Product Performance
Our savings and investment products continue to perform, despite challenging market conditions. Learn about our product performances and where we invest for your benefit below.
Where is My Money Invested?
Kingston Unity Friendly Society Members invest in our With Profits fund to create returns for our Members’ savings. The aim of the fund is to offer savers a better return than more traditional cash saving accounts that you would find with banks, but without entering a high-risk investment environment with their savings. This is achieved by spreading the investment over different assets, and as such our fund is considered a medium to low risk investment.
Our Mutual Ethos
As a mutual, we are here to create returns for our Members and not for corporate profit. Our mutual ethos means our Members are our shareholders and all surplus profits are returned to them as a bonus. It is this mutual ethos that has been the bedrock of our society for over 178 years. You can see our declared bonus rates for 2019 by clicking on the link below.
Key Performance Notes
- Our Investment ISA produced has a robust, inflation beating return that has out-performed Cash ISA rates for the sixth year in a row.
- We are proud to deliver honest and transparent rates with no hidden fees or extra management charges to our Members.
- Investments over 2019 have performed strongly and generated good returns for our Members.
- Irrespective of market turbulence, the integrity and vision of the Society has held fast with bonus rates applied and product guarantees maintained.
Where Do We Invest?
Our With Profits fund invests in a range of different areas such as property, shares, cash and bonds, to provide members with a medium to low risk investment option. The aim of the fund is to offer savers a better return than more traditional cash saving options that you would find with banks, but without entering a high-risk investment environment with their savings. In addition to this, Kingston Unity applies a process known as smoothing to produce a more consistent annual return for its Members. You can learn more about Smoothing on the link below.
Learn more about how we manage our With Profits fundProduct Breakdown
Below is a breakdown of the performance of each of our savings and investment products that are available to new Members.
Investment ISA
Tax-free and flexible saving up to the £20,000 annual allowance with our Investment ISA. Pay in regular payments or lump sums. Stop, start or change payments to suit as long as you remain within the Government’s ISA tax-free limits. Save from £25 per month or a lump sum of £500 or more. ISAs receive a reversionary rate and once this is added, it cannot be removed. A reversionary rate is the rate paid at the end of the year, thus reflecting the performance of the year.
| Product | Bonus Rate Declared 2019 | Bonus Rate Declared 2018 | Bonus Rate Declared 2017 | Bonus Rate Declared 2016 | Bonus Rate Declared 2015 |
| Investment ISA | 1.50% | 1.75% | 3.00% | 3.10% | 2.00% |
Investment Bond
Our Investment Bond allows for 5% penalty free annual withdrawals should you need it and on the 10th anniversary of the Investment Bond or each subsequent 10th anniversary, we guarantee you will be able to withdraw all money paid into the Bond as well as all bonuses added.
| Product | Bonus Rate Declared 2019 | Bonus Rate Declared 2018 | Bonus Rate Declared 2017 | Bonus Rate Declared 2016 | Bonus Rate Declared 2015 |
| Investment Bond | 1.50% | 1.50% | 2.50% | 2.50% | – |
Junior ISA (JISA)
Offering fantastic benefits for parents and young account holders. Invest £9,000 tax-free in the 2020/21 tax year in a Junior ISA. Apply securely, online, in a few minutes. We accept regular payments of £5 or more per month and one-off payments from £10 up to the Government’s annual maximum limit. Junior ISAs receive a reversionary rate and once this is added, it cannot be removed. A reversionary rate is the rate paid at the end of the year, thus reflecting the performance of the year.
| Product | Bonus Rate Declared 2019 | Bonus Rate Declared 2018 | Bonus Rate Declared 2017 | Bonus Rate Declared 2016 | Bonus Rate Declared 2015 |
| Junior ISA | 1.50% | 1.75% | 3.00% | 3.10% | 2.00% |
Tax Exempt Savings Plan
Available only from Friendly Societies. You can save up to £25 per month in our Tax Exempt Savings Plan to build up a tax-free lump sum for the future – and you can even set up the plan so that it is paid out on a special birthday, anniversary or other important life events.
| Product | Bonus Rate Declared 2019 | Bonus Rate Declared 2018 | Bonus Rate Declared 2017 | Bonus Rate Declared 2016 | Bonus Rate Declared 2015 |
| Tax Exempt Savings Plan | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.75% |
Child Tax Exempt Savings Plan
Available only from Friendly Societies, a Tax Exempt Savings Plan allows you to make regular monthly savings to build up a lump sum for the future. Where a child is concerned, saving for important life events such as further education, a gap year or driving lessons can ease the financial burden. Pay from £5 to £25 per month.
| Product | Bonus Rate Declared 2019 | Bonus Rate Declared 2018 | Bonus Rate Declared 2017 | Bonus Rate Declared 2016 | Bonus Rate Declared 2015 |
| Child Tax Exempt Savings Plan | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.75% |
Regular Savings Plan
Our Regular Savings Plan allows you to save from as little as £15 per month or from £5 per month for children to build up a lump sum in the future. You will also benefit from life cover during the term of your plan. Save from £15 to £250 per month or £5 to £250 per month for children.
| Product | Bonus Rate Declared 2019 | Bonus Rate Declared 2018 | Bonus Rate Declared 2017 | Bonus Rate Declared 2016 | Bonus Rate Declared 2015 |
| Regular Savings Plan | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.25% |
Notes: Bonus rates for Tax Exempt Savings Plans, Child Tax Exempt Savings Plans and Regular Savings Plans are applied to the Sum Assured and not the investment amount. Therefore these rates are not directly comparable to the rates of our other products. All rates declared above are net rates and no other charges are applied. The rate declared is based on the year starting 1st January and ending 31st December. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Bonuses are not guaranteed, but once added to a product, they cannot be removed. Please ensure you carefully read the product information including the Key Information Documents and Terms and Conditions before you apply for a product.
