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How long should an ISA transfer take, and what can I do if it's delayed?

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UKUpdated · Written by BuyMeWhiskey Editorial Team · How we check facts

GOV.UK says a cash ISA transfer should take no more than 15 working days and other ISA transfers no more than 30 calendar days. If yours is late, complain to the provider, then to the Financial Ombudsman, and ask for lost interest to be backdated.

Check the official transfer time limits and complaint route on GOV.UK, then write to your provider with your transfer request date.

GOV.UK: transferring your ISA

The official time limits

GOV.UK says an ISA transfer should take no longer than:

  • 15 working days for a transfer between cash ISAs
  • 30 calendar days for other types of transfer, such as stocks and shares ISA to stocks and shares ISA, or stocks and shares to cash

Transfers of investments held in an innovative finance ISA don't have a set limit, so ask your provider how long it will take. GOV.UK doesn't spell out when the clock starts. In the ombudsman decisions we've read, the 15 working days were counted from when the new provider received the transfer instructions.

How to transfer without losing your allowance

Always start the transfer through the new provider and fill in its ISA transfer form. If you withdraw the money yourself and pay it into a new ISA, GOV.UK warns you won't be able to reinvest that part of your tax-free allowance, unless your current ISA is flexible and you put the money back in the same tax year. You can move all or part of your ISA, including money paid in this year or in earlier years, at any time. Your provider may make a charge, and Lifetime and Junior ISAs have their own restrictions.

Why transfers get stuck

Transfers involve two firms passing forms, cash and sometimes investments between them. In the ombudsman cases we've read, problems included a cheque that went missing between firms, confusion over payment details and the wrong transfer form being used. That's why it pays to keep the date you submitted the request and any reference numbers. GOV.UK doesn't say any particular firm delays on purpose, and neither do we. What matters for you is that the time limits apply either way, and that the firm responsible for a delay should put right any loss.

What to do if it's late

  1. Contact the provider once the deadline has passed. GOV.UK says to start with your ISA provider, and it's worth contacting both firms to find out where the transfer is held up.
  2. Make a formal complaint if it isn't fixed quickly. Ask the firm to complete the transfer, backdate any lost interest or growth to when the transfer should have finished, and compensate you for the hassle.
  3. Go to the Financial Ombudsman Service if you're unhappy with the final response or don't get one within 8 weeks. You have 6 months from the final response to refer it. It's free, so you don't need a claims firm.

The ombudsman says that if a business's mistake cost you money, it will tell the business to compensate you for the financial loss and for distress and inconvenience. In published decisions, it has typically expected the firm responsible to backdate interest to the date the transfer should have completed. In one NatWest case it also awarded £150 for distress and inconvenience.

A rule change to know about

From 6 April 2027, the annual cash ISA limit falls to £12,000 for people under 65, while the overall allowance stays at £20,000. HMRC is also bringing in restrictions on transfers from stocks and shares ISAs and innovative finance ISAs into cash ISAs. If you're planning a move like that, check the rules that apply on the date you transfer.

Maximum ISA transfer times (GOV.UK)
Cash ISA to cash ISA (working days)15 daysOther transfers (calendar days)30 days

Worked example

Jo moves a £20,000 cash ISA to a new provider paying, say, 4% a year. The new provider receives her transfer request on Monday 2 November 2026.

  • Deadline: 15 working days later is Monday 23 November 2026, since there are no bank holidays in between.
  • Actual completion: Monday 14 December 2026, which is 21 days late.
  • Interest lost: £20,000 × 4% × 21 ÷ 365 ≈ £46.03.

Jo complains and asks for interest backdated to 23 November, which is how the ombudsman has approached similar cases. She also asks for an amount for the calls she had to make. If the firm refuses or doesn't reply within 8 weeks, she takes it to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Her £20,000 keeps its ISA status throughout, because she used the transfer form rather than withdrawing the money.

Are ISA providers deliberately delaying transfers?#

We haven't seen official evidence that providers delay on purpose, and you don't need to prove it. GOV.UK sets the limits at 15 working days for cash ISA transfers and 30 calendar days for others. If a firm misses them and you lose out, the ombudsman can tell it to put that right.

How long does an ISA transfer take?#

No more than 15 working days between cash ISAs and no more than 30 calendar days for other transfers, according to GOV.UK. Investments held in an innovative finance ISA can take longer, so ask your provider. If it's taking a while, ask your new provider where it's up to.

Can I get compensation for a delayed ISA transfer?#

Yes, if a firm's mistake caused a loss. The ombudsman will ask the business to compensate you for the financial loss, usually by backdating interest to when the transfer should have completed, and it may add an amount for distress and inconvenience. Complain to the firm first, then go to the ombudsman after 8 weeks or once you have the final response.

Can I withdraw my ISA money and pay it into a new ISA instead of transferring?#

Not without losing that part of your tax-free allowance, unless your ISA is flexible and you replace the money in the same tax year. GOV.UK says to always use the new provider's transfer form. That way the money keeps its ISA status and doesn't use up this year's allowance.

Keep reading

Sources

  1. GOV.UK: Individual Savings Accounts – transferring your ISA (time limits and complaints)
  2. GOV.UK: Individual Savings Accounts (full guide, allowance and flexible ISAs)
  3. Financial Ombudsman Service: Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) complaints
  4. Financial Ombudsman Service: How to complain (8 weeks, 6 months)
  5. Financial Ombudsman Service decision DRN-5022242 (ISA transfer delay, backdated interest)
  6. Financial Ombudsman Service decision DRN-5111739 (ISA transfer delay, interest and £150 award)
  7. GOV.UK (HMRC): Cash ISA limit reduction from 6 April 2027

Figures checked against these sources on 6 October 2026. If a rule changes, we update the page and its date.

General information, not personal financial advice. Rules depend on your circumstances; check the official source or speak to a regulated adviser before acting.