Best Junior ISA 2026
Last updated: 30.07.2026
The best Junior ISAs in 2026 let you build tax-free savings for a child that they can access once they turn 18, using the current £9,000 annual allowance. We compared the top UK cash Junior ISA providers by rate, protection and ease of opening to find the accounts worth choosing today, whether you want the highest possible AER from a building society or an account you can open online in minutes.
The highest tax-free AER of any Junior Cash ISA on the market, with just a £1 minimum deposit and full FSCS protection, making it the strongest pick for parents chasing the best possible return.
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Best Junior ISAs compared (October 2026)
We compared 5 Junior ISAs and these 5 accounts made it into our overview:
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| #1Top pick | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 | |
| Provider | |  |  |  |  |
| Account | Leek Building Society Junior Cash ISA | Skipton Building Society Skipton Junior Cash ISA | NS&I Junior ISA | Coventry Building Society Junior Cash ISA | Halifax Junior Cash ISA |
| Offer | Open Junior ISA | Open Junior ISA | Open Junior ISA | Open Junior ISA | Open Junior ISA |
| Review | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rating | 4.4 /5 ★★★★☆ | 4.3 /5 ★★★★☆ | 4.2 /5 ★★★★☆ | 4.2 /5 ★★★★☆ | 3.8 /5 ★★★★☆ |
| Interest on savings account | 3.85% AER variable, tax-free (Junior Cash ISA) | 3.80% AER variable, tax-free (Junior Cash ISA) | 3.70% AER variable, tax-free (Junior ISA) | 3.75% AER variable, tax-free (Junior Cash ISA) | 2.35% AER variable, tax-free (Junior Cash ISA) |
| Deposit protection | £120,000 | £120,000 | 100% HM Treasury guarantee (unlimited) | £120,000 | £120,000 |
| Online account opening | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Welcome bonus | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Joint account | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Overdraft interest rate | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Savings account | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
The best by category
The highest tax-free AER of any Junior Cash ISA on the market, with just a £1 minimum deposit and full FSCS protection, making it the strongest pick for parents chasing the best possible return.
A near-top tax-free rate from an established building society, with the same £1 minimum deposit and a straightforward branch or postal application.
A competitive rate with no membership or regional restrictions, so any UK family can apply regardless of where they live.
The only major Junior Cash ISA that can be opened entirely online, backed by a full HM Treasury guarantee rather than the standard FSCS cap.
A familiar high-street name that can be opened and managed through the app, ideal for parents who already bank with Halifax and want everything in one place.
Leek Building Society Junior Cash ISA Top pick
 | 3.85% AER variable, tax-free (Junior Cash ISA) |
|---|---|
| £120,000 |
| No |
| No |
| No |
| No |
| Yes |
- Highest AER on the market at 3.85% tax-free
- low £1 minimum deposit
- can shelter the full £9,000 Junior ISA allowance for 2026/27
- FSCS-protected up to £120,000
- Money is locked away until the child turns 18 with no access before then
- account can only be opened and managed by branch visit or post, with no online application
- a Registered Contact, usually a parent, must run the account until the child turns 16
Skipton Building Society Skipton Junior Cash ISA
| 3.80% AER variable, tax-free (Junior Cash ISA) |
|---|---|
| £120,000 |
| No |
| No |
| No |
| No |
| Yes |
- Tax-free 3.80% AER, so all interest is shielded from the Personal Savings Allowance
- can shelter up to the full £9,000 Junior ISA allowance for the 2026/27 tax year
- FSCS-protected up to £120,000
- automatically becomes an adult easy access Cash ISA at 18
- Money is locked away until the child turns 18, with no withdrawals permitted before then
- can only be opened or managed in branch or by post, with no online account opening
- a Registered Contact, usually a parent, must run the account until the child turns 16
NS&I Junior ISA
| 3.70% AER variable, tax-free (Junior ISA) |
|---|---|
| 100% HM Treasury guarantee (unlimited) |
| Yes |
| No |
| No |
| No |
| Yes |
- 100% backed by HM Treasury, so deposits are protected in full rather than capped at the standard £120,000 FSCS limit
- tax-free 3.70% AER
- can be opened online, which is unusual for a Junior ISA
- low £1 minimum deposit
- shelters up to the £9,000 annual Junior ISA allowance
- Rate sits below the top Junior Cash ISA offers from building societies
- money is locked away until age 18 except in cases of terminal illness or death
- interest is only added once a year, on 6 April, rather than daily or monthly
Coventry Building Society Junior Cash ISA
| 3.75% AER variable, tax-free (Junior Cash ISA) |
|---|---|
| £120,000 |
| No |
| No |
| No |
| No |
| Yes |
- Competitive 3.75% tax-free AER
- deposits accepted UK-wide with no membership or regional restrictions
- £1 minimum deposit
- automatically converts into an adult Cash ISA at 18 with FSCS protection up to £120,000
- Rate sits a little below the very top building society offers
- account opening and ongoing management require a branch visit, post or phone call rather than a fully online process
- no early access even in cases of financial hardship
Halifax Junior Cash ISA
| 2.35% AER variable, tax-free (Junior Cash ISA) |
|---|---|
| £120,000 |
| Yes |
| No |
| No |
| No |
| Yes |
- Can be opened and managed entirely online, via the Halifax app or by phone, unlike most Junior Cash ISA providers
- backed by a well-known high-street bank many parents already use
- £1 minimum deposit
- FSCS-protected up to £120,000
- Rate of 2.35% tax-free AER trails the top building society offers by well over a percentage point
- no bonus or introductory rate
- interest is paid only once a year, on 5 April, rather than monthly
Compare the best UK Junior ISAs of 2026.
A Junior ISA (JISA) is a tax-free savings or investment account for a child under 18 who is a UK resident. Interest earned inside a cash Junior ISA is never taxed, no matter how much is saved, and the money belongs to the child from the moment it is paid in. The annual Junior ISA allowance is £9,000 for the 2026/27 tax year, and it can be split between one cash Junior ISA and one stocks and shares Junior ISA in the same tax year, though only one account of each type can be held at once.
A parent or someone with parental responsibility opens the account and acts as the Registered Contact, managing deposits and choosing the provider until the child turns 16, when the child can take over these decisions. Anyone, including grandparents, other relatives or family friends, can add money once the account is open, as long as total contributions from everyone stay within the shared £9,000 limit.
The money is locked away completely until the child turns 18, with no early withdrawals permitted even in cases of financial hardship. At 18, the account automatically converts into a standard adult cash ISA, the child gains full control of the funds, and they receive a fresh £20,000 adult ISA allowance to use going forward.
An existing Junior ISA or a Child Trust Fund can be transferred to a different provider to chase a better rate without losing its tax-free status. This should always be done through the official ISA transfer process, since withdrawing the money directly and paying it into a new account would strip away the tax-free wrapper permanently.
Every cash Junior ISA compared on this page is held with a UK-regulated bank or building society, so deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per person, per banking licence. NS&I is the one exception, as it is backed directly by HM Treasury rather than the FSCS, giving it an unlimited government guarantee instead of the standard cap.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Junior ISA allowance for 2026/27?
The Junior ISA allowance is £9,000 per child for the 2026/27 tax year. This can be paid into a single cash Junior ISA, a single stocks and shares Junior ISA, or split between one of each, as long as the combined total across both stays within the £9,000 limit. This allowance is separate from, and not affected by, how much the parents have used in their own adult ISAs.
Who can open a Junior ISA?
Only a parent or someone with parental responsibility can open a Junior ISA on behalf of a child under 18 who is a UK resident. That person becomes the Registered Contact and manages the account, including choosing the provider and making decisions about deposits, until the child turns 16 and can take over these responsibilities themselves. The child cannot withdraw any money until they turn 18, regardless of who manages the account.
Can grandparents or other relatives pay into a Junior ISA?
Yes. Once a parent or guardian has opened the account, anyone can add money to it, including grandparents, other family members or family friends. All contributions from everyone count towards the same shared £9,000 annual limit, so it is worth coordinating with family members to avoid accidentally going over the allowance.
What happens to a Junior ISA at age 18?
The Junior ISA automatically converts into a standard adult cash ISA once the child turns 18, and the child then gains full control of the account and the money inside it, along with a fresh adult ISA allowance of £20,000 for the 2026/27 tax year.
Is a cash Junior ISA better than a stocks and shares Junior ISA?
A cash Junior ISA guarantees the value of the money saved and pays a known interest rate, making it a safer choice for money you want to protect, especially in the last few years before the child turns 18. A stocks and shares Junior ISA carries investment risk but has historically delivered higher long-term growth over periods of ten years or more, so many parents split contributions between both types to balance safety and growth potential.
Can I transfer an old Junior ISA or Child Trust Fund to a new provider?
Yes. An existing Junior ISA, or an old Child Trust Fund opened before Junior ISAs replaced them in 2011, can be transferred to a new provider to access a better rate. This should always go through the official ISA transfer process initiated with the new provider, rather than withdrawing the money and paying it in directly, since a DIY withdrawal would permanently lose the tax-free wrapper on that money.
Is the money protected in a Junior ISA?
Yes, as long as the provider is a UK-regulated bank or building society. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) protects deposits up to £120,000 per person, per banking licence. NS&I works differently: it is backed directly by HM Treasury, so deposits carry a full government guarantee rather than the standard FSCS cap.
Can a child have more than one Junior ISA?
A child can hold only one cash Junior ISA and one stocks and shares Junior ISA at any given time, though they can hold both types simultaneously as long as combined contributions stay within the £9,000 annual limit. This differs from adult ISAs, where savers can now open multiple cash ISAs with different providers in the same tax year.