Your Sharesave — here’s how an EQi Flexible ISA can work for you
You can choose a tax-efficient way to protect your gains — with a simple, paperless transfer
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90 days
You have up to 90 days after buying your shares to move them into an ISA
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£3k
Outside an ISA, Capital Gains Tax may apply to gains above your £3,000 annual allowance
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£0
All gains made within an ISA remain free from UK income, capital gains and dividend tax
The ISA option: keep your shares working for you
Transferring your shares into an EQi Flexible ISA is a straightforward process — just select the option in your company portal.
Once your shares are in an ISA, they stay free from tax, whether you hold, sell or add to them.
What you need to know
- You have up to 90 days to move your shares into an ISA after buying them — as long as you start within this time, the transfer can complete later
- Transfers count towards your £20,000 ISA allowance.
Once your shares are in an ISA, you can decide what to do at your own pace.
Investment Risk warnings - The value of investments can fall as well as rise and any income from them is not guaranteed and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. EQi does not provide investment advice. If you are in any doubt as to the risk or suitability of an investment or product you should seek advice from an independent financial adviser. The extent and value of any ISA tax advantages or benefits will vary according to the individual's circumstances. The levels and bases of taxation may also change.
What happens if my shares are worth more than £20,000 at maturity?
This is not uncommon — and your EQi account is set up to handle it automatically.
- Up to £20,000 will be held in your EQi ISA
- Any remaining value will be held in your linked EQi Dealing account
Both accounts are part of your EQi setup, so you can manage everything in one place.
Because the EQi ISA is flexible, you have more control over how you manage your shares within the 90-day window.
For example, if you sell shares in your ISA, you can withdraw the proceeds and use that space to move additional shares from your Dealing account into your EQi ISA.
Example: using an EQi Flexible ISA
Jay has saved £11,000 through Sharesave.
He chooses to buy his company shares at the discounted price offered at the start of the scheme. At maturity, the shares are worth £30,000.
To help protect his gains from Capital Gains Tax, Jay chooses to transfer his shares into an EQi Flexible Stocks & Shares ISA.
To keep his Sharesave tax advantages, Jay needs to start transferring his shares into his EQi ISA within 90 days of buying them.
EQi transfers up to £20,000 into his ISA (the maximum annual ISA allowance), with the remaining £10,000 of shares held in his linked EQi Dealing account.
Because the ISA is flexible, Jay may be able to move more of his shares into his ISA later in the same tax year, within the rules.
For example, if he sells some of the shares held in his ISA and withdraws the proceeds, this can create space that may allow additional shares from his Dealing account to be moved into his ISA — provided this is done within the 90-day time limit.
Why flexibility counts
Not all Stocks & Shares ISAs are flexible and it's a feature that's valuable not just during Sharesave maturity.
With the EQi ISA, you have the freedom to withdraw money and pay it back in within the same tax year, without it counting against your £20,000 allowance.
It also gives you a simple way to stay invested in your future.
Looking ahead: keep the momentum going
For many people, Sharesave maturity is a chance to build on their saving habits and think about what comes next.
A Stocks & Shares ISA gives you a straightforward way to invest beyond your company shares — whether through regular contributions or one-off payments.
Over time, this can give your money the potential to grow, rather than sit as cash.
EQi pricing
EQi aims to offer clear, straightforward pricing with no hidden charges.
Our subscription is based on the total value across your EQi accounts:
- £4.99 per month if your total account value is under £50,000
- £10.99 per month if your total account value is £50,000 or more — including one free online trade each month*
- Regular investing trades cost just £0.99
This gives you a simple, predictable way to manage your costs as you invest. For full details on account fees and trading charges, you can view our pricing page.
*The ‘one free online trade’ is to the value of £6.99 per month and can be redeemed across any account type. It will apply to the first online trade of that month and cannot be rolled over to subsequent months.
You can read more about our account fee and trading charges here.
Why people choose to invest
Investing is all about potential.
Shares allow you to own part of a company — and through your Sharesave scheme, you’ve already seen how that can lead to gains over time.
With a Stocks & Shares ISA, you can invest across a wider range of companies and sectors, rather than relying on just one.
Markets can go up and down, but over time investing gives your money the opportunity to grow in a way that savings alone may not.
If you’d like to understand more, our guide sets out 10 simple steps to explain how investing works and what to consider.
You can explore it in your own time and come back to it whenever you need.
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EQi Explains
Tax efficiency
Learn more about the tax benefits of an ISA when transferring from a SAYE scheme.
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EQI EXPLAINS
D.I.Y Investing and how it works
Taking control of your future and knowing how to make the most of your money is at the heart of DIY investing.
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Important Information
Before opening an EQi account, please read our Important Information documents including the terms and conditions of the service to make sure it’s right for you.
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FAQs
We have an FAQs page dedicated to answering any questions EQ employee share plan customers may have about their maturing schemes and the transfer to EQi.
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Contact us
If you have a question about the transition to EQi or have any accessibility needs, you can call our Customer Experience Centre on +44 (0) 345 0700 720.
For deaf and speech impaired customers, we welcome calls via Relay UK. Please see www.relayuk.bt.com for more information.