Understand the level of risk first
Investing offers the potential for better returns than cash savings over the long term (5+ years). But there are risks, the value of your investments may go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you’ve paid in.
Why invest?
Over the medium term of at least five years, investing can be a powerful way to build your wealth.
Better potential than savings 
Choosing to invest can give you the potential for better returns than cash savings. This could help if you’re saving for the big things in life, or retirement.
It’s easier than you think 
You don’t have to spend hours on your investments. We have options like our ready-made funds, which are managed for you by the Aviva Investors team on a regular basis. They do the hard work for you, and you can check your investments 24/7 online.
Balance risk with reward 
With investing, understanding risk is key to meeting your financial goals. Explore our investment options and know that whilst the value of investments may dip at times, staying invested gives you the best chance of better gains. And that patience can really pay off over the long term.
What are investment funds?
With funds you can buy a bundle of different investments for one price. This lets you spread your risk. If the value of the fund goes up, you’ll make a profit.
A simple way to start 
Funds take the legwork out of researching individual investments by giving you a basket of different ones. Instead, you can check the fund performance by reading a fund's factsheet.
Spread your risk 
One benefit of funds is that spreading your investments across many different ones can help balance losses in one area with gains in another. This is called diversification.
Fit the fund to your goals 
You can match the fund to your long-term goals like growing your investment or taking an income. You can also choose areas you’re interested in like technology, or regions like the US.
Invest your way with Aviva
From absolute beginner all the way to a seasoned investor, we have a wide range of investment options. Choose one or mix and match.
Universal Retirement Fund
Universal Retirement Fund Available with our SIPP, this is our simplest way to save for retirement. Tell us when you want to retire and the risk level of your investments will reduce closer to the date. You can change the date you set anytime.
Ready-made funds
Ready-made funds Ideal if you’re starting out or prefer to leave the hard work to the experts. These funds are built and managed for you by leading fund managers from Aviva Investors. Four different options mean you can match them to your own goals and risk appetite.
Experts’ shortlist
Experts’ shortlist If you’re a little more confident with investing, our experts at Aviva Investors have narrowed down some funds for you. They assess the market and select 80 funds they think have the greatest chance of providing you with good income or capital growth over the long term.
Self-select
Self-select A great option if you're an experienced investor, confident you understand risk and happy to take control. Buy and sell from a list of over 5,000 funds.
Share dealing
With Aviva, you’re not limited to investing in funds. If you’d prefer to invest in individual UK shares, you can buy and sell online with us too. You can also choose from a range of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and investment trusts.
Investment charges with Aviva
0.35% annual fee
The Aviva Charge for holding your investments is 0.35% of their value, up to £500,000. So if you have £100,000 invested with us you'll pay £350 a year.
Share deal for £4.99
If you buy or sell UK shares, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or investment trusts with us, you'll be charged a flat fee of £4.99 per trade.
Other charges
Depending on the investments you choose, you may have other charges, like fund management charges. You can find a full list of possible charges here.
Learn about investing
We have a range of useful guides and calculators that can take the mystery out of investing so you can choose yours with confidence.
Basics
Investing in funds: the basics
Thinking of investing? Here’s what you need to know about funds.
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Strategies
Active vs passive investing: Pros and Cons
Choose a way to invest that fits your long-term goals.
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Basics
What is share dealing?
If you'd like to invest in individual companies, then share dealing could be for you.
Charges calculator
Work out the charges you may pay with us.
Risk
profiler
Understand your attitude to risk and investing.
Investment preference tool
Find investments that fit your values.
Frequently asked questions
Are investment funds taxable?
If your funds are in a tax-efficient wrapper like an ISA or pension, returns are normally tax-free. Outside these you may have tax to pay when you sell investments or receive income. You’ll pay capital gains tax (CGT) on profits above your annual allowance of £3,000 for the tax year 2025/26. You’ll also pay dividend tax on income over the dividend allowance – which is £500 for the tax year 2025/2026. Interest from bond funds may be subject to income tax.
What is an ETF?
An ETF is an exchange-traded fund. That's an investment fund that's traded on the stock exchange, like a share. It typically holds a basket of assets, for example shares (equities) or bonds. It aims to track the performance of an index like the FTSE 100 or S&P 500. ETFs are generally low cost, offer good diversification for your investments and can be bought and sold when the markets are open. They can be used as part of an ISA or SIPP and you choose whether you want to focus on growth or taking an income.
Learn more about ETFs here.
What is an investment trust?
An investment trust is a company listed on a stock exchange that uses money from investors to buy a assets like shares, bonds, or property. Managed by professional fund managers, it aims to deliver income, growth, or both.
Unlike investment funds which can grow to any size, investment trusts have a fixed number of shares traded on the stock exchange. Investment trust shares can trade at a premium or discount to the value of the assets inside it - known as the net asset value (NAV) - depending on market demand. They can be a cost-effective way to access actively-managed investments.
How many funds should I invest in?
The ideal number of funds to invest in depends on your goals and how you feel about risk. For some investors a single large investment fund that covers a broad range of global equities in different industries could provide the diversification you need, especially over the long term. Having one fund that focuses on a single part of the world or just one industry like tech could mean higher risk. Choosing too many funds can make things complicated, and your investments may overlap. It’s important to read the fund factsheet of any investment fund you are interested in to check its performance and where your money will be invested.
We have more on how to select investment funds here.
How do I take money from my Aviva investments?
- Log in to MyAviva (or your Aviva Investors account), go to your investment account, pension or ISA and choose sell funds.
- Choose what to sell and submit your instruction online.
- Wait for the sale to settle (usually 2–5 working days) before withdrawing.
- Withdraw to your bank account with a bank transfer (this takes another 2–5 days).
The next steps to investing with Aviva
An Aviva Pension (SIPP), ISA or Investment Account can help you invest in a way that suits your goals.
Aviva Pension (SIPP) 
With our self-invested personal pension (SIPP) you can save for retirement in a tax-efficient way. With flexible payments that start from £25 a month.
Aviva Stocks & Shares ISA 
You can use our stocks and shares ISA to invest your £20,000 annual allowance in funds, shares, ETFs or investment trusts, and any gains will be tax-free.
Aviva Investment Account 
Our investment account is a flexible way to invest for the long term. It’s ideal if you’ve used up your ISA allowance.
Contact us
Need some help? Give us a call
0800 285 1088
Monday to Friday: 8:00am – 5:30pm
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
Email: myinvestmentportfolio@aviva.com
For our joint protection, telephone calls may be recorded and/or monitored and will be saved for a minimum of 5 years. Calls to 0800 numbers from UK landlines and mobiles are free. Our opening hours may be different depending on which team you need to speak to.