# How to transfer an ISA and keep the money tax free

> Moving an ISA to a new provider is allowed at any time, but only if the new provider arranges it. This guide explains the transfer process, the…

- URL: https://centiview.com/uk-money/how-to-transfer-an-isa-and-keep-it-tax-free
- Published: 2026-10-14T18:40:00.000Z
- Figures checked: 2026-10-14
- Edited by David A
- Topic: Savings (UK)
- Publisher: Centiview (Persie Ltd, London)
- General information only, not financial advice

Moving an ISA to a new provider is allowed at any time, but only if the new provider arranges it. This guide explains the transfer process, the timescales, the limits and the April 2027 change.

## What an ISA transfer is

An ISA transfer moves money you already hold in an Individual Savings Account (ISA, a tax-free savings or investment account) from one provider to another. GOV.UK says you can move all or part of your savings at any time, and that the money can go into the same type of ISA or a different type. Both money paid in during the current tax year and money from earlier years can be moved. The important point is how it is done: the new provider asks the old one to move the money directly. If you instead take the money out yourself, GOV.UK says you lose the right to reinvest that portion of your tax-free allowance, so a withdrawal is not the same thing as a transfer.

## How the process works

The steps are short. You contact the provider you want to move to and complete their ISA transfer form, which authorises them to request your account from your current provider. You do not need to close the old account first, and you should not ask for the money to be paid to you. For transfers from one cash ISA to another, GOV.UK says the process should take up to 15 working days. For any other type of transfer, including stocks and shares ISAs, it can take up to 30 calendar days. The guidance given to ISA managers describes the cash timetable as 15 business days, made up of short stages for passing on the request, sending the money and applying it to the new account.

- A transfer can be all of the account or only part of it.
- Cash held in an innovative finance ISA can be moved, but other investments in that ISA may not be transferable, so ask the provider.
- Ask your current provider whether any charges or restrictions apply to leaving.
- If you are moving between types, for example cash to stocks and shares, the longer 30 day timescale is the one to expect.

> **Key numbers** 2026/27 overall ISA allowance: £20,000 (GOV.UK, checked 14 October 2026). Cash ISA to cash ISA transfer: up to 15 working days. Other transfers: up to 30 calendar days.

## Current-year and earlier-year money

The rules treat money paid in during the current tax year (6 April to 5 April) a little differently from money from earlier years. The guidance for ISA managers says an investor can move all of this year's subscriptions, which closes the account if everything goes, or only part of them, in which case the original account stays open. Money from previous years can be moved in whole or in part, either on its own or together with current-year money. The provider works out the split, so you do not have to.

## A worked example

Here is an illustrative example, not a forecast or a recommendation. Suppose someone holds a cash ISA worth £13,000, of which £5,000 was paid in during the current tax year and the rest came from earlier years. With no withdrawals this year, the earlier-year part is £13,000 minus £5,000, which is £8,000. They could ask a new provider to move only that £8,000 and leave the £5,000 where it is, or move the whole £13,000 and close the old account. Now suppose £1,000 had been taken out earlier this year. The managers' method counts current-year money as payments in less withdrawals, so £5,000 minus £1,000 gives £4,000, and the remaining £9,000 (£13,000 minus £4,000) counts as earlier-year money. The exact split depends on the provider's records and the type of account.

## Lifetime ISAs and the April 2027 change

Lifetime ISAs have their own rules. GOV.UK guidance for managers says a transfer from one Lifetime ISA to another carries no withdrawal charge and the government bonus moves with the savings. Moving a Lifetime ISA into a different type of ISA is treated as a withdrawal, which removes the tax-free wrapper and may trigger a charge. A separate change arrives on 6 April 2027. For people under 65, the annual cash ISA limit is due to fall to £12,000 (it stays at £20,000 for people aged 65 or over), and GOV.UK's factsheet says transfers from stocks and shares ISAs into cash ISAs will not be permitted for under-65s. It adds that moving from a cash ISA to a non-cash ISA will still be possible, and the restriction is lifted for people aged 65 and over. The factsheet does not describe transfers between cash ISAs.

## Common mistakes and where to get help

The most common problem is withdrawing the money and paying it into a new ISA, which can permanently lose tax-free status on that amount. Others include forgetting to check for exit charges or fixed-term penalties, and not checking how long the money will be out of the account while the transfer is processed. It can be worth asking the new provider to confirm in writing which accounts and tax years the transfer covers. If a transfer is taking longer than the published timescales, GOV.UK says to contact your provider first, and if you are still unhappy you can take the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. MoneyHelper and Citizens Advice also offer free, impartial guidance on savings.

## Who this applies to

This guide applies to adults in the UK with an existing ISA, and the GOV.UK pages read for it give no separate rules for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. It does not cover Junior ISAs in detail, because the GOV.UK pages read for this guide did not set out their transfer rules, nor Help to Buy ISAs or the tax position of non-ISA savings. It is general information, not personal advice, and it does not suggest any provider or account.

> **Who this affects** Anyone holding an ISA who is considering moving it to another provider. Rules for Junior ISAs and Lifetime ISAs differ, so check the official pages.

## Check before you act

Rules, limits and timescales can change, and providers apply their own terms. Confirm the details on the official pages linked below, and ask your current and new providers about charges, timings and any restrictions before starting a transfer.

### Sources
- [GOV.UK, Transferring your ISA](https://www.gov.uk/individual-savings-accounts/transferring-your-isa)
- [GOV.UK, How ISAs work](https://www.gov.uk/individual-savings-accounts/how-isas-work)
- [GOV.UK, Transfer an ISA (guidance for ISA managers)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transfer-an-isa-if-youre-an-isa-manager)
- [GOV.UK, ISA reform 2027: anti-circumvention rules factsheet](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fiscal-events-2026-factsheets/isa-reform-2027-anti-circumvention-rules-factsheet)
- [GOV.UK, Cash ISA limit reduction](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reduction-in-the-cash-individual-savings-account-isa-limit/cash-individual-savings-account-isa-limit-reduction)