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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Benefits and money
    3. Managing money
    4. Saving and investing

    Saving for the future

    If you want to put some money away to buy something big in a few months, or if you just want to make sure that you're covered financially for anything unexpected, you should think about opening a savings account

    Choosing the right way to save

    There are loads of different ways of saving your money to choose from. To find an account to suit you that will also get the most out of your money, you'll need to think about a number of things, like:

    • how old you need to be to open the account
    • how much money you need to open the account
    • the interest rate that you get on your money
    • how much money you can afford to put into a savings account
    • whether you can make regular payments or just when you have some spare cash
    • whether you'll miss out on any bonuses or interest if you withdraw cash from the account
    • how much you want to save and for how long before using it
    • whether you can withdraw cash instantly, or have to give notice before you can take any money from the account

    Savings accounts on the high street

    Most banks and building societies offer a range of savings accounts, including online accounts. To get the most out of your money, you'll have to think about how much you want to save and for how long before using the money.

    It may be convenient to have a savings account with the same bank or building society as your current account. This way you can manage your everyday living expenses through your current account and quickly divert any extra cash into your savings. But bear in mind that you may be able to find a better savings account elsewhere.

    Having money in two separate places may be less convenient, but internet and telephone banking make sending your money to and from different accounts really easy.

    • Managing your money (Money Advice Service website)
    • Getting a current account

    National Savings and Investments

    National Savings and Investments (NS&I) are the range of savings accounts offered to savers by the government. They are one of the safest ways to save your money.

    If you do want to open an account with National Savings and Investments, think about how long you want to invest for. Take a look at all the accounts that you can apply for and decide which is the best for you.

    • National Savings and Investments

    Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs)

    If you're 16 or over and want to earn interest on your money without having any tax taken away, a cash ISA could be a good option.

    You can pay money into an ISA as often as you want, as long as the total amount you pay in over the course of a year isn't above £5,340.

    They're ideal if you're planning on going travelling in the next year, or you're saving up for a car and you know how much you're going to need by a certain date.

    ISAs are available from banks and building societies as well as National Savings and Investments.

    • Saving and investing (Money Advice Service website)

    Junior ISAs

    A long-term, tax-free savings account has been introduced for anyone under 18 who doesn’t have a Child Trust Fund account.

    If you’re 16 or over you can open a cash or stocks and shares Junior ISA, or both.

    If you’re under 16, and meet the qualifying conditions, a parent or other responsible adult can open a Junior ISA for you.

    The yearly limit for payments into a Junior ISA is £3,600. The money you save in a Junior ISA can’t be taken out of the account until you are 18.

    • Junior ISAs (Money Advice Service website)
    • Child Trust Funds (Money Advice Service website)
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    Saving and investing

    • Help to save
    • How to set a savings goal (Money Advice Service website)
    • National Savings and Investment products
    • Saving calculator tool (Money Advice Service website)
    • Saving for the future
    • Trace your lost accounts and savings

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    Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

    If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

    Carer's Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912
    Email 
    dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

    Call 0800 587 2750 
    Email 
    customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

    Disability Living Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912 
    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Employment and Support Allowance

    Call 0800 587 1377

    Jobseeker’s Allowance

    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

    For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

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    • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
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    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

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    Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

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    • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
      contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
       
    • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
      contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

     

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

    For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

    For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

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