A stock is a slice of ownership in a company, and when you buy a stock, its value will rise or fall in line with the value of that company.
You might hear ‘stocks’ used interchangeably with ‘shares’ but there’s a subtle difference. ‘Stocks’ refers to broad ownership – you can own stock in Apple and Tesla for example. ‘Shares’ on the other hand, refers to a specific unit of ownership in a company – you can own three Apple shares or five shares in Tesla.
Capital at risk. All investing should be for the longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.
A 25% government penalty applies if you withdraw money from a Lifetime ISA for any reason other than buying your first home (up to £450,000) or for retirement, and you may get back less than you paid into your Lifetime ISA.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Payments you make into your pension won’t be accessible until the minimum pension age (currently 55, increasing to age 57 from 2028). Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future.
