shares ISA in that tax year, assuming you have not contributed to another ISA away from Interactive Brokers.

15.   How do I make subscriptions to my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?

You can make one-off payments (wire transfers deposits) as and when you choose, but the combined total of all payments (or subscriptions) must not exceed any given annual tax year allowance (see section 12. What is the ISA Allowance for 2023/2024 tax year?).

Interactive Brokers accepts wire transfers only, and there is a minimum subscription amount of £1. Your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA can only have GBP cash. 

16.   Can I fund my ISA via Internal Transfer from my existing Interactive Brokers account?

Yes, as long as the existing account is an individual account in the same name, an internal transfer can be requested to fund your ISA account.

Internal transfer from non-ISA to ISA will be considered as a contribution and only allowed if within the yearly contribution limits. Positions cannot be transferred between these accounts.

17.   Can I check the tax-year to date contributions i have made into my ISA account?

Yes, if you create a deposit notification for a fund transfer, before selecting "Get Transfer Instructions" on the final page there is a contribution tracker showing how much you have contributed so far during the current tax year.

18.   What happens if I exceed my ISA allowance?

 If you have accidentally paid too much into your ISAs you won’t get any tax relief on the excess payments you’ve made. The ISA allowance is a combined annual limit across all adult ISA types (e.g. stock & shares ISA, cash ISA, innovative Finance ISA , and lifetime ISAs).

 

19.   What should I do if I exceed my ISA allowance?

 In the event you oversubscribe to your ISA (in other words your ISA annual allowance was exceeded), you should not attempt to correct the mistake by withdrawing the excess funds from an ISA (including, but not limited to, your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA). Instead, you should call HMRC’s ISA helpline to explain the situation and inform them about the oversubscription. HMRC will advise you on the next steps.   NB. The ISA allowance for the tax year 2023/2024 is GBP 20,000 (this is a combined limit across all 4 types of ISA (stock & shares ISA, cash ISA, innovative finance ISA , and lifetime ISAs).

 

20.   What is the annual fee for the IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?

 There is no annual ISA fee at IBUKL. Other costs and charges apply, see below section 19 for more information.

 

21.   What are the charges for the IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?

• £3 per month minimum activity fee. (e.g. if you generate 2 pounds of commission in a particular month, you would be charged the remaining balance of 1 pounds as a minimum activity fee. Generate 3 or more pounds in consolidated commission from linked accounts in a month and there will be no fee.)
• One free withdrawal per month. Thereafter, £7 withdrawal fee is applicable.

Click here for an overview of our commissions:

https://www.interactivebrokers.co.uk/en/index.php?f=39753&p=stocks

 

22.   What transactions are allowed and what transactions are not allowed in an ISA?

 a)       Example of allowed transactions

An individual subscribes £15,000 into a stocks and shares ISA, £3,000 into a cash ISA and £2,000 into a lifetime ISA. No more than 1 of each type of ISA was subscribed to in the tax year, and the annual ISA allowance of £20,000 was not exceeded.

 b)      Example of disallowed transactions

An individual subscribes £10,000 into one stocks and shares ISA, £2,000 into another stocks and shares ISA, and the remaining £8,000 into a cash ISA. While the individual did not exceed the annual ISA allowance of £20,000, they subscribed funds into more than 1 stocks and shares ISA.

 

23.   How do I transfer my stocks and shares ISA from my current ISA manager to IBUKL?

Position/in-specie transfers are now available from certain ISA managers. When requesting a transfer in the client portal supported providers will have a position transfer option within the form.

You will need to submit a transfer instruction to Interactive Brokers (go to Client Portal, Transfer & Pay, then Transfer Existing ISA), and if, in IBUKL’s discretion IBUKL decides to accept the transfer, IBUKL will instruct your existing ISA manager to transfer your investments (where IBUKL supports such investments) and/or cash into your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA. Where IBUKL does not support all your investments held at your existing ISA Manager, you can either liquidate these investments yourself prior to submitting your transfer instruction to IBUKL via Client Portal (any cash proceeds of such liquidation will be transferred into your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA) or you can instruct IBUKL (as part of your transfer instruction via Client Portal) to do so on your behalf.

Note Interactive Brokers does not support partial transfers, only full account transfer requests can be made.

 

24.   How do I transfer an ISA out of IBUKL to another provider?

Any transfer out request from IBUKL must be requested via the receiving ISA provider. The requesting broker can email a client-signed transfer form to isa-transfer@interactivebrokers.com or the client may attach a completed form to a web ticket.

 

25.   What are the Transfer Charges?

Interactive Brokers does not charge for transfers (the transferring ISA manager may charge you for transferring investments or cash proceeds to us).

 

26.   Can I cancel my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?

You have a legal right to cancel your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA if you change your mind but there are time limits on doing so, see below section 25 for more information.

 

27.   How can I cancel my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?

 If you want to cancel your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA, you must do so within 14 days from the date you receive our email confirming the establishment of your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA (a cancellation must be requested from the Client Portal).

 Cancellation rights will also apply to the receipt of transfer payments.  You have 14 days from the date you receive our email acknowledging the transfer to exercise your right to cancel (a cancellation must be requested from the Client Portal). NB. If you cancel the transfer of your stocks and shares ISA from another ISA manager to IBUKL, that ISA manager may not agree to accept the stocks and shares ISA back. This may result in that stocks and shares ISA being closed, and the tax benefits being lost.

 

28.   How safe is your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?

IBUKL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and is approved by HMRC to act as an ISA manager (including in respect of stocks and shares ISAs).

Under our client terms, and in accordance with the FCA rules relating to client money and assets (Assets), IBUKL will be responsible for holding and protecting your Assets. IBUKL is required to separate your Assets from its own resources. IBUKL is not permitted to use your Assets to carry out its business activities.

In the unlikely event that IBUKL became insolvent, an administrator would be appointed to return your money/assets to you. If there is any shortfall, eligible claims will be covered by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). The FSCS is an independent body set up by the UK Government to pay compensation if a UK firm, such as IBUKL is in default and cannot meet any valid claims against it.  FSCS claims are limited to £85,000 per client. Please note, the FSCS applies to designated investments and may not cover all investments or transactions (and in particular these protections don’t apply to investment losses).  For more information on the FSCS see www.fscs.org.uk.

 

29.   How can I file a complaint with IBUKL?

 Customers are actively encouraged to use the WebTicket system for prompt attention.

 A copy of our Complaints Procedure is available here https://www.interactivebrokers.com/en/index.php?f=292 You can also direct your ISA specific complaints via email to isa@interactivebrokers.co.uk (Please note that in order to ensure that your complaint is flagged and given the required attention, Interactive Brokers kindly asks you to state "COMPLAINT" in the subject header field of the email).

 

30.   Are Corporate Actions allowed under my IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA?

Allowed to participate but cannot exceed the annual ISA subscription limit. If it were to exceed the subscription limit, the shares should be transferred to a non-ISA account (see above sections 17 ‘What should I do if I exceed my ISA allowance?’.

 

31. FX Handling and your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA

Interactive Brokers will automatically convert currencies when trading non-GBP denominated securities. To do this, Interactive Brokers will engage in “spot” currency transactions on your behalf in order to settle your buy orders or convert the proceeds of a sell order. For opening orders Interactive Brokers will base the exchange rate off the spot exchange rate at the time of trade plus our 0.03% fee. For closing orders any non GBP balances will be closed at the end of the trading day at the closing exchange rate of the day plus our 0.03% fee.

The below example illustrates the cost in GBP of a $1,000 USD Trade

Example GBP/USD Spot Rate: 1.3432/1.3433

Order Type	FX Conversion Rate inc 0.03% fee	Cost of $1000 USD Trade
Buy	1.3430	£744.61
Sell	1.3435	£744.31

 

32. What if I have additional questions?

Our customer services team are on hand to help via phone or email.  If you have any questions about your IBUKL Stocks and Shares ISA, please contact our dedicated ISA Support team who are available 8am to 6pm GMT Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.