Frequently asked questions

For simplicity we often refer to the Vantage Fund Account and Vantage Share Account as separate accounts however when you apply you will actually hold a single Vantage Fund & Share Account. There is no charge to hold funds or shares within the account however dealing charges apply to shares.

Please read the Key Features and Terms & Conditions then:

Online: Complete our online application form using a debit card.

By post: Send an application form and a personal cheque.

Telephone: Contact our Fund Account Line on 0117 988 9965 (Mon to Fri 9am - 5pm) with your debit card.

You can invest in all types of open ended fund including Unit Trusts, OEICs, ICVCs, SICAVs. You can also hold cash on the account pending your investment decision.

We usually ask for a minimum subscription of £3000 when first opening an account. Subject to a minimum of £1000 per fund this can be split between multiple investments.

You are also able to set up a monthly regular savings instruction of £50 a month if applying online or £100 a month if applying via the post. This is subject to a minimum of £50 per fund.

The minimum lump sum investment into a new fund is £1000. If you are topping up a fund that you already hold the minimum investment is £250.

You are also able to set up a monthly regular savings instruction of £50 a month if applying online or £100 a month if applying via the post. This is subject to a minimum of £50 per fund.

Yes it is possible to open an account in joint names. The application form has space for a joint holder's details. To apply for a Fund Account in joint names, you would need to send us an application form via the post. The joint holder must be over 18. Please read the Key Features and Terms & Conditions before applying.

Yes. It is possible to designate a Fund Account so that the investments are held on a child's behalf until they reach the age of 18. The application form has an account designation box where you would need to give the child's initials. For further information on investing on behalf of a child, please call our Helpdesk on 0117 900 9000 to request our Investing for Children pack. To apply for a Fund Account on behalf of a child you would need to send us an application form via the post. Please read the Key Features and Terms & Conditions before applying.

Yes it is. We would require a certified copy of the Trust Document with the accompanying Vantage Fund Account application form and, if not in the Trust Document itself, a list of names and addresses of all authorised trustees and beneficiaries.

Please read the Key Features then top up your account in one of three ways:

Online: If you have online access you can add money to your account using a debit card by selecting the 'Add Money' tab once you have logged in.
Telephone: You can call us on 0117 988 9946 to add money using a debit card.
By post: You can send another application form, or if you prefer, just a covering letter, quoting your client number, and cheque made payable to 'HLAM Client A/C'.  If you are not using a personal cheque (or you are using any cheque that doesn’t have your name printed on it) please ask your Bank or Building Society to verify on the back of the cheque that the money has been drawn from your account. The Bank or Building Society may certify the cheque on the reverse with the wording ‘This cheque has been drawn on the account of (your name)’. This must be dated, signed and accompanied by the company stamp.

There is no annual management charge for the Vantage Fund Account.

Many funds offer you the choice between income and accumulation units. If you choose income units the income you receive will be dealt with as per the income instructions for your Vantage ISA, SIPP or Fund & Share Account.

A Vantage Fund Account can be set up to treat income in one of three ways:

1. Reinvestment: Income will be held within your account and accumulated until it exceeds £50 per holding for Unit Trusts/OEICs and £200 per holding for other investments, when it will be automatically reinvested. We will do this within 10 working days of the end of each month.
2. Deposit: Income will be held on your account pending your further investment instructions.
3. Pay out an Income: Income will be paid out directly to a nominated bank/building society account. This payment will be made within 10 working days of the end of each month.

The instruction you give will apply to all income paying holdings within that Vantage Fund & Share account.

You can change the income instruction by logging into your account online (go to the 'Income Account' section), or by sending us a signed letter of instruction. You can also opt for income to be retained on the account or automatically reinvested by calling us on 0117 900 9000 with your master password (you cannot request income to be paid to your bank account over the telephone).

Alternatively, you can complete and return our Change of Income Instruction form.

Online: If you're registered, simply log in to your account to place a deal. If you're not already registered you can request a PIN here.

Telephone: Provided you have a master password on your account, call our stockbrokers on 0117 980 9800.

Post: Send a signed letter of instruction to: One College Square South, Anchor Road, Bristol, BS1 5HL.

Alternatively, you can download and return a dealing form.

Funds:
There is no dealing charge for switching funds, you would be out of the market overnight and on the repurchase of a new fund you would incur the initial charge for this fund, minus any discount we can offer.

Shares:
If you are trading in shares, you will incur dealing commission. View our current dealing tariff.

You can set up a direct debit to invest into a fund on a monthly basis in a Vantage Fund Account. It is possible to set up the instruction online or by sending us an application form. The minimum monthly amount we ask for if setting up the regular savings instruction online is £50. If applying for a regular savings plan into the Fund Account via the post, the monthly minimum is £100. This is subject to a minimum of £50 per fund.

Payment will leave your bank account on the 7th of each month (or the next working day if the 7th is not a working day) and investments are made on the 10th (or the next working day if the 10th is not a working day).

If you wish to change the amount of money we request from your bank account or wish to change the funds you are investing in, please contact our Help Desk on 0117 900 9000 quoting your master password. Alternatively complete a Regular Savings - Change to Contribution form or a Change your Fund Choice form.

If you wish to cancel your direct debit please provide us with a written instruction. If you would like to change the bank account from which the monthly payments are made, we will require a new direct debit mandate.

We will need to receive any new instructions no less than 10 working days before the next payment is due to be made.

Hargreaves Lansdown receives annual renewal commission from most Fund Managers. We share this renewal commission with our Vantage clients in the form of an annual saving, which we call the Loyalty Bonus. The Loyalty Bonus is credited to a separate Loyalty Bonus Account within your Vantage portfolio.

The Loyalty Bonus can be withdrawn (subject to a minimum of £5) on receipt of a signed letter of instruction, or you can complete and return our Cash Withdrawal Form. Alternatively, you could use this money to fund a further investment into a Vantage account.

Within each Vantage account cash is held in two separate cash management accounts, the Income account and the Capital account. Any dividends or tax credits you receive are paid into your Income account. Any other payments you make into your Vantage account are held on the Capital account.

A Vantage Fund & Share Income Account can be set up to treat income received in one of three ways:

1. Reinvestment: Income will be held within your Income Account and accumulated until it exceeds £50 per holding for Unit Trusts/OEICs and £200 per holding for other investments, when it will be automatically reinvested. We will do this within 10 working days of the end of each month.
2. Deposit: Income will be held on your Capital Account pending your further investment instructions.
3. Pay out an Income: Income will be held temporarily within your income account and then paid out directly to a nominated bank/building society account. This payment will be made within 10 working days of the end of each month.

The monies held in the Vantage Fund & Share Capital account can be used for investment.

We will pay interest on money held as cash in the Capital account. The rate of interest will depend on the value of the cash you hold. View current rates of interest.

Interest is not payable on money held in the Income account.

The interest on cash held in your Vantage Capital account is calculated on a daily basis and credited to your Vantage account monthly (within the first 10 working days of the month).

In order to withdraw cash from a Vantage Stocks & Shares ISA we would require you to send us a signed letter of instruction or, if you prefer you can complete and return a Cash Withdrawal Form. If you provide us with your bank details (account number, sort code, and if applicable the building society reference number) we can arrange a payment of this money by BACS. Alternatively, we will send you a cheque.

Any deal placed will need to settle before the cash proceeds are available to be paid out. The settlement period for Unit Trusts/OEICs is four working days. The settlement period for shares and investment trusts is three working days. We can pay out cash on the day of settlement, assuming that we have received a signed written instruction to do so.

If you already have access to your Vantage portfolio online, any new accounts you open in your name will be displayed in the same place.

If you apply for an account online, you will set up online access to your account as part of the application process. If you apply by post or over the telephone, we will automatically send you a PIN number via the post which will allow you to register for online access.

If you have an existing account and would like to set up online access, you can register for online access on our homepage.

We send an Investment Report containing a valuation and statement of your account twice a year. These arrive with our clients in mid May and mid November. You can view historic Investment Reports online if you have online access set up to your Vantage account.

We will send you a consolidated tax certificate with your April Investment Report which will detail all the dividends received into this account and the tax deducted. This will be received in mid May.

You can transfer most Unit Trust/OEIC funds to our Vantage Fund Account. Please read the Key Features and Terms & Conditions then complete our Fund Account Transfer form. To check transfer terms please call our Helpdesk on 0117 900 9000.

We have put together a summary of the key protections that apply to you as a private investor:

How safe is your investment with Hargreaves Lansdown

You can log in to your account online (go to the 'Portfolio Administration' section), or send us a signed letter of instruction. Alternatively, you can complete and return our Change of Address form.

Online: If you have an account with us and you have online access, you can log into your account and amend your e-mail address.
Telephone: Provided that you have a Master Password you can call us on 0117 900 9000.
E-mail: We can accept a change of e-mail address given by e-mail as long as the e-mail is sent from the existing e-mail address that we hold.
Post: You can send us a signed letter of instruction, or you can complete and return our Change of Personal Details form.