Best cash ISA without changing current account?

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I'm getting really bored reading lists of best cash ISAs, only to find they are only available to current account holders.

What's the best cash ISA right now if I don't want to change current account (First Direct - must stay with because of mortgage)?

MSE and Which etc aren't helping me on this - it's all current account holders only in the top list!

How much flexibility do you want? Paragon have the best interest rate at the moment but there are restrictions on how many withdrawals you can do.

if you want to make the most of your money a stocks and shares ISA will be better, mine is currently making me 21%.

just because you have a mortgage with first direct doesn’t mean you need to have an account with them

Leeds Building Soc have 4.67%

yorkshire building soc have 4.6%

Trading 212 is 5% for their cash ISA. I've been using it for a while. Transferred mine from another provider no problems.

As per PP - Trading212 is offering a good rate, easy access and no tie in required to a current account. Actually held in JP Morgan account as they are mainly a stocks and shares trading co. I think

It's split between JP Morgan, NatWest and Barclays. It's actually 5.1% too!

Thanks. I'll need the money in 5-10 years. I have a stocks and shares ISA with vanguard but it hasn't been doing that well, and I've only used £4k of this years allowance so I thought I'd go for a cash ISA for the rest.

It's definitely a condition of my FD mortgage that I hold a current account with them. I got a preferential rate.

Trading 121 looks good. I've just never heard of them. I tend to like established names but there's a 1%+ difference in rates.

@Wolfpa If you don't mind me asking which stocks and shares ISA do you have?

@NeonGiraffe one of the HSBC dynamic portfolios , the high risk one.

Have you looked at Zopa? I opened a fixed Cash ISA with them a year ago. I had to open a savings account at the same time but it happens simultaneously in the apply process so no extra steps. Marcus have one too which I'll be putting money into next year.

I have Chip cash ISA. Really simple to use, currently have a rate of 4.84%

Trading 212.

I was unsure about it being an unknown name too but it's backed by some of the big banks and still has the 85k protection. Plus the app is super easy to use.

Hi @Bbqnights is it definitely covered? To get the 5.1% rate I seemed to have to opt in to investment- which I think takes it out of the protection?

And there was only an opt-in / continue / agree button - not an alternative.

I found it really unclear though in the T&Cs so I didn't go ahead yesterday. I'll try again and see if I can make sense of it.

I mean definitely double check! Maybe look on moneysavingexpert? I was under the impression it is protected but could be wrong.

It's the bit that says:

"If you enable interest, we will hold your cash in qualifying money market funds and banks. Otherwise, we will hold it only in banks. Interest applies on cash in an investment account. Terms applyy_. When investing, your capital is at risk."

In the cash ISA section.

It's protected. It's talking about uninvested cash that isn't in an ISA. You can have cash sitting there waiting to be invested that they pay interest on, but it's invested in money markets. ISA is just kept in banks.

It's in the Ts and Cs too:

'We will hold your Cash ISA cash in segregated Regular Bank Deposits and Term Deposits with banks, as detailed in our Invest Terms. For the avoidance of doubt, we will not use QMMFs to hold money that you have contributed to your Cash ISA.'

Their Cash ISA is a separate, protected product. If you want to use T212 as a general savings account though over and above, which some people do, that money will be held in QMMFs.

Thank you @doodleschnoodle - that's really helpful.