AAA Display options

The new force combining Age Concern Wales logo & Help the Aged in Wales logo

Savings advice

happy older lady talking to man

Choosing a savings account can feel confusing because of the number of different accounts available. Shop around and do some research to find the best deals.

Personal finance sections in newspapers usually include tables showing the current best rates and there are money comparison websites offering similar information.

The interest rate is often linked to the length of time you save your money for. Some accounts allow you to take out your money whenever you want but for others you may have to give notice to withdraw your money without incurring a penalty‚ or not be able to make a withdrawal until the end of a fixed period.

Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs)

All individuals can invest a certain amount of money in a cash Individual Savings Account (ISA) each year. Cash ISAs often offer a higher rate of interest than other savings accounts and the interest is paid free of Income Tax.

Taxable savings

Interest on most savings accounts is paid with 20% Income Tax deducted. Non-tax payers can arrange for their interest to be paid without this deduction by completing a form that is available from your bank or building society. Even if you are a tax payer you may be able to reclaim part of the tax.

Advice on savings

An independent financial adviser may be able to help identify how to arrange your savings and investments for the best return while restricting risk to a level you are comfortable with. Being called ‘independent’ does not necessarily mean that an adviser has access to all companies in the marketplace. Check what‚ if any‚ restrictions your adviser operates under and also how their fees are covered.

Any plan should take account of your particular circumstances. It is usually better to reduce any debts before concentrating on increasing savings.

Saving for a rainy day

Remember, you may need to use some of your savings at short notice so beware of tying up all your money in long-term investments. Always keep some money in a ‘rainy day’ account where you can withdraw it when you need it.

opens link in new window IG16 Tax guide  - April 2012 (PDF 686KB)

opens link in new window IG19 Managing Your Money - September 2011 (PDF 2.47MB)

opens link in new window IG20 Money Matters - August 2010 (PDF 2.61MB)

 

Your Age Cymru

Set your location to see what Age Cymru offers in your local area.

Age UK Advice:
0800 169 6565

Useful information to download

  • An information guide that covers how to make the most of your savings.
  • An information guide that offers advice on choosing the right bank and building society accounts to suit you.
  •  

  • Help with downloads

    Downloads

    What is a download?

    A download is a document (like a research report, a leaflet, or an application form) that can be transferred from our website to your computer. You can download a file, view it on your screen, print it, or save it to your computer.

    What is a PDF?

    PDF stands for ‘portable document format’.

    Most downloads on this website are PDFs. We use this format to ensure that the document looks the same on everyone’s computer (website pages, by contrast, appear differently depending on how people have got their computer set up).

    How do I download a PDF?

    Computers use a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader to download PDFs. If you try clicking on a link to download a PDF and it doesn’t work, you will need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader onto your computer.

    How do I install Adobe Acrobat Reader?

    The process is quite straightforward and is free.

    1. Go to opens link in new window http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
    2. Click ‘Download’.
    3. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Run’, then choose this option.
    4. Click ‘Next’.
    5. Click ‘Install’
    6. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Finish’, then choose this option.

    How do I change a download?

    PDFs cannot be changed. If you need to be able to type into a downloaded document (for example, if we are offering a letter template that you need to put your name on) we will provide it as a Microsoft Word document rather than a PDF. You can then download it, type into it and save it to your computer.

    How do I print or save a download?

    Downloads will open on your computer in a new browser window.

    Inside this window (below all your web browser menus), there will be a toolbar with options for you to print or save the document.

    Close the browser window to return to the Age UK website.

    Can my screen reader read PDF downloads?

    We have made every effort to make our PDFs accessible to screen readers. Here is an overview of your accessibility options available in Acrobat Reader. Please ensure that you have downloaded the latest version of Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Reader website to ensure that they are included in your version of the programme.

    You can use Adobe Reader to read a PDF out loud with the following shortcut keys:

    • Read the document: Shift +Ctrl+Y
    • Read the open page only: Shift +Ctrl+V
    • Read to the end of the document: Shift+Ctrl+B
    • Pause: Shift+Ctrl+C
    • Stop Shift+Ctrl+E


    You can also convert a PDF into a web page by following these steps:

    • Copy the URL (web address) of the document (right-click on the link and select ‘Save target as’ or ‘Copy link’).
    • Open the Adobe online conversion tool in your browser and paste the URL into the URL box.
    • Tick the HTML box on the Format option and click ‘Convert’.


    You can convert a PDF document into a text file for use with other software and hardware such as Braille printers by opening the PDF and choosing ‘Save as text’ from the File menu.

     


 

Close window
Display options

Set the appearance of this website so you can read it more easily

Text size

Background/foreground


To see information relating to England, Northern Ireland or Scotland set your preference below: