The Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) allowance

If you were married or in a civil partnership and your spouse or civil partner died on or after 3 December 2014, you are entitled to an extra ISA allowance equal to the value of the ISA(s) held by your partner, even if you don’t inherit the cash or assets in the ISA. This allowance is called the Additional Permitted Subscription (APS) allowance and is in addition to, and independent of, your annual ISA allowance.

If your partner held several ISAs with different ISA providers, you are entitled to a separate APS allowance with each of the ISA providers. Alternatively, you can transfer multiple APS allowances to one ISA provider who will combine them into one single APS allowance.

Please note:

• You can’t transfer your APS allowance to someone else – it can only be used by you, as the partner of the deceased.
• The APS allowance doesn’t apply to Junior ISAs or Child Trust Funds.
• Broadly, the time limit for using the allowance is three years from date that your partner died, known as the 'permitted period'.

You will be eligible for an APS allowance if your partner died on or after 3 December 2014, and at the date of their death you were:

• Married or in a civil partnership and living together, not legally separated or about to come legally separated.

For subscriptions made in cash, the APS allowance is available for three years after the date of death, or for up to 180 days after administration of the estate is complete (i.e. when the personal representatives have distributed the assets of the estate), whichever is later. This is known as the 'permitted period'.

You'll need to complete an application form for your APS allowance, which will ask for information such as:

• The date of your marriage/civil partnership to the deceased.
• Their date of birth and death.
• Their address at the time of their death.
• Their National Insurance number.
• Your National Insurance number.

If you're a new customer for your chosen ISA provider, you'll also need to show proof of identity (such as a passport or driver's licence).

If you have any detailed questions about using your APS allowance, please contact your partner's ISA provider. Please note your partner's death must have been registered with their ISA provider before they are able to give you information about your APS allowance.

For more information about the Additional Permitted Subscription allowance please read the Obtaining additional ISA allowances following the death of your spouse or civil partnerPDF opens in a new window leaflet or call the HMRC bereavement helpline team on 0300 200 3300.

For Cash ISAs, please call us on 03456 00 44 66*

For a Stocks and Shares ISA:

• If you already have a Virgin Money Stocks and Shares ISA, please call us on 03455 28 88 88**.
• If you don’t have a Virgin Money Stocks and Share ISA, you’ll need to open one before you can use your APS allowance with us. You can apply here. Once you’ve opened your Virgin Money Stocks and Shares ISA, please call us on 03455 28 88 88** to start using your APS allowance.

*Calls to 03 numbers cost the same as calls to 01 or 02 numbers and they are included in inclusive minutes and discount schemes in the same way. Calls may be monitored and recorded. We're here 8am to 8pm business days, 8am to 4pm Saturday and 10am to 3pm Sunday.

**Calls to 03 numbers cost the same as calls to 01 or 02 numbers and they are included in inclusive minutes and discount schemes in the same way. Calls may be monitored and recorded. We're here 8am to 9pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to 6pm Saturday.