Junior ISA contribution limits: the rules explained
The Junior ISA limit is £9,000 for 2026/27. How the allowance works across two accounts and several family members, what happens if too much goes in, and simple ways to keep track.
How much can go into your child's Junior ISA each year? The answer is simple, but there are a few details worth knowing, especially if grandparents and other family like to pay in too.
Quick answer: the Junior ISA limit for the 2026/27 tax year is £9,000 per child. It covers cash and stocks and shares Junior ISAs together, and everyone's payments count towards it. The tax year runs from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027.
You don't have to use it all. Most families pay in far less, and any amount helps.
See what regular payments could grow to with our Junior ISA calculator.
The 2026/27 allowance
£9,000 per child, per tax year
For 2026/27 (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027), the Junior ISA limit is £9,000 per child.
Key points:
- It's the total from everyone: parents, grandparents, family and friends
- It's per child, not per account
- It covers cash and stocks and shares Junior ISAs together
- Unused allowance can't be carried forward
Example:
- You pay £5,000 into your child's stocks and shares Junior ISA
- Grandparents pay £3,000 into the same child's cash Junior ISA
- Total: £8,000 ✅ (within the limit)
- Still available this year: £1,000
The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April
The UK tax year doesn't follow the calendar year.
Why it matters:
- A payment on 5 April 2027 counts towards 2026/27
- A payment on 6 April 2027 counts towards 2027/28
- The allowance starts afresh every 6 April
Easy to get wrong: thinking the allowance resets on 1 January. It resets on 6 April.
Worth knowing: if you'd planned to pay in more this year, early spring is a good time to check, before 5 April.
How the allowance works
Two accounts, one limit
A child can have one cash Junior ISA and one stocks and shares Junior ISA at the same time. The £9,000 limit covers both together.
Example 1: two accounts, within the limit
- £6,000 into stocks and shares
- £3,000 into cash
- Total: £9,000 ✅
Example 2: two accounts, over the limit
- £7,000 into stocks and shares
- £3,000 into cash
- Total: £10,000 ❌ (£1,000 over)
Example 3: one account
- £9,000 into stocks and shares
- Nothing into cash
- Total: £9,000 ✅
Many families use just one type. Our stocks and shares vs cash comparison explains the difference.
Several people paying in
Anyone can pay into a child's Junior ISA once it's open. All of it counts towards the same £9,000 limit.
How to manage it:
- Talk to each other: let family know how they can pay in
- Keep a running total: so you know how much room is left
- Remember it's the total that counts, not who paid
- A simple list or spreadsheet of who paid what, and when, helps
Example:
- Parents: £400 a month × 12 = £4,800
- One set of grandparents: £2,000 at Christmas
- The other: £1,500 on their birthday
- Total: £8,300 ✅
- Still available: £700
Worth knowing: a provider will normally turn away payments that would take its own account over £9,000. But if your child has two Junior ISAs with different providers, neither can see the other, so it's up to you to keep an eye on the combined total.
What if too much goes in?
It's not common, but it can happen when a child has two Junior ISAs, or when family members pay in without checking.
If you spot it:
- Contact the providers straight away
- Explain what's happened
- They'll tell you how to put it right, which usually means the extra is taken out and returned
HMRC can also pick it up later and ask for it to be corrected. Money paid in over the limit doesn't get the Junior ISA's tax benefits.
The simplest fix is prevention: keep a running total, especially if several people pay in.
Keeping track
Your provider's app or website
Most providers show:
- How much has gone in this tax year
- How much room is left
- Payments in past years
A quick look now and then is enough, and a bit more often if family pay in regularly.
A simple spreadsheet
| Date | Who | Amount | Running total | Left this year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/04/26 | Parent | £200 | £200 | £8,800 |
| 01/05/26 | Parent | £200 | £400 | £8,600 |
| 25/12/26 | Grandparent | £1,000 | £1,400 | £7,600 |
Why it helps:
- You can see the total at a glance
- It's easy to share with family
- It stops accidental overpayments
A yearly reminder
- Put a reminder in your calendar for early April
- Check the total before the tax year ends
- Top up if you'd planned to and haven't
Past limits
| Tax year | Yearly limit |
|---|---|
| 2026/27 | £9,000 |
| 2025/26 | £9,000 |
| 2024/25 | £9,000 |
| 2023/24 | £9,000 |
| 2022/23 | £9,000 |
| 2021/22 | £9,000 |
| 2020/21 | £9,000 |
| 2019/20 | £4,368 |
| 2018/19 | £4,260 |
The limit jumped to £9,000 in April 2020 and hasn't changed since. The government has said ISA limits, including the Junior ISA's, will stay frozen for the next few years.
Checking for changes
Changes to ISA limits are usually announced in the Budget. Check GOV.UK or your provider's website each April to confirm the limit for the new tax year.
Compared with other accounts
Junior ISA and adult ISA
| Junior ISA | Adult ISA | |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly allowance | £9,000 | £20,000 |
| Who can have one | Under 18 | 18 and over |
| Taking money out | Not until 18 | Any time |
| Who runs it | A parent, until the child takes over (from 16) | The account holder |
At 18: the Junior ISA becomes an adult ISA, and your child gets the adult allowance of £20,000 a year. From April 2027, people under 65 will be able to put no more than £12,000 of that into cash ISAs.
Junior ISA and Child Trust Fund
Child Trust Funds were replaced by Junior ISAs in 2011, but existing ones carry on. Their yearly limit is the same £9,000.
A child can't have both a Child Trust Fund and a Junior ISA. If your child has a Child Trust Fund, you can transfer it into a Junior ISA, often for lower charges and more fund choice, as explained in our guide to opening a Junior ISA. Not every provider accepts these transfers, so check first.
Ways families pay in
Monthly payments
For example: a monthly direct debit of whatever you can comfortably afford (£750 a month would use the whole allowance, but most families pay much less)
Why it works:
- It happens automatically
- Buying a little each month means sometimes buying when prices are lower
- It builds a habit
- No end-of-year rush
Suits: families with a regular monthly income
A lump sum at the start of the tax year
For example: a single payment each April
Why some families do it:
- The money has the whole year to grow
- One payment a year
The catch: you need the lump sum available
Suits: families with an annual bonus or other lump sums
A mix
For example:
- A regular monthly payment
- A top-up before 5 April, if there's room and money to spare
Why it works:
- Steady saving, with flexibility
The whole family
For example:
- Parents pay in monthly
- Grandparents pay in birthday or Christmas money instead of buying presents
Why it works:
- Grandparents get to help with the child's future
- Everyone's contribution adds up
Just remember: tell each other what's gone in, so the total stays within £9,000.
Common questions
Q: Can I carry unused allowance forward?
A: No. Unused Junior ISA allowance ends on 5 April. If £5,000 goes in one year, the unused £4,000 doesn't carry over.
Q: Can my child have a Junior ISA and a Child Trust Fund?
A: No. A child can have one or the other. If they have a Child Trust Fund, you can transfer it into a Junior ISA.
Q: Can my child pay in their own money?
A: Yes, anyone can pay in, including the child, for example from a part-time job. It all counts towards the £9,000.
Q: Does birthday money count if I pay it in?
A: Yes. Everything paid in counts, whoever it came from. If your child gets £500 for their birthday and you pay it in, that's £500 of the £9,000 used.
Q: What about payments made on 5 April or 6 April?
A: Payments on or before 5 April count towards that tax year. Payments on 6 April or later count towards the next. Allow a few days for the money to arrive if you're paying in close to the deadline.
Q: Can I pay in if I'm separated from my child's other parent?
A: Yes. Only one person runs each account (the "registered contact", who must have parental responsibility), but anyone can pay in, within the £9,000 total.
Q: Will the limit go up with inflation?
A: There's no automatic link to inflation. It's been £9,000 since April 2020, and the government has said it will stay frozen for the next few years.
Key points
- The 2026/27 limit is £9,000 per child, from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027
- It covers cash and stocks and shares together, not £9,000 each
- Everyone's payments count towards the same limit
- Unused allowance ends on 5 April and can't be carried forward
- Keep a running total if several people pay in, especially across two accounts
- You don't need to use it all: any amount helps
Next steps
If you haven't opened a Junior ISA yet:
- Follow our step-by-step guide
- Choose between cash and stocks and shares
- Compare providers
- Set up a monthly payment you're comfortable with
If you already have one:
- Check this year's total in your provider's app
- Work out how much room is left
- Let family know, if they like to pay in
- Put a reminder in your calendar for early April
Try some numbers in our Junior ISA calculator.
Related guides:
- How to open a Junior ISA
- Junior ISA providers compared
- Best index funds for Junior ISAs
- What is a Junior ISA?
This article is for education only and isn't financial advice. Tax rules can change, so check GOV.UK for the current limits.
Written by Squids-In Team
The Squids-In team writes plain-English guides to help families understand Junior ISAs, Junior SIPPs and long-term investing, and to help children learn about money with confidence.
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