Vanguard UK Platform Fee Shake Up Hits Small Investors With New Monthly Charge

British investment giant Vanguard is implementing significant changes to its fee structure for UK platform users, introducing a £4 monthly charge that will particularly impact smaller investors whilst reducing costs for managed service clients.

The revised pricing model, set to launch late January, will apply the monthly fee to ‘DIY’ investors holding up to £32,000 across ISAs, personal pensions, and general accounts. The existing 0.15 per cent annual charge remains applicable for balances exceeding £32,000, with total fees capped at £375.

This restructuring makes Vanguard’s platform comparatively more expensive for investors with portfolios below £10,000 when measured against competitors like AJ Bell and Hargreaves Lansdown. The move reflects Vanguard’s strategy to address rising operational costs while steering less experienced investors towards their managed services.

In a notable shift, Vanguard has reduced fees by one-third for its ‘managed’ ISA service, where investment professionals actively oversee client portfolios. The annual management fee has dropped from 0.3 per cent to 0.2 per cent, resulting in total fees of 0.51 per cent when including platform and fund costs.

Ben Summers, Vanguard’s head of UK personal investor, emphasised the company’s commitment to supporting first-time investors, noting that many of their 700,000 UK clients need guidance in portfolio construction and risk management.

Industry analysts at Platforum reveal that investors with £10,000 split between an ISA and pension would face annual costs of £70 with Vanguard, compared to £47 with AJ Bell and £67 with Hargreaves Lansdown. For managed services, Vanguard’s revised structure offers better value, charging £52 annually on £10,000, versus Nutmeg’s £62 and Hargreaves Lansdown’s £130.

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