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Martin Lewis Clarifies Savings Tax and Recommends Bank Deposits Over Storing Cash at Home

He urged using regulated bank accounts with FSCS protection up to £120,000 per person.

Overview

  • Lewis told podcast listeners that savings themselves are not taxed, as tax applies only to interest earned.
  • He noted that investments are taxed on profits through capital gains and potentially on dividends, not on the original amount invested.
  • Responding to a listener worried about money being taken or taxed, he said fears of taxing lump sums would be a radical and unlikely shift.
  • Deposits with regulated UK providers are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to £120,000 per person per institution, a limit that replaced the prior £85,000 cap.
  • Keeping cash at home typically leaves only about £1,000 covered by home insurance, making savings accounts the safer like-for-like choice.