An ISA (individual savings account) is a great way to save your money in a tax-efficient account. A stocks and shares ISA allows you to invest, usually based on the level of risk you are comfortable with. We look at the latest ISA statistics to see how the UK uses these tax-efficient accounts.
ISA statistics UK: Highlights
A quarter of UK adults (26%) have a stocks and shares ISA as of 2026, while almost half of Brits (46%) have a cash ISA.
4.1 million stocks and shares ISAs and 9.9 million cash ISAs were subscribed to in 2023/2024.
The average stocks and shares ISA deposit in 2023/2024 was £7,594, while the average cash ISA deposit was £6,993.
A quarter (27%) of ISA subscriptions in 2023/2024 were stocks and shares ISAs, while two-thirds (66%) were cash ISAs.
The average annual return on a stocks and shares ISA over the past 10 years has been 9.64%, compared to 1.2% for cash ISAs.
How many people have a stocks and shares ISA?
According to a 2026 Finder survey, 26% of UK adults currently have a stocks and shares ISA. An additional 17% don’t have one at the moment, but are intending to open a stocks and shares ISA this year.
4.1 million people subscribed to a stocks and shares ISA in the 2023/2024 tax year, up from 3.8 million people in 2022/2023. A quarter (25%) of all ISA subscriptions in 2022/2023 made were to stocks and shares ISAs.
The number of subscriptions has grown by 69% since the 2018/ 2019 financial year when just 2.4 million stocks and shares ISAs were subscribed to.
If you want to know more about opening a stocks and shares ISA, we’ve compiled a list of the best trading apps to help you decide which is best for you.
How many people have a cash ISA?
A 2026 Finder survey revealed that almost half of UK adults (46%) have at least one cash ISA. Another 17% of Brits are intending to open a cash ISA this year, although they don’t have one currently.
9.9 million people subscribed to a cash ISA in 2023/2024, up 26% from 7.9 million in the previous year. Two-thirds (66%) of all ISA subscriptions were to cash ISAs. In total, around 15 million ISAs were subscribed to in the 2023/2024 tax year.
What is the average return on a stocks and shares ISA?
The average annual return on a stocks and shares ISA over the past 5 years has been 6.37%, compared to 2.08% for a cash ISA. Over the past 10 years, it has been 9.64% annually compared to 1.2% for a cash ISA.
However, the performance of this type of ISA can vary significantly, seeing losses as well as returns over the course of a year. For example, the average stocks and shares ISA experienced a loss of 3.27% between February 2022 and February 2023. The table below highlights the variation in performance year-on-year.
Overall, UK adults placed an impressive £31.1 billion in stocks and shares ISA during the 2023/2024 tax year, around £3 billion more than in 2022/2023.
People also significantly increased the amount they were putting into cash ISAs, likely as a result of higher interest rates. £69.5 billion was put into these accounts in 2023/2024 – 67% more than the £41.6 billion subscribed in 2022/2023.
What is the average stocks and shares ISA balance?
Over the last 5 years, the average amount deposited in a stocks and shares ISA was £8,389. In the 2023/2024 financial year, this was slightly lower than the average, at £7,594.
What is the average cash ISA balance?
The average deposit per account for a cash ISA over the past 5 years is lower than a stocks and shares ISA, at just £5,242. However, the average subscription in 2023/2024 was higher than this, at £6,993. This year’s figure was 32% higher than the average deposit of £5,296 in 2022/2023.
Finder commissioned Censuswide to carry out a nationally representative survey of adults aged 18+. A total of 2,000 people were questioned throughout Great Britain between 9 and 11 February 2026, with representative quotas for gender, age and region. The online survey has a margin of error of ±2.2% at a 95% confidence level. Censuswide follows the MRS Code of Conduct, ESOMAR principles, and is a member of the British Polling Council.
Click here for more research. For all media enquiries, please contact –
Matt Mckenna
UK Head of Communications T: +44 20 8191 8806
Hide
Share your opinions to win prizes or earn cash!
Share your opinions to win!
Sign up to receive deals and tips, plus opportunities to win prizes for your opinions and experiences! (T&Cs)
Sophie Barber is a senior content marketing manager for Finder in the UK. She has over 5 years experience in writing and publishing clear, concise and informative articles that help consumers make informed decisions.
See full bio
Sophie's expertise
Sophie
has written
98
Finder guides across topics including:
George is a deputy editor at Finder. He has previously written for The Motley Fool UK, Nasdaq, Freetrade, Investing in the Web, MoneyMagpie, Online Mortgage Advisor, Wealth, and Compare Forex Brokers.
He's focused on making personal finance and investing engaging for everyone. To do this he draws from previous work and his Level 4 Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA), sharing what he’s learnt. When he’s not geeking out about money, you’ll find him playing sports and staying active.
See full bio
George's expertise
George
has written
274
Finder guides across topics including:
We’ve explored the latest CFD trading statistics to see how many of us are trading with CFDs and to check the impact of the new regulations.
Advertiser disclosure
Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
How likely would you be to recommend Finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
