- New Green Savings Bonds from NS&I now available at 0.65% gross/AER fixed rate over a three-year term
- Money invested in Green Savings Bonds will help finance green projects selected by the Government
- Available from Friday 22 October 2021 and on sale for at least three months
- Bonds available to purchase and manage online at nsandi.com
The new Green Savings Bonds announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 2021 Spring Budget are available to purchase online with a 0.65% gross/AER fixed-rate over a three-year term at nsandi.com from Friday 22 October.
Green Savings Bonds will be on sale for a minimum period of three months. The minimum investment is £100 with a maximum limit of £100,000 per person and investors need to be aged 16 or over to purchase the new Bonds from NS&I. The full amount deposited will be held for three years and cannot be withdrawn during this time. Green Savings Bonds will help finance the Government’s green spending projects designed to tackle climate change and help make the UK greener and more sustainable. These projects will include making transport greener, using renewable energy over fossil fuels, preventing pollution, using energy more efficiently, protecting natural resources and adapting to a changing climate. More information can be found at nsandi.com/green
The Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Our world-first Green Savings Bonds give savers across the UK the chance to back the Government’s green projects and put their money to work in the fight against climate change.
“The UK is already a world leader in green finance and these innovative new savings bonds will deliver both financial returns and environmental benefits, in a transparent and secure way.”
Ian Ackerley, NS&I Chief Executive, said: “We are proud to be offering Green Savings Bonds on behalf of the Government. Green Savings Bonds will offer savers the chance to contribute towards the UK’s green agenda and support six key areas to help make our environment greener, cleaner and more sustainable. As well as helping the environment, savers will see a fixed return on their investment and will also benefit from NS&I’s 100% security on all capital invested.
“Green Savings Bonds will be on sale for at least three months, giving savers ample opportunity to invest and the Bonds will be available to purchase and manage online.”
Key features of the Bonds are as follows:
- 3-year fixed term with an interest rate of 0.65% gross/AER.
- Designed to be held for the whole term, but with a cooling-off period in the first 30 days of investment.
- Access to your investment after three years.
- Open to savers aged 16 and over.
- Available to purchase and manage online at nsandi.com
- Investment limits apply: minimum of £100 and maximum of £100,000 per person and can be made individually or jointly.
- Customers must have a UK bank account capable of receiving BACS payments.
- Fixed rate is guaranteed for the whole term. Interest is earned daily and added once a year on the investment's anniversary, and paid on maturity.
- Interest is earned without deducting any tax at source. Interest is taxable at maturity and will count towards the customer’s Personal Savings Allowance and needs to be declared by the individual. Customers who are concerned about how this might affect them should consider either contacting HMRC or seeking professional advice.
Notes to Editors
- NS&I is one of the largest savings organisations in the UK, offering a range of savings and investments to 25 million customers. All products offer 100% capital security, because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.
- Announced in the 2021 Spring Budget, Green Savings Bonds are a specific policy measure, and are distinct from NS&I’s normal activity. Investment in this product will not count towards NS&I’s Net Financing target or Value Indicator target.
- For more information on Green Savings Bonds, visit nsandi.com/green.
- The Green Savings Bonds are issued under the same UK Government Green Financing Framework as the UK’s green gilt programme. The Framework document provides further details of the UK’s plans in this space, including the types of expenditures to be financed, and can be accessed here.
- NS&I is committed to ensuring all customers – including those who do not have access to online services, can invest in Green Savings Bonds. Customers who do not have access to the internet should call 08085 007 007. Call centre staff have been trained to help customers who are unable to transact online due to exceptional circumstances.
- The Carbon Trust provided a pre-issuance impact assessment of the UK government green financing programme, which includes NS&I’s Green Savings Bonds. They found that the allocations ‘align sensibly’ with the Climate Change Committee’s recommended climate targets for the UK (known as its ‘Sixth Carbon Budget’) and they are ‘confident that the programme will contribute to achieving net zero by 2050’. You can read more about The Carbon Trust’s assessment here.
- AER stands for Annual Equivalent Rate and enables the comparison of interest rates from different financial institutions and across different products on a like-for-like basis. It shows what the notional annual rate would be if interest was compounded each time it was credited or paid out. Where interest is credited once a year, the rate quoted and the AER will be the same.
- Gross is the taxable rate of interest without the deduction of UK Income Tax.