There is no limit on how many ISAs you can have. Each tax year you can pay into as many ISAs as you like, including several of the same type, as long as the total you pay in stays within the £20,000 allowance. The one exception is the Lifetime ISA: you can only pay into one in a tax year.
ISAs you opened in earlier years stay open and tax free, and there is no rule capping how many you keep. This guide explains the rules for each type of ISA, when holding several makes sense, and how to combine them if you have too many.
The information provided on this page and throughout the website is for general information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It is important that you conduct your own research and consider your own personal circumstances before making any investment decisions.
How many ISAs can you have? The rules by type
| Type of ISA | How many you can pay into each tax year | Annual limit |
|---|---|---|
| Cash ISA | As many as you like | Within your £20,000 |
| Stocks and shares ISA | As many as you like | Within your £20,000 |
| Innovative finance ISA | As many as you like | Within your £20,000 |
| Lifetime ISA | One | £4,000, within your £20,000 |
| Junior ISA (per child) | One cash and one stocks and shares | £9,000, separate from yours |
Figures for the 2026/27 tax year. Sources: GOV.UK How ISAs work, Lifetime ISA and Junior ISAs. Checked 10 October 2026.
How many ISAs can you open in one tax year?
Since April 2024 you can pay into more than one ISA of the same type in the same tax year. Before that, you could only pay into one cash ISA, one stocks and shares ISA and one innovative finance ISA each year.
The limit now is on money, not accounts. Across every ISA you pay into, the total for the 2026/27 tax year must stay within £20,000. GOV.UK gives this as an example of a valid split:
- £10,000 into one cash ISA
- £3,000 into a second cash ISA
- £7,000 into a stocks and shares ISA
Opening more accounts does not increase your allowance. For the full breakdown of the limits, including what changes in April 2027, see our guide to the ISA allowance for 2026/27.
How many cash ISAs can you have?
As many as you like. You can pay into several cash ISAs in the same tax year, for example an easy access account alongside a fixed rate one, as long as your total ISA payments stay within £20,000.
From 6 April 2027 there is an extra limit for savers under 65: no more than £12,000 a year can go into cash ISAs, while the overall allowance stays at £20,000. That cap applies to the total across all your cash ISAs, not to each account. Our explainer on the cash ISA limit rules covers the detail. If you are comparing accounts, see our pick of the best cash ISAs.
How many stocks and shares ISAs can you have?
Again, there is no limit on the number. You could hold a ready-made portfolio with one provider and pick your own funds or shares with another, and pay into both in the same tax year.
The trade-off is cost and admin. Each platform charges its own fees, and some charge a minimum or fixed fee per account, so spreading a small sum across several platforms can cost more than keeping it in one. Our comparison of the best stocks and shares ISAs sets out the fees side by side. With a stocks and shares ISA your capital is at risk, and you may get back less than you put in.
Lifetime ISA: the one exception
You can only pay into one Lifetime ISA in a tax year, and the most you can put in is £4,000. That counts towards your £20,000 overall allowance. The government adds a 25% bonus of up to £1,000 a year.
You must make your first payment before you turn 40, and you can keep paying in until 50. The money is meant for a first home costing £450,000 or less, or for later life from age 60. Withdrawing for any other reason normally means a 25% charge, which can leave you with less than you paid in.
How many Junior ISAs can a child have?
A child can have one cash Junior ISA, one stocks and shares Junior ISA, or one of each. The combined limit for 2026/27 is £9,000 per child, and it does not reduce your own £20,000 allowance.
A Junior ISA cannot sit alongside a Child Trust Fund, so if your child has one, ask the new provider to transfer it in. Our guide to Child Trust Fund maturity explains what happens when they turn 18.
Is it worth having more than one ISA?
It can be. Common reasons include:
- using a cash ISA for money you may need soon and a stocks and shares ISA for long-term investing
- taking a better rate or lower fee with a new provider without moving your existing ISA
- keeping a Lifetime ISA for a first home alongside your other ISAs
There are downsides to weigh as well. Providers cannot see what you pay in elsewhere, so keeping track of the £20,000 limit is your job. More accounts can also mean more fees, more logins and more paperwork. If any of your ISAs are flexible, check with the provider how withdrawals and repayments are treated before moving money around.
How to combine ISAs if you have too many
You can transfer all or part of an ISA to another provider at any time, including money paid in this year or in earlier years. To keep the tax-free status, start the transfer with the provider you are moving to and fill in its transfer form. If you withdraw the money and pay it in yourself, you lose that part of your allowance.
Transfers between cash ISAs should take no longer than 15 working days, and other transfers no longer than 30 calendar days. Some providers charge exit fees, so check before you move. Our guide to ISA transfer rules walks through the process.
How many ISAs can I have: FAQs
Our reviewed ISA providers
Check out more recommended ISA providers
The information provided on this page and throughout the website is for general information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. It is important that you conduct your own research and consider your own personal circumstances before making any investment decisions.
