| My favourite pages |
| Support topics
Need help in something? Take a look at our support area for your answer. Find out more |
Session Timeout
You have been inactive for 0 mins.
Stay logged in or you will be logged off in 60 seconds.
Quick content survey
As your feedback helps us improve our content and services, we'd appreciate it if you can spare a few moments to respond to the following statements.
Cash interest explained |
You will receive interest on balances in your platform cash account at the prevailing rate.
Embark Investment Services Limited acts as the custodian for investments on the Willis Owen platform and is one of our strategic partners that provides our Willis Owen ISA, GIA, Junior ISA and SIPP.
Embark places cash with a number of banking partners for safekeeping and to provide the potential for you to earn interest on money in your platform cash account. By managing cash in this way, it aims to provide better protection and a higher overall level of interest than if all funds were placed with a single bank.
The rates of interest paid by banks will vary. Embark retains a portion of the interest earned to cover its costs in managing platform cash.
Current Interest Rate
The table below shows the current customer interest rate payable on cash balances along with the amount of interest retained by Embark. The customer interest rate shown is that after accounting for interest retained by Embark:
| Date From | Customer Interest Rate | Interest retained by Embark |
|---|---|---|
| 12th June 2024 | 2.6% | 1.75% - 2.00% |
Embark can change the rate of interest at any time and it reviews the position at least quarterly. Interest is calculated and accrued daily and is credited to your account on the first of each month. If you transfer out, accrued interest is applied at the point of transfer. We will inform you if and when the interest rate changes as soon as is practicable.
Interest retained
The table below shows the yearly equivalent rates of interest Embark expects to pay based on a range of possible yearly interest rates it may earn.
| Interest Embark expects to earn | Customer Interest Rate | Interest retained by Embark |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1% | 0 – 0.46% | 0 – 0.54% |
| 1-2% | 0.46% – 0.94% | 0.54% – 1.06% |
| 2-3% | 0.94% – 1.46% | 1.06% – 1.54% |
| 3-4% | 1.46% – 2.02% | 1.54% – 1.98% |
| 4-5% | 2.02% – 2.61% | 1.98% – 2.39% |
| 5%+ | 2.61%+ | 2.39%+ |
Historic Interest Rates
To see details of historic customer interest rates, along with the amount of interest retained by Embark, click here.
Equity Styles Explained |
Market capitalisation is an indication of the size of the companies being invested in. It is calculated by multiplying the number of shares issued by the company by the current share price. Market capitalisation is divided into ‘large’, ‘medium’ or ‘small’ according to the below:
Large – Companies that have a market capitalisation greater than $10 billion.
Medium – Companies that have a market capitalisation between $2 billion and $10 billion.
Small – Companies that have a market capitalisation below $2 billion.
Companies can be categorised as ‘value’, ‘blend’ or ‘growth’ as defined below:
Value – Companies that are considered to be trading at a share price below what their fundamentals would suggest.
Blend – Companies that do not exhibit solely value or growth characteristics.
Growth – Typically well-established companies which are considered to have above average prospects for long-term growth.
Equity Regions Explained |
Equity region indicates in which countries the underlying shares within your portfolio are listed.
USA – Companies listed on a stock market in the USA.Canada – Companies listed on a stock market in Canada.
Latin America – Companies listed on stock markets in the Caribbean, Central America and South America, such as Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
United Kingdom – Companies listed on a stock market in the United Kingdom, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Jersey.
Eurozone – Companies listed on stock markets in countries which have the Euro as their official currency, such as France, Germany and Spain.
Europe ex Eurozone – Companies listed on stock markets in western European countries which do not have the Euro as their official currency, such as Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.
Europe Emerging – Companies listed on stock markets in European emerging markets, such as Poland, Russia and Turkey.
Africa – Companies listed on stock markets in African countries, such as Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.
Middle East – Companies listed on stock markets in Middle Eastern countries, such as Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Japan – Companies listed on a stock market in Japan.
Australasia – Companies listed on stock markets in Australia and New Zealand.
Asia Developed – Companies listed on stock markets in developed Asian countries, such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.
Asia Emerging – Companies listed on stock markets in emerging Asian countries, such as China, India and Thailand.
Equity Sectors Explained |
Cyclical – Companies which operate in industries that are considered to be significantly affected by economic shifts. When the economy is prosperous, these industries tend to expand and when the economy is in a downturn they tend to shrink.
Basic Materials - Companies that manufacture chemicals, building materials and paper products. This sector also includes companies engaged in commodities exploration and processing.
Consumer Cyclical - This sector includes retail stores, auto and auto-parts manufacturers, restaurants, lodging facilities, specialty retail and travel companies.
Financial Services - Companies that provide financial services include banks, savings and loans, asset management companies, credit services, investment brokerage firms and insurance companies.
Real Estate - This sector includes companies that develop, acquire, manage and operate real estate properties.
Sensitive – Companies that operate in industries that ebb and flow with the overall economy, but not severely. Sensitive industries fall between defensive and cyclical, as they are not immune to a poor economy, but they also may not be as severely affected as cyclicals.
Communication Services - Companies that provide communication services using fixed-line networks or those that provide wireless access and services. Also includes companies that provide advertising & marketing services, entertainment content and services, as well as interactive media and content provider over internet or through software.
Energy - Companies that produce or refine oil and gas, oilfield-services and equipment companies and pipeline operators. This sector also includes companies that mine thermal coal and Uranium.
Industrials - Companies that manufacture machinery, hand-held tools and industrial products. This sector also includes aerospace and defence firms as well as companies engaged in transportation services.
Technology - Companies engaged in the design, development and support of computer operating systems and applications. This sector also includes companies that make computer equipment, data storage products, networking products, semiconductors and components.
Defensive – Companies which operate in industries that are relatively immune from economic shifts. These industries provide services that consumers require in both good and bad times.
Consumer Defensive – Companies that manufacture food, beverages, household and personal products, packaging, or tobacco. Also includes companies that provide services such as education and training services.
Healthcare – This sector includes biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, research services, home healthcare, hospitals, long-term-care facilities and medical equipment and supplies. Also includes pharmaceutical retailers and companies which provide health information services.
Utilities - Electric, gas and water utilities.
Product Involvement Explained |
Product Involvement metrics measure the percentage of a portfolio's assets exposed to a range of business areas and activities. For example, if a fund's involvement in Animal Testing is 20%, that means 20% of the fund's assets are invested in companies involved in Animal Testing.
Exposure percentages are calculated by summing the weights of a portfolio’s holdings in the companies involved in each area. In most cases a company is considered ‘involved’ in a certain area if it's revenue from that area exceeds a certain minimum threshold. In other areas, for example animal testing, abortion, contraceptives and human embryonic stem cell research, there is no revenue threshold such that if the company has any involvement at all in these areas, it will be considered involved. If a company is considered involved in an area, the entire weight of that company in a portfolio is counted when determining the overall percentages shown.
|
|
ESG Pillars Explained |
Morningstar's ESG Pillar Scores help investors understand how a fund is performing in three key areas: Environmental (E), Social (S), and Governance (G). These scores break down the overall sustainability risk of a portfolio into these specific categories.
Each score reflects how much environmental, social, and governance factors contribute to the overall risk of companies in the fund. The scores are averaged based on the size of each company in the portfolio. Lower scores mean lower risk.
To receive these scores, at least 67% of the fund’s assets must be rated for their ESG risk. This provides investors with a clearer view of a fund’s exposure to sustainability risks in different areas.
Asset Allocation Explained |
Equity – Often referred to as shares. Shares are units of ownership in a company which entitle the holder to certain rights for example to exercise voting rights or to participate in the company’s profits.
Fixed Income – Often referred to as fixed interest or bonds. When you invest in bonds, you are typically lending money to a company or a government in return for a defined series of interest payments and the promise that a defined value (called the ‘face’ or ‘par’ value) will be returned at a certain point in time
Property – Investments in property include residential, offices, warehouses and shopping centres.
Cash – Money held in cash or cash-like instruments, often to ensure there are sufficient liquid assets within a portfolio.
Other – Contains other investments such as commodities, preferred stock and derivatives.
The following is our standard Terms of Business which will apply to investment services supplied now and in the future. We ask that you read them and contact us if you are unsure of anything contained within any of the content. These terms form a legally binding agreement between you and us. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us through any of the methods we provide. For terms and conditions related to Willis Owen’s ‘Smart Savings’ service for arranging cash deposits, you should refer to the separate ‘Smart Savings - Customer Terms and Conditions’.
Willis Owen Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The Financial Conduct Authority is the independent watchdog that regulates financial services. Willis Owen Limited is entered on the Financial Services Register under reference number 121261. You can check this by visiting the FCA’s website at register.fca.org.uk or by calling them on 0800 111 6768.
Willis Owen Limited’s permitted activity is arranging investment business. Willis Owen is regulated in the United Kingdom. Willis Owen Limited registered office: Suite 37, Catalyst House, 720 Centennial Court, Centennial Park, Elstree, WD6 3SY. Registered in England No. 03283706.
Willis Owen Limited is an Execution Only Investment Service and all business transacted through us is carried out on a “Direct Offer” or “Execution Only” basis for investors who wish to make their own investment decisions. We do not provide advice on any of the products or services featured on our website or through our various publications. This means that we do not offer financial advice on whether any product we promote is suitable for your personal circumstances. We are therefore not required, under FCA rules, to ensure that the product is suitable for you. In some circumstances, where you ask us to execute an investment that is defined by the FCA as a ‘complex product’, we may be obliged to ask you for further information before we can proceed with that transaction to assess whether you have the necessary experience and knowledge in order to understand the risks involved in relation to the product or service requested. In some circumstances, if we feel the product or service is inappropriate we can refuse to transact on your behalf.
None of the information on our website, whether provided by Willis Owen, or any other firm mentioned is intended as a personal recommendation. Where a third party has expressed opinions in any of our publications or our website, these opinions are those of the third party and may differ from those of Willis Owen.
The website content relates to various products and we may make other products or services available to you, during the course of your relationship with us. It is your responsibility to ensure that these products meet your needs, and if you have any doubt whether the products described are suitable for you, you should obtain regulated financial advice.
When you buy and sell units or shares in Unit Trusts, OEICs or other open ended investment funds, we carry out the transaction solely as agent. The fund manager is responsible for the price at which all deals are transacted and we accept no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies by the fund manager, its representatives or any third parties acting on their behalf. Willis Owen acts as your agent in arranging investments; we never own the investments which we arrange for you.
The Willis Owen Platform/Aegon Platform/Fidelity FundsNetwork and any other platform we may offer in the future, including transactions made directly to the provider, are available to United Kingdom (UK) residents only. You must not undertake any transactions, including opening an account, if you are not a UK resident.
You must be aged 18 or over to invest. Eligible people who are under 18 may hold a Junior ISA, but this must be opened by a person with parental responsibility, who will be the registered contact for the account.
There is no minimum or maximum length to our agreement under these Terms but please remember that under current rules you cannot withdraw money from a Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) until you are 55 or from a Junior ISA until 18 (except in exceptional circumstances).
Willis Owen accepts no liability if you purchase two stocks and shares ISAs in any one fiscal year, or otherwise do not comply with the ISA rules. We reserve the right to collect fees/charges in relation to HM Revenue & Customs rebates if a second, disallowed ISA is taken out in error.
These terms become effective once you become a customer.
These Terms of Business may not be varied except by prior written consent of the customer and Willis Owen.
These Terms of Business are governed by English Law and are subject to the jurisdiction of the English Courts.
