Individual savings accounts (ISAs)

The annual subscription limits will remain at £20,000 for ISAs, £4,000 for lifetime ISAs and £9,000 for junior ISAs and child trust funds for 2026/27. However, the maximum annual cash ISA subscription will be reduced to £12,000 from 6 April 2027 for those aged under 65.

In early 2026 a consultation will be published on the design of a new, simpler ISA product to support first time buyers. Once this new ISA becomes available, it will replace the lifetime ISA.

Help to save

The current Help to Save scheme will be made permanent. From 6 April 2028, eligibility will be extended to include all universal credit claimants who receive the child element, the caring element or both.

Pension salary sacrifice schemes

Employer and employee NICs will be charged on pension contributions above £2,000 a year made via salary sacrifice from 6 April 2029.

State pension and simple assessment

Pensioners whose sole income is the basic or new state pension (without any increments) will not have to pay small amounts of tax through simple assessment from 2027/28 if their state pension exceeds the personal allowance. More detail will be available next year.

UK listing relief

Transfers of a company’s securities will be subject to relief from the 0.5% stamp duty reserve tax charge from 27 November 2025 for three years after the point the company lists on a UK regulated market.

Venture capital trusts (VCTs) and enterprise investment schemes (EISs)

VCT income tax relief will decrease to 20% from 2026/27. The VCT and EIS company investment limit will rise to £10 million and £20 million for knowledge intensive companies (KICs). The lifetime investment limit for the companies themselves will increase to £24 million and £40 million for KICs. The gross assets test will increase from April 2026 to £30 million before share issue and £35 million after.