Compare Financial Products

A fixed-rate mortgage keeps the same interest rate for an agreed period (often two, three or five years), so your payment is predictable while the fix lasts.

Variable and tracker mortgages can change when the lender's rate or the Bank of England base rate moves. They may start cheaper but carry payment uncertainty.

When the fixed period ends you usually move to the lender's standard variable rate unless you remortgage to a new deal.

Loan-to-value (LTV) is your mortgage divided by the property value. A £300,000 loan on a £400,000 home is 75% LTV.

Lower LTV bands often qualify for better rates because the lender has more equity buffer. Raising your deposit from 10% to 25% can materially change the products available to you.

LTV limits also interact with affordability checks — income, outgoings and stress tests still apply.

Arrangement or product fees are charged for setting up the mortgage. A low rate with a high fee can cost more than a slightly higher rate with no fee, especially on smaller loans.

Valuation, legal and broker fees may apply separately. Early repayment charges can apply if you overpay or exit during a fixed period.

Compare total cost over the deal period, not the headline rate alone.

Annual Equivalent Rate (AER) shows the yearly return if interest were compounded once per year. It lets you compare accounts that pay monthly, quarterly or annually on the same basis.

A higher AER usually means more interest on the same balance, but check access rules, bonus conditions and whether the rate includes an introductory boost that expires.

Start with AER, then compare access (instant, notice or fixed term), minimum deposit, maximum balance caps and whether withdrawals trigger a rate penalty.

Pair the rate with FSCS eligibility for cash deposits, and confirm whether the account is a standard savings product or sits inside an ISA wrapper for tax-free interest.

Use tables to shortlist providers, then verify the live rate and terms on the bank's website before opening an account.

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme protects eligible deposits if an authorised UK firm fails. The limit is typically £85,000 per person per firm (joint accounts can have higher combined cover).

Not every product is covered in the same way — investments held on a platform are treated differently from cash in a savings account. Always check FSCS eligibility on the provider's documentation.

APR (Annual Percentage Rate) reflects the yearly cost of borrowing on a card if you carry a balance, including certain fees defined in the regulations.

The representative APR is the rate at least 51% of accepted applicants must receive. Your personal APR can be higher depending on credit history.

A balance transfer moves debt from one card to another, often with a 0% introductory period on the transferred amount.

Issuers usually charge a transfer fee (commonly 1–3% of the amount moved). The standard APR applies after the promo ends, so plan repayments before that date.

Missing payments can void promotional rates. Check minimum payment rules and whether new spending shares the same promo terms.

Issuers assess income, existing debt, credit score and UK residency. Stronger profiles tend to receive higher limits and lower APRs.

Soft searches for pre-approval may not affect your file; hard searches from a full application leave a mark. Space out applications if you are shopping around.

Read the summary box for fees, foreign usage charges and how repayments are allocated between promotional and standard balances.

A Stocks & Shares ISA wraps eligible investments so gains and income may be tax-free within UK rules, subject to annual subscription limits.

You can only pay into one Stocks & Shares ISA per tax year, but you may transfer existing ISAs between providers.

Brokers charge platform fees (often a percentage of assets), plus fund ongoing charges and sometimes trading commissions.

A 0% trading fee does not mean zero cost — fund AMCs and spreads still apply. Compare total charges for your expected balance and trading frequency.

A General Investment Account has no subscription cap but profits may be subject to capital gains tax and dividend tax above allowances.

ISAs suit long-term investing within annual limits; GIAs can hold overflow once ISA allowances are used, with tax reporting implications.