Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPS) are a type of personal pension that allow you to make decisions for yourself about how your retirement savings are invested, and earnings inside a SIPP are tax-free.
You can also earn interest on any cash you hold in your SIPP – but these rates vary considerably among platforms. We have scoured the market and shared our top picks here.
You can read our top overall picks for SIPPs here.
4.5/5
AJ Bell – Offers 2.5% interest on balances up to £10,000, with £2.65% on cash holdings up to £100,000 and 2.95% above £100,000.
Switch your account and receive up to £500
Refer a friend who transfers at least £10,000 and you both receive £100 in Amazon vouchers
Capital at risk.
4.5/5
interactive investor – Offers tiered interest rates on SIPP cash balances, starting at 2% for balances up to £10,000, rising to 2.75% for balances between £10,000 and £100,000, 3% between £100,000 and £1 million and 3.25% for balances over £1 million.
Get £100 of free trades when you open an ii Stocks & Shares ISA or General Investment Account. Capital at risk. Terms & fees apply.
Open a SIPP before 30th June and get £100 – £2,000 cashback
Capital at risk.
2.0/5
Hargreaves Lansdown – Hargreaves offers a relatively generous interest rate on SIPP cash holdings, starting at 2.6% on balances up to £10,000, rising to 2.65% on balances £50,000, 2.7% for £50,000-£100,000, and finally 3.2% on balances over £100,000. However, Hargreaves’ platform fees are also some of the highest in the industry, so it’s worth taking this into account too.
Longest established investment platform
One of the most comprehensive ranges of investment options
Capital at risk.
3.0/5
BestInvest – Bestinvest currently offers the most generous interest rate on SIPP cash holdings on the market, with a flat rate of 3.73%.
Capital at risk.
4.5/5
– Offers 2.5% interest on balances up to £10,000, with £2.65% on cash holdings up to £100,000 and 2.95% above £100,000.
Switch your account and receive up to £500
Refer a friend who transfers at least £10,000 and you both receive £100 in Amazon vouchers
Capital at risk.
I think AJ Bell is a solid offering for anyone thinking of starting investing through a SIPP, but who is also considering that they might want to hold some cash for extended periods of time.
Its interest rates on cash holdings in SIPPs are some of the best on the market for lower holdings (up to £10,000), but its fees are generally low, too.
For a detailed analysis of AJ Bell, check out our review for 2024
Read full review4.5out of 5
4.5/5
– Offers tiered interest rates on SIPP cash balances, starting at 2% for balances up to £10,000, rising to 2.75% for balances between £10,000 and £100,000, 3% between £100,000 and £1 million and 3.25% for balances over £1 million.
Get £100 of free trades when you open an ii Stocks & Shares ISA or General Investment Account. Capital at risk. Terms & fees apply.
Open a SIPP before 30th June and get £100 – £2,000 cashback
Capital at risk.
Interactive Investor is a very low-cost SIPP overall – one of the cheapest on the market. It’s also really easy to use and the interface is super user friendly.
The SIPP interest rates aren’t ‘market leading’, but are very solid given the general usability and cost-effectiveness of the platform.
There’s a huge range of investment options available and it’s a very popular choice of platform.
The cashback offerings for opening an account are very generous lately too.
For a detailed analysis of Interactive Investor, check out our review for 2024
Read full review2.0/5
– Hargreaves offers a relatively generous interest rate on SIPP cash holdings, starting at 2.6% on balances up to £10,000, rising to 2.65% on balances £50,000, 2.7% for £50,000-£100,000, and finally 3.2% on balances over £100,000. However, Hargreaves’ platform fees are also some of the highest in the industry, so it’s worth taking this into account too.
Longest established investment platform
One of the most comprehensive ranges of investment options
Capital at risk.
Hargreaves is a very safe pair of hands and you can pretty much do everything – it’s a bit of a one-stop-shop for investing.
It still has the largest market share of all investment platforms, despite its comparatively high cost compared to newer entrants, and remains a popular choice for newcomers.
Its SIPP cash interest rates are also surprisingly generous for a more ‘old school’ platform, which goes in its favour.
It really is worth working out whether the higher fees are worth it if you’re planning to invest, though. You can try our ISA fee calculator to check what it will cost you.
To read our detailed no stone left unturned review of Hargreaves Lansdown
Read full review3.0/5
– Bestinvest currently offers the most generous interest rate on SIPP cash holdings on the market, with a flat rate of 3.73%.
Capital at risk.
BestInvest, living up to its name, has the best SIPP cash interest rate on the market, and it’s a flat rate, meaning even those with small balances can benefit from the top rate. BestInvest is a bit clunky as a platform and this information has been difficult to get hold of, though, which marked it down a bit for me.
For a detailed analysis of BestInvest, check out our review for 2024
Read full reviewProvider | Interest Rate | FSCS Protected? | Notes |
AJ Bell | Up to 2.95% | Yes | Tiered |
BestInvest | 3.67% | Yes | Flat rate |
Interactive Investor | Up to 3.25% | Yes | Lower on low balances |
Hargreaves Lansdown | Up to 3.2% | Yes | Tiered |
It is important to also maximise any cash sat in your SIPP that is not invested in the stock market – particularly if you might hold some cash for a while, for example if you are seeking low-risk options closer to retirement or are waiting for better investment opportunities.
Many people may not even realise that you can earn interest on uninvested cash in a SIPP, but a number of providers pay rates that beat savings account rates at high street banks.
However, there is a huge variety in the rates offered across different providers. Choosing a SIPP with a lower interest rate can have a detrimental impact on your long-term pension growth if you opt to hold cash long-term, while picking one with a higher rate can boost your savings.
Be aware that overall platform charges can also vary, and you should also take this into consideration.
If you are investing for the long-term, having your pension invested is still considered to be the best way to grow your retirement funds.
You might want to hold some money in your SIPP in cash if you are closer to retirement and the stock market is volatile, or if you are particularly risk-averse.
Many SIPPs’ cash interest rates are still not beating inflation, so if you have more than 5 years before you reach retirement, it could be better to remain invested.
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