Flexible Stocks and Shares ISA

Q: What is a Flexible Stocks & Shares ISA?

A flexible stocks & shares ISA has all the same benefits as a regular stocks & shares ISA, where you can fund up to the annual allowance and use your cash and profits to invest in qualified investments. The added benefit of a flexible ISA is that you’re able to withdraw and redeposit the same amount into the same ISA within the same tax year, without affecting your remaining annual ISA allowance. You can’t withdraw from a classic stocks & shares ISA and redeposit the funds without using up additional allowance.

Q: How many stocks & shares ISAs can I have?

You can pay into as many Stocks & Shares ISA, Cash ISA and Innovative Finance ISA as you want. However, you are responsible for not exceeding your annual ISA allowance limit.

Q: How much money do I need to open an ISA?

The minimum amount you can deposit is £1. You can use your debit card to add funds, but you can’t deposit more than the annual limit for ISAs. To activate an ISA in the current tax year, you’ll need to fund a minimum of £1.

Q: Can I transfer an existing stocks & shares ISA to CMC Invest?

Yes, and you can also transfer a cash ISA and an innovative finance ISA. All you have to do is open an account, fill out our in-app transfer form, and we’ll work with your current provider to transfer your investments or cash on your behalf. However, we don't accept the partial transfer of your current year's ISA allowance. It must be the full transfer.

Q: Can I withdraw money from my Stocks & Shares ISA?

Yes, you can withdraw cash from your CMC Invest flexible ISA account whenever you need it, then put it back again in the same tax year, without affecting your annual ISA allowance.

Q: Why does my ISA allowance show as a negative amount when I withdraw?

Our flexible stocks & shares ISA allows customers to withdraw uninvested cash from their account and redeposit it in the same tax year. To reflect this in the account for those who may have withdrawn more than they have funded in the current tax year, with contributions made in the previous tax year, we will show the difference as a negative amount. For example, customer A contributed £15,000 to their flexible ISA in the tax year 25/26, and for tax year 26/27, they have yet to fund towards their £20,000 annual allowance. Instead, they have decided to withdraw £5,000 from their account. This will be displayed in the account as a £25,000 annual allowance left and a -£5,000 allowance used.

Q: Is CMC Invest regulated?

Yes, CMC Markets Investments Limited (registration number 948126) is fully authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK. Retail client money is held in segregated client bank accounts, and money held on behalf of clients is distributed across a range of major banks, which are regularly assessed against our risk criteria.

Q: Is CMC Invest covered by the FSCS?

Yes, your eligible deposits with CMC Markets are protected up to a total of by the Financial Services Compensations Scheme (FSCS), the UK's deposit guarantee scheme. If CMC Invest ever went into liquidation, retail clients would have their share of segregated money returned, minus the administrator's costs in handling and distributing these funds. Any shortfall of funds up to may be compensated under the FSCS.

Q: How does CMC Invest segregate client money?

Under the FCA's client money rules, we're required to segregate client money from our own funds (unless you agree with us otherwise). The money held in segregated bank accounts does not belong to us and will be held in a way that enables it to be identified as client money. Learn more about client money regulations.

Q: Do I pay tax on my investments?

In the UK, if you have a Stocks & Shares ISA or Self-invested Personal Pension (SIPP), you don’t need to pay capital gains tax on any profits you make from selling investments, or dividend tax on income you receive from companies. Any profits and dividend income you make through a General Investment Account is taxable. This will be shown in your ‘consolidated tax certificate’, which you'll receive from us following the end of each tax year. Tax treatment depends on your individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.

CMC Markets is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. When you invest, your capital is at risk.

Financial Conduct Authority regulated

Protected up to £85,000¹

FTSE 250 group

2024 WINNER

Best For Share Traders

Boring Money

2023 WINNER

Stocks & Shares ISA Innovation

Finder

2024 WINNER

Best For Low Cost ISA < £50K

Boring Money

Why choose CMC Invest?

Fractional shares

Invest in a portion of leading companies from just £1 with fractional shares in your Flexible Stock & Shares ISA, SIPP, and GIA.

No hidden fees

With flat-fee price plans, no hidden fees and 0% commission, you’ll know exactly how much you’re paying each month. See our price plans for more information.

Flexible ISAs

Our Flexible ISAs allow you to access your money within the same tax year without affecting your remaining annual allowance.

US shares, 24/5

Trade 4,000+ US shares around the clock, five days a week, so you can react to market news and events beyond regular trading hours.

In-app transfers

Our quick and easy in-app transfer form allows you to start your ISA transfer to us in as little as 30 seconds.

Variety of investments

Invest in 4,000+ US shares, large-cap UK shares, 400+ ETFs, Investment Trusts and REITs. Switch to Plus for much more.

What is a flexible stocks & shares ISA?

Our Flexible Stocks & Shares ISA allows you to access and withdraw your money within the same tax year without affecting your remaining annual ISA allowance.

Let’s say you’ve invested £12,000 into a standard Stocks & Shares ISA, and in the same tax year, you then take out £5,000, leaving your net balance at £7,000. That ISA will only acknowledge that you’ve contributed £12,000 and show that you have £8,000 left for the rest of the tax year.

A Flexible Stocks & Shares ISA uses the net balance to calculate your remaining allowance. You’d be able to contribute an additional £8,000 plus put back the £5,000 you initially withdrew, as long as this is done in the same tax year.

What could your ISA be worth?

Our ISA calculator helps you see how much your ISA could grow through regular contributions. To see your investing potential, just change the amounts in the boxes and adjust the scales to suit your plan.

Smarter investing starts here

Access a range of research tools powered by TipRanks and Morningstar, to help you make confident, data-driven decisions.

Analyst rating

Access insights from over 96,000 financial experts on whether they think a share should be bought, sold, or held.

Price targets

Track where experts think the price is heading. Use 12-month price targets and performance metrics to guide more informed decision-making.

Bull says, Bear says

Get both sides of the story to help you make balanced decisions, so you can determine whether a company is the right investment for you.

ESG preferences

Set your investment preferences for companies based on environmental, social, and governance practices to promote sustainable, ethical growth.

Fundamental analysis

See detailed information about a company, which includes valuation ratios, market capitalisation, growth ratios, cash flow and income.

Straightforward price plans

Choose from one of our plans that suits what you need. No hidden fees, no nasty surprises, just straightforward and transparent pricing. FX fees and UK government charges may apply.