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Royal Bank of Scotland ISAs

Apply for an Instant Access ISA today

Make the most of your savings

Start saving with as little as £1, and take your money out when you need it.

Save up to £20,000 tax free up to 5th April.

Bring your ISA balances together in one place.

Summary Box

Account name: Instant Access ISA

What is the interest rate?

Interest is paid on a tiered basis which means you'll earn one rate on your entire account balance. Interest is calculated daily and paid into your account annually on the first business day in April and at account closure.

Can Royal Bank of Scotland change the interest rate?

Yes, these rates are variable. If the rates are going down and your balance is £100 or more, we'll give you at least 14 days' notice. If the rates are going down and your balance is less than £100, we'll inform you before the change or shortly afterwards. If the rates are going up, we'll inform you before the change or shortly afterwards. For more information please see the Savings Account Terms (PDF, 501 KB)

What would the estimated balance be after 12 months based on a range of deposits?

These are only examples and do not take into account your individual circumstances. They assume that no further deposits or withdrawals are made; there is no change to interest rates and tiers; and any interest earned stays in the account.

How do I open and manage my account?

Your eligibility

Instant Access ISAs are open to existing Royal Bank current account customers aged 16+. You must be resident in the UK for tax purposes.

You can only hold one Instant Access ISA with Royal Bank.

If you already have an Instant Access ISA with us, keep paying into that account.

You must:

  • not have subscribed to another cash ISA (including a Help to Buy: ISA with another provider) or have subscribed more than the overall subscription limit in total to a cash ISA, a stocks and shares ISA, an innovative finance ISA and a lifetime ISA in the same tax year
  • hold the account solely in your name

You can open and manage your account on our mobile app, online or by telephone.

To open in branch you must bring your own digital device such as a mobile or tablet and our staff can assist you opening the account yourself.

Balance and ISA allowance

There is no minimum deposit required to open the account; no minimum deposit needs to be made on a regular basis; and there is no maximum balance limit.

However, there is a limit on the amount you can pay into your account each tax year (6 April to 5 April). This annual limit also known as your “ISA allowance”, is set by the Government and may change from time to time. For the current tax year it is £20,000. If you pay in more than the limit any excess money will be returned to you.

If you make a payment for a tax year into your Instant Access ISA, you can’t make any payments for that tax year into any other cash ISA.

You can transfer all or part of any ISA held with another provider to us. Click here to find out more.

Can I withdraw money?

This is a non-payment account.

Yes. No notice is required.

  • You can withdraw money: in branch or by transfer to another account held with us in your name (online, by telephone or on the mobile app).
  • If you make a withdrawal, you will not be able to deposit more money into your account if it means you will exceed the annual limit.
  • You can transfer your ISA (or part of it) to another ISA manager.

There are daily limits on the amount of money you can withdraw from your account by phone, online or mobile app. Find out more about the daily limit or speak to us on the phone about them.

Frequently asked questions

Have your statements at your fingertips

We'll send you an email when your statements are ready to view in Digital Banking. You can check them whenever you want.

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Definitions

AER: Stands for the Annual Equivalent Rate. It shows you what the rate would be if interest was paid and compounded each year.

Tax Free: The interest rate you are paid without the deduction of UK income tax.

p.a.: per annum (per year)

Information Message

Get ready to apply

Before you apply, we need to check you're happy with a few things. And ask you a few questions up front. Then we can make your application as quick and simple as it can be.

First things first. Please take a look at the important legal info:

Instant Access ISA | Savings | Royal Bank of Scotland

How your information might be used

It’s important for you to understand how we use and share your information. Please read this short summary before you continue with your application.

As part of the checks that we will complete to verify your identity, we’ll take an image of your face so that it can be compared with your photo ID and this biometric data is captured.

 

All okay? You're nearly ready to start.

To speed up your application for our Cash ISA account, we need to do a few final checks with you. They'll only take a minute.

Do you have our Royal Bank app on a mobile device?
If you're registered for our app on a mobile device, we can pre-fill some of your info, making the application process faster.

Great, let's get your application started.

Remember, to apply for a Cash ISA, you must: 

  • Have your National Insurance number. You’ll find it on your payslip, P60 or any letters from HMRC.
  • Be at least 16 years old and a permanent UK resident, or a Crown Servant serving overseas, their spouse or civil partner.
  • Have a phone number and email address we can contact you on.

Using a desktop or have the app on another device?

Simply scan the QR code with your mobile or tablet device that has the Royal Bank app and we'll get you started.  

Using your mobile or tablet device now?

If you're already using a device with the Royal Bank app, select the 'Start your application' button below.

Do you use Digital Banking?
If you log in to Digital Banking we can pre-fill some of the application for you.

Log in to Digital Banking

  1. Enter your customer number or 16-digit card number to get started. 
  2. You'll then need to enter your Digital Banking pin and password.
  3. Once you're logged in, select 'Savings accounts' from the product list. 
  4. Finally, choose the account you want to apply for and complete your application.

Remember, to apply for a Cash ISA, you must: 

  • Have your National Insurance number. You’ll find it on your payslip, P60 or any letters from HMRC.
  • Be at least 16 years old and a permanent UK resident, or a Crown Servant serving overseas, their spouse or civil partner.
  • Have a phone number and email address we can contact you on.

Let’s get you registered for Digital Banking

You’ll need to sign up for Digital Banking with us in order to apply for a savings account. The good news is that it normally takes only 5 minutes and all you’ll need is your sort code, account number and your Royal Bank Debit Card, if you have one.

Once you’ve registered, select ‘Next’ to log in and apply for a Cash ISA account. 

Log in to Digital Banking

  1. Enter your customer number or 16-digit card number to get started. 
  2. You'll then need to enter your Digital Banking pin and password.
  3. Once you're logged in, select 'Savings accounts' from the product list. 
  4. Finally, choose the account you want to apply for and complete your application.