Andrew oxlade biography

I was among the first generation of Isa savers. 

My first fund? An M&G tracker that delivered the performance of the FTSE All-Share index for a charge of just 0.3 per cent.

Back then, that was bargain basement; today, you could pay a tenth of that for the cheapest stock market tracker.

Back in April 1999 when Isas were launched (exactly 25 years ago), fund investing was new for me. 

These schemes, in any case, were swept away and we were given a new acronym - the Isa, or individual savings account.

This new account covered both savings (cash Isas) and investment (stocks & shares Isa).

Isas have been a success - they are not just widely held but are widely trusted. 

Chancellor Gordon Brown said it was his aim to make Britain a nation of savers again, and it has certainly helped.

The number of Isa openings peaked in 2010 but openings have remained robust despite market ebbs and flows, Brexit and the pandemic, as HMRC figures show.

A big issue remains - th