

Top Junior ISAs
2.5% tax-free kids' savings
Junior ISAs are tax-free savings accounts which under-18s (or their parents) can save or invest up to £9,000 this tax year. In this fully updated guide, we tell you the advantages and disadvantages of junior ISAs, and then have a list of the top-pick accounts.
Other top MSE savings guides...
Children's Savings: Educate your kids to save
Top savings: Find the top rate savings deals for adults
Safe savings: Find out how to protect your savings

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What is a junior ISA?
A junior ISA is a permanently tax-free savings or investment wrapper aimed at encouraging families to save for their children's futures. Any money you put in one will be locked away until your child's 18th birthday, when it becomes their cash (and will become a standard ISA).
You can put up to £9,000 into a junior ISA in the 2021/22 tax year which can be split whichever way you like between the two types of junior ISAs:
- Junior cash ISAs. This is where you put the cash in what is quite simply an always tax-free savings account. The money is completely safe (provided it's in a UK-regulated provider and you've no more than £85,000 with that financial institution) and you get a defined amount of interest. The only risk is the money won't grow as quickly as inflation.
- Junior stocks & shares ISAs. Here, returns depend on the performance of the stocks or shares you've invested in.
The nine junior ISA need-to-knows
Everything you need to know about how junior ISAs work...
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Top junior cash ISAs

Junior cash ISAs – what we'd go for
At the moment, Darlington BS and Bath BS both pay the top rate of 2.5%. You can open accounts with both providers either by post or in branch.
While all the providers below will allow you to transfer in from an existing junior ISA, only Coventry Building Society will let you transfer in from a Child Trust Fund – it pays a slightly lower rate of 2.25%. You can open an account either by post or over the phone with £1.
Note: All of the accounts below offer variable rates, and these could drop at any point – so keep an eye on the rate you're getting and be ready to transfer away if it changes.
Provider | Rate (AER variable) | How to open | Transfer in allowed? | Interest paid | Max FSCS Protection |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Darlington BS (1) | 2.5% (min £1) | Post/ branch | ✓ (2) | Annually | £85,000 |
Bath BS (1) | 2.5% (min £1) | Post/ branch | ✓ (2) (3) | Annually | £85,000 |
The Family BS | 2.4% (min £3,000) | Post/ branch | ✓ (2) (4) | Annually | £85,000 |
Coventry BS | 2.25% (min £1) | Post/ phone | ✓ | Annually | £85,000 |
(1) Passbook-based account. (2) Does not accept transfers in from Child Trust Funds. (3) Must complete additional form to transfer in existing JISA. (4) Must complete additional form to transfer in existing JISA.
Want to complain about your savings provider?
If your savings provider has given you the incorrect interest rate, or you haven't received your interest at all, then you don't have to suffer in silence. It's always worth trying to call your provider first to see if it can help, but if not...
Free tool to help you complain
This tool helps you draft and manage your complaint. It's totally free to use, and it's offered by Resolver, a firm we work with to help people get complaints justice.
RESOLVER – FREE COMPLAINTS TOOL*
If the company won't help, Resolver also helps you escalate your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.
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