Lifetime ISA Contribution Limits: How Much Can You Pay In?

The Lifetime ISA contribution limit is £4,000 a tax year until the holder turns 50, and gov.uk says the government adds a 25% bonus, up to £1,000 a year. For the 2026-27 tax year the £4,000 counts towards the overall ISA allowance of £20,000; it is not an extra allowance.

The site's rules data was last checked against gov.uk on 26 September 2026. Figures typed in this guide may not yet reflect a later change, and the descriptions of gov.uk pages are summaries that may also lag. The current figures are on the ISA rules at a glance page. General information only, not financial advice.

How much can be paid into a Lifetime ISA each year?

gov.uk says you can put in up to £4,000 each year until you are 50, and that the government adds a 25% bonus to your savings, up to a maximum of £1,000 per year (GOV.UK Lifetime ISA overview). The tax year runs from 6 April to 5 April (how ISAs work). The overview gives one limit for the Lifetime ISA, and says the account can hold cash, stocks and shares, or both, so the limit is not described as different between the two forms.

When you turn 50, gov.uk says you cannot pay into the Lifetime ISA or earn the 25% bonus. The account stays open and the savings still earn interest or investment returns.

How does the limit fit within the ISA allowance?

gov.uk says the Lifetime ISA limit counts towards the annual ISA limit, which is £20,000 for the 2026-27 tax year. The GOV.UK page on how ISAs work says you can save the annual limit in one account or split it across several. It also says you can only pay into one Lifetime ISA in a tax year.

An illustration with assumed amounts: £2,400 into a Lifetime ISA, £6,000 into a stocks and shares ISA and £8,000 into a cash ISA is £16,400 in total, which is within the overall allowance. Because the Lifetime ISA payment uses part of the same allowance, a larger Lifetime ISA payment leaves less for the other accounts. The ISA calculator and the ISA Allowance Checker show how payments across accounts add up.

How is the bonus worked out?

The bonus is 25% of what is paid in, up to £1,000 a year, so the maximum bonus is reached by paying in the full limit. The pages read for this guide do not say exactly when the bonus is credited to the account, so that is a question for each provider.

A worked example

The figures are assumptions for the arithmetic, not a forecast. A saver opens a Lifetime ISA at 28 and pays in £2,400 a year for 10 years, until 38.

Paid in over 10 years: £2,400 × 10 = £24,000.
Bonus at 25%: £600 a year × 10 = £6,000.
Combined total before any interest or growth: £30,000.

If the money were in a stocks and shares Lifetime ISA, growth would come on top and could be negative. The example leaves it out so the effect of the bonus is clear. The Lifetime ISA calculator can run other amounts, and its results are illustrations, not forecasts.

Who can pay in?

gov.uk says you must be 18 or over but under 40 to open a Lifetime ISA, and either resident in the UK or a member of the armed forces or a Crown servant (who can open a Lifetime ISA). The first payment must be made before you are 40. Payments can then continue until 50.

For a first-home purchase, gov.uk says the property must cost £450,000 or less and the purchase must be at least 12 months after the first payment into the account (withdrawing money from your Lifetime ISA).

What is not guaranteed?

The bonus rate. It is set by government policy and could change in future. This guide describes the position on gov.uk at the date above.
The limit. The pages read do not say whether the limit will rise or stay flat. Projections over many years can show both cases.
Investment returns. A stocks and shares Lifetime ISA can go down as well as up. A cash version is not exposed to market movements, subject to the provider's terms and any FSCS cover. The pages read do not say whether a given Lifetime ISA is covered, so ask the provider or FSCS.
The cost of early withdrawal. gov.uk says a withdrawal for a reason other than a first home, being 60 or over, or terminal illness (less than 12 months to live) attracts a 25% charge, and that if the whole pot is withdrawn the charge applies to the total including the bonus.

With assumed figures: paid in £2,800, bonus £700, total £3,500. A 25% charge on £3,500 is £875, leaving £2,625, which is £175 less than the £2,800 paid in.

What questions come up about paying in?

Paying more than the limit. The limit applies to each tax year. How a provider handles a payment above it is a question for the provider.
Unused allowance. gov.uk sets the limit for each tax year. The pages read do not describe an unused part being carried forward, so this guide does not assume it.
Mixing up the two limits. The Lifetime ISA limit and the overall ISA allowance are separate figures that apply together, so both need tracking.
Moving the account. gov.uk says moving a Lifetime ISA to another type of ISA before 60 triggers the 25% charge.

What to check before paying in

The opening age window, from 18 to 39, and the UK-residence rule.
The intended use, a first home or later life, and whether a cash or stocks and shares version is on offer.
How a Lifetime ISA payment fits with other ISA payments in the same tax year.
When the provider credits the bonus.
The cost of a withdrawal outside the charge-free reasons.

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum I can pay into a Lifetime ISA each year?

gov.uk says you can put in up to £4,000 each year until you are 50. The government adds a 25% bonus, up to a maximum of £1,000 per year.

Does the Lifetime ISA limit come on top of the ISA allowance?

No. gov.uk says the Lifetime ISA limit counts towards the annual ISA limit of £20,000. A Lifetime ISA payment therefore uses part of the same allowance as cash and stocks and shares ISA payments.

Can I keep paying into a Lifetime ISA after 50?

No. gov.uk says that when you turn 50 you cannot pay into your Lifetime ISA or earn the 25% bonus. The account stays open and the savings still earn interest or investment returns.

Is the Lifetime ISA limit different for cash and stocks and shares?

gov.uk gives a single limit of £4,000 for the Lifetime ISA and says the account can hold cash, stocks and shares, or both. The form held affects how the money grows, not the limit that gov.uk gives.

This guide does not constitute financial advice. Your personal situation, tax position, and savings goals may mean different strategies are appropriate. Consider speaking to a regulated financial adviser if you are uncertain.