A cash ISA paying 4.57 per cent has been named the 'market leader' by a financial expert, who highlighted it as her 'pick of the week' as the tax year draws to a close. The HMRC tax year ends tomorrow, Sunday, April 6, 2026, meaning savers have until 11.59pm to use their £20,000 tax-free allowance or lose it.
Caitlyn Eastell, personal finance analyst at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, recommended the Plum Cash ISA, which pays 4.57 per cent AER and allows savers to invest as little as £1. However, she noted that the rate includes a 2.03 per cent bonus that expires after 12 months, urging savers to review the deal once it ends. The account is flexible, with unlimited withdrawals without penalty.
Eastell also highlighted that investors transferring into the Plum Cash ISA will receive a lower rate of 4.07 per cent AER. The account has been awarded a Moneyfacts 'Best Buy' and an 'Excellent' product rating.
In addition, Eastell pointed to the MBNA Fixed Saver One Year, which pays 4.52 per cent AER. This account requires a minimum deposit of £1,000 and allows further additions for 14 days from account opening, but no early access is permitted.
Turning to mortgages, Eastell highlighted a two-year discounted variable rate from Hinckley & Rugby Building Society at 4.34 per cent for remortgage customers with 75 per cent loan-to-value, and a NatWest two-year fixed rate at 5.21 per cent for buy-to-let landlords at 60 per cent loan-to-value.
