The ISA age is upon us (Consumer)

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•  ISA uptake over the last five years has increased by 15%
• Baby-boomers top the list of ISA holders – over 40% now own an ISA
• Visit Unbiased.co.uk to take control of your finances and continue to Get Saving!

ISAs and Premium Bonds top the list of the country’s favourite savings and investment vehicles, according to new figures* from Unbiased.co.uk, the find an independent financial adviser service. Unbiased.co.uk’s research, which assesses the British public’s take up of savings vehicles shows that one in three Britons (33%) now own an ISA, a whopping 15% increase over the last five years.

The second favourite savings and investment product is Premium Bonds, with over one in five (22%) of British savers stating that they invest in these products, closely followed by 21% who own stocks and shares.

But while ISAs top the savings vehicle ranking, it seems there is one group in particular that are the nation’s ISA champions - the baby-boomers - with almost one in two (44%) of today’s 55-64-year olds now investing in an ISA.

David Elms, Chief Executive of Unbiased.co.uk, commented: “It is great to see that ISA ownership has seen such a tremendous increase over the last five years. It clearly shows that more and more people are making a conscious effort to save. But while this is good news, our research also shows that savings have dropped quite significantly - by £6bn in the first three months of 2007 compared to the previous quarter – and despite there now being an array of savings products available, the British public are effectively saving less.

“Saving into an ISA can be a good, and more importantly tax efficient way, to kick off your savings pot. The focus now needs to be on ensuring that people use their ISA allowance and increase the amounts they put away into their savings funds. ”

To take control of your spending and borrowing, visit www.unbiased.co.uk/getsaving to download your free copy of Unbiased.co.uk’s dedicated guide - Join the Savings Revolution - which looks at how you can budget to save more, and options of where to put any extra money.  You can also obtain details of local independent financial advisers to talk though the most suitable savings options for you by visiting www.unbiased.co.uk/getsaving or calling 0800 085 3250.

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Notes to editors

*According to independent analysis of the most recent official figures conducted by independent agency, RAKM, on behalf of IFA Promotion.

For further information please contact:

For expert comment or case studies from over 200 media-friendly IFAs, journalists should call unbiased.co.uk’s Media Services hotline on

020 7294 3682 or search online at www.unbiased.co.uk/media

1.      Independent Financial Adviser Promotion

Unbiased.co.uk is the consumer brand of IFA Promotion, the organisation established in 1989 to promote the value and accessibility of independent financial advice to the public. It represents around 9,000 firms of independent financial advisers across the UK, incorporating over 17,000 registered individuals. These individuals hold over 20,000 incremental qualifications which are each individually verified by the awarding body. IFA Promotion welcomes the prominent display of incremental qualifications and further developments into the credentials of independent financial advice. 

IFA Promotion is sponsored by 29 leading financial institutions, and in the past 12 months, over 600,000 consumers and businesses used unbiased.co.uk to find local independent financial advice.

IFA Promotion believes Independent financial advice should be:

• Affordable. The option to take independent financial advice should be available, by right, to all- not just the wealthiest in society.

• Convenient. IFAs should be available in the location of the consumer’s choice, wherever they live in the UK.

• Transparent. It must be clearly transparent to consumers who is able to offer independent financial advice and who is not.

  2.      Independent Financial Adviser Promotion’s sponsors

  Aberdeen Asset Management	London Mortgage Company
  Abbey	Lincoln Financial Group
  AEGON Scottish Equitable Plc	Mortgage Express
  Alliance Trust	National Savings & Investments
  AXA Life	New Star Investment Funds
  Bright Grey	Norwich Union Life
  BUPA Health Services	Prudential
  Canada Life Ltd	Scottish Life
  The Children’s Mutual	Scottish Life International
  Clerical Medical Investment	Scottish Widows Plc
  Defaqto	Skandia UK Group
  Friends Provident	Standard Life Assurance Company
  Tomorrow	Unum
  Invesco Perpetual	Zurich Intermediary Group
  Legal & General

  Registered Office: IFA Promotion Ltd, 90 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow G2 5UB. Registered in Scotland: No. 114606

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