What is investment risk UK? Learn the types of risk, how to manage them, and where to start investing with confidence. Beginner-friendly guide.
April 8, 2026Comments are off for this post.
What Is Investment Risk? A Beginner’s Guide for 2026
March 31, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Dividend Tax Rise 2026 UK: New Rates, Who Pays More and How to Shelter
Last updated: 6 April 2026
From 6 April 2026, UK dividend tax rates are rising by 2 percentage points at the basic and higher rates. If you receive dividends on shares or funds held outside an ISA or pension, your tax bill is going up. Here is what has changed, who is affected, and what you can do about it.
Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Tax rules can change, and their effects vary based on individual circumstances. Always do your own research or speak to a qualified tax adviser or accountant before making decisions.
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March 17, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Overpay Mortgage or Invest? UK Guide to the Right Call (2026)
Last updated: 10 May 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
We faced this decision ourselves. Since October 2021 we've chosen to overpay our mortgage consistently, totalling £3,294.55 through Sprive alone, including cashback from weekly shops. This guide covers how we thought through the trade-off and what we'd suggest considering.
Should you overpay your mortgage or invest the spare cash instead? It's one of the biggest personal finance questions UK homeowners face right now, and the answer isn't as obvious as either side would have you believe. With the Bank of England base rate at 3.75%, average fixed mortgage rates above 5%, and top savings accounts paying around 4.75%, the maths is closer than it has been in years. This guide walks through the key factors, the trade-offs, and a practical framework to help you decide what makes sense for your situation. Our free mortgage overpayment calculator now also has a compare-to-savings toggle, so you can run both sides of one of those scenarios in seconds.
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March 16, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Best Investment ISA 2026 – Top Picks Before the Deadline
Last updated: 29 March 2026
The 5 April deadline is closing in, which means your 2025/26 ISA allowance is about to expire. Every UK adult gets £20,000 to shelter from tax each year, and if you do not use it, you lose it for good. So where should you put it? This guide covers the best investment ISA options for 2026, comparing the top platforms on fees, features, and who each one suits best.
Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk and you can lose money. Always do your own research or speak to a qualified financial adviser before making investment decisions.
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March 7, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Freetrade Review UK: Honest Pros, Cons and Verdict (2026)
Last updated: 29 March 2026
This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.
Cool Factor: 4/5
This Freetrade review UK covers everything you need to know before opening an account: plans, fees, what you can invest in, what real users say on Trustpilot, and where the app genuinely falls short. Freetrade has grown into one of the UK's most popular investing apps since launching in 2016. However, popularity and quality are not always the same thing. We've dug into the details so you don't have to.
Read moreFebruary 17, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Monzo investment fees cut: what it means and whether it’s worth it
Last updated: 17 February 2026
Quick take: Monzo investment fees are now 0.25% a year (or 0.20% on certain paid plans). If you’re a smaller-balance, set-and-forget investor, Monzo just got a lot more competitive. If you’re fee-optimising at higher balances, fund costs and fee caps still matter.
Monzo has made a change that actually matters: the platform fee for Monzo Investments is now 0.25% per year (and 0.20% if you’re on eligible paid plans). Fees accrue daily and get collected monthly from your investment account. That’s the “Monzo fee” bit, not the fund manager’s own fee (more on that below).
Read moreFebruary 16, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Best Investment Referral Deals in the UK (2026): Free Shares, Fee-Free Months, Easy Bonuses
Last updated: 29 March 2026
Looking for the best investment referral deals in the UK? This guide rounds up the top offers right now, from free shares to fee-free months. Each platform has its own rules and quirks, so we link to the correct CoolCuration detail page for every offer. That way, you always get the latest referral terms instead of a dead link from 2022.
Heads up: This is not financial advice. Investing involves risk and you can lose money. Offers and eligibility can change at any time. Always read the provider's terms before signing up, and only invest what you can afford to leave invested (and potentially lose).
Read moreFebruary 2, 2026Comments are off for this post.
Lightyear review UK (2026): honest pros, cons and fees
Last updated: 27 March 2026
This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.
Cool Factor: 4/5
In this independent Lightyear review, we take a proper look at one of the most talked-about investing apps in the UK. Lightyear recently slashed its fees, dropping FX charges to 0.10% and making all stock and ETF trading completely free. That puts it firmly among the cheapest platforms available to UK investors right now.
We cover what Lightyear is, what you can invest in, fees, ISAs, Vaults, pros, cons, and how it compares to Freetrade, AJ Bell Dodl, Sidekick, Moneybox and Finimize. If you want a no-nonsense view before opening an account, this is for you.
Looking for the referral link and sign-up bonus details? Head to the Lightyear referral page instead.
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November 17, 2025Comments are off for this post.
Monzo Investments Review UK 2026: Honest Verdict for Beginners
Last updated: 29 March 2026
This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.
Cool Factor: 4/5 — Stone cold
This Monzo Investments review is for anyone who wants to invest without downloading five apps, reading 19 Reddit threads, and accidentally becoming a part-time day trader. Monzo Investments keeps things simple on purpose. You pick a risk level, deposit from as little as £1, and let BlackRock-managed funds do the heavy lifting. No stock picking. No fiddling. No "should I buy Nvidia" spiral at 1am. And with the recent launch of Build Your Own portfolios, there's now more choice than ever without sacrificing that trademark Monzo simplicity.
If you're here for the bonus, head straight to our Monzo Investments referral page for the latest terms and steps.
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November 14, 2025Comments are off for this post.
How to Start Investing UK: A Beginner’s Guide for 2026
Last updated: 5 May 2026
By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance
Your savings account probably gives you a forgettable return while inflation slowly chews up the value of your cash. Plenty of us know we should look at the alternatives, yet investing can feel like a locked club where you need a pinstripe suit and a secret handshake to get past the door. So this guide on how to start investing UK-side is here to demystify it.
In this post, we will walk through the difference between saving and investing, explain what a Stocks and Shares ISA actually does, share what has worked for us starting with small amounts, and look at beginner-friendly apps including Freetrade, Lightyear, Robinhood UK, Monzo Investments and J.P. Morgan Personal Investing. Let's get into it.
Important: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. CoolCuration is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. All investing involves risk and your capital is at risk, which means you could get back less than you put in. Always do your own research, read the terms and conditions, and never invest more than you can afford to lose. Some links on this page are referral links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our opinions remain independent of any affiliate relationship.
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