Yes, you should certainly use your cash ISA allowance each year if you can, particularly if you are a tax payer. Other than that, fixed term bonds give the best rates but tie up the money for 6 months or more at a time.

If you have savings of more than £50k it's best to spread your money between at least two banks or building societies.

Hi, Thanks for your reply.

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my original post...

What I was asking is: staying within the mainstream banks, is there any advice on which of these will give the most interest. I'm aware the most lucrative deals come with added risk i.e. Icesave. And also if a combination of accounts would give better results, e.g. an ISA and a regular saver?

Thanks

Sorry, but you can't have the most interest and stay with mainstream banks. The interest tables are usually topped by organisations like Icesave. If you use the savings tool on this site, you can go down the list until you get to someone that you know and trust but you would be wise to avoid whoever is near the top at the moment if you've not dealt with them before.

Hello

I have £11,000 which I recently got back from Icesave.

Do you have any advice on accounts that will allow me to earn the most interest from this - I would like to keep it within one of the big banks this time, or a place with a small chance of going bust like Icesave did.

I also need instant access and I will always add a minimum of £400 a month to it, so regular saver accounts might be an option??? I don't mind opening multiple accounts, i.e. an ISA and a savings account etc. if this will earn the most interest. (I haven't got any money in an ISA yet).

If you have any advice it would be much appericiated.

Many thanks.

Mark Romaine