Britannia tops the market

BRITANNIA is offering the highest rates in the market on its pounds 25,000 and pounds 10,000 tiers.

A pounds 10,000 deposit in the postal Capital Trust account will earn a return of 7.05 per cent gross.

For pounds 100,000 deposits Birmingham Midshires is offering a 7.6 per cent gross interest rate.

Hinckley & Rugby Building Society levies a penalty of 90 days' loss of interest on customers who transfer their Tessas.

Financial Assurance is offering a five-year guaranteed escalator bond offering rates, on a minimum investment of pounds 5,000, that rise from 6 per cent to 8.88 per cent over the five years of the investment.

On two-year guaranteed income bonds the market leader is Prosperity, which is offering 5.85 per cent on pounds 25,000 investments.

----------------------------------------------------------------- SIX OF THE BEST ----------------------------------------------------------------- Savings ----------------------------------------------------------------- Type Account Term *0% *25% *40% Min GIB Financial Assurance 5 years 6.95 6.95 5.90 pds 50,000 B Soc Britannia Instant 7.25 5.44 4.35 pds 25,000 Tessa Hinckley & Rugby 5 years 8.05 8.05 8.05 pounds 25 ----------------------------------------------------------------- *Compounded annual rate except for GIB (guaranteed income bond) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Source: Chase De Vere 071-404 5766 -----------------------------------------------------------------