Evidence over opinion Issue 2026
Rational GB Evidence-based money

Independent · Ad-light · UK

Money decisions, made on evidence, not on someone’s hunch.

Index funds, pensions, ISAs and tax, explained from the data up. We show the research, name the trade-offs, and tell you where nobody actually knows.

Active funds beaten by the index*
~88%
ISA allowance, 25/26
£20k
Funds we sell
None

*SPIVA Europe, 10-year UK equity, before survivorship adjustment.

A quiet desk with research notes and a printed share-price chart
Working file
Grounded in SPIVA & Morningstar data· FCA & HMRC rules· Peer-reviewed finance research· No commission, ever

Editor’s pick

Best Stocks and Shares ISA Platforms in the UK for 2026, Compared on Fees Buying Guides
Evidence-checked feature

Best Stocks and Shares ISA Platforms in the UK for 2026, Compared on Fees

A calm, fee-first comparison of the best stocks and shares ISA platforms in the UK for 2026, with verified charges for Trading 212, Vanguard, AJ Bell, HL and more.

Table of contents

The guides, numbered and sourced

Each guide is a standalone briefing: the question, what the evidence shows, and the honest catch most articles leave out.

Best Stocks and Shares ISA Platforms in the UK for 2026, Compared on Fees No. 01
Buying Guides No. 01

Best Stocks and Shares ISA Platforms in the UK for 2026, Compared on Fees

A calm, fee-first comparison of the best stocks and shares ISA platforms in the UK for 2026, with verified charges for Trading 212, Vanguard, AJ Bell, HL and more.

Read guide
Trading 212 vs InvestEngine vs Vanguard: Which Low-Cost Platform Wins No. 02
Buying Guides No. 02

Trading 212 vs InvestEngine vs Vanguard: Which Low-Cost Platform Wins

A plain, fee-by-fee comparison of Trading 212, InvestEngine and Vanguard for UK ISA and SIPP investors. Real charges, real trade-offs, no hype.

Read guide
How to Open a SIPP in the UK: A Step-by-Step Guide for First-Timers No. 03
How-To No. 03

How to Open a SIPP in the UK: A Step-by-Step Guide for First-Timers

A plain, step-by-step guide to opening a SIPP in the UK: who can open one, the tax relief, picking a platform, and your first contribution.

Read guide
Investment Platform Fee Calculator UK: Percentage vs Flat Fee No. 04
Tools No. 04

Investment Platform Fee Calculator UK: Percentage vs Flat Fee

Free UK investment platform fee calculator: enter your pot size and we work out the yearly cost on Trading 212, InvestEngine, Vanguard, AJ Bell, HL and interactive investor, ranked cheapest first.

Read guide
Investment Growth Calculator UK: Project Your ISA or SIPP Pot No. 05
Tools No. 05

Investment Growth Calculator UK: Project Your ISA or SIPP Pot

A UK investment growth calculator that projects your ISA or SIPP pot from a starting sum and monthly contributions, with fees and inflation deducted so you see the real, spendable value.

Read guide
Pension Tax Relief Calculator UK: Basic, Higher and Additional Rate No. 06
Tools No. 06

Pension Tax Relief Calculator UK: Basic, Higher and Additional Rate

A UK pension tax relief calculator that shows the real cost of a SIPP or pension contribution after 20% relief at source plus any higher or additional rate relief you claim back through Self Assessment.

Read guide
How Long to Reach Your Investment Target: ISA and SIPP Time Calculator No. 07
Tools No. 07

How Long to Reach Your Investment Target: ISA and SIPP Time Calculator

Work out how long to reach 100k or any investment target, from your starting pot, monthly contribution and expected return, with the monthly amount that would get you there faster.

Read guide
How to Start Investing in the UK: An Evidence-Based Beginner’s Guide No. 08
Investing Foundations No. 08

How to Start Investing in the UK: An Evidence-Based Beginner’s Guide

Start investing in the UK in 2025/26: ISA allowances, named low-cost index funds, real platform fees, FSCS limits and the long-run evidence on returns.

Read guide

Our whole method

Opinions are cheap. The evidence is the product.

The finance internet runs on confident hunches. We do the slower thing: take the common claim, hold it against the data, and report what is left standing.

See how we work
The common claim
What the evidence shows
“Pick a star fund manager.”
Past winners rarely repeat; low-cost trackers beat most over a decade.
“Time the market for the dip.”
Missing the best 10 days wrecks returns. Time IN beats timing.
“Pay down the mortgage first.”
It depends on your rate vs pension tax relief. We show the maths.
“Cash is safe.”
After inflation, long-term cash usually loses real value.

The Quarterly Note

One considered email. No tips, no hype, no portfolio envy.

We send a short, evidence-checked briefing on UK investing, pensions and tax. If a claim is not backed by data, it does not go in.

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We never share your address. Read for the evidence, not the hot takes.