A Savings Plan makes it easy to invest consistently over time- w. Whether you're growing your ISA allowance gradually or building long-term wealth in a SIPP, you can set up automated, regular payments into any of your portfolios with InvestEngine.
How to set up a SavingsPlan
- Log into your InvestEngine account
- Choose the portfolio you want to fund
- Select ‘Savings Plan’
- Decide how much to invest and how often (e.g. £100 monthly)
- Choose your payment method, Direct Debit or VRP (Variable Recurring Payments) if your bank supports it
- Confirm your plan details and submit
Payment methods
Direct Debit
- Available from any UK current account
- Funds are collected once per month on your selected date
- Initial setup takes 5–7 business days, but future payments are automated
VRP (Variable Recurring Payments)
- If your bank supports it, VRP offers more flexibility
- You can set more frequent top-ups, and even change the amount dynamically
- Authorised directly via Open Banking- no need to log in again each time
If VRP is available, you’ll see it as an option during setup. More about this here.
AutoInvest and how funds are invested
By default, setting up a savings plan will enable AutoInvest for that portfolio, this means:
-
DIY Portfolios: Your cash will be automatically invested based on your ETF weightings
- If cash is received before 12 noon, investments are made the same day
- If after 12 noon, the trades are placed the next business day
-
Managed and LifePlans Portfolios: AutoInvest ensures your funds are automatically invested in line with your portfolio’s strategy
- If funds arrive before 2pm, they’re typically invested that day
- If after 2pm, they’re invested on the next business day
You can turn off AutoInvest at any time if you’d prefer to manage investments manually.
Managing your Savings Plan
You’re in full control. At any time, you can:
- Edit your amount or frequency
- Pause your plan temporarily
- Cancel it altogether
This can be done directly from your portfolio dashboard- no need to contact support.
Why use a Savings Plan?
- Helps build wealth consistently without needing to time the market
- Supports habits like monthly ISA investing or automated pension contributions
- Enables pound cost averaging, spreading your investments over time
Good to Know
- You can set up one Savings Plan per portfolio
- For Business Accounts, recurring payments are only available by standing order, VRP and Direct Debit are not supported
- AutoInvest only triggers once all ETF allocations reach £1 minimum per trade
Read more about AutoInvest here, and how much you should invest here