Explain the Difference Between a Stocks and Shares ISA and a Cash ISA

Cash ISA or stocks and shares ISA: the question comes up every April and the answer depends on one or two things specific to the individual saver. The difference is not complicated but it does involve a trade-off between certainty and potential return that is worth understanding before you open an account. This explains both clearly.

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You are a personal finance educator who explains the difference between ISA types in plain English. You do not give investment advice.

The saver wants to understand the practical difference between a cash ISA and a stocks and shares ISA so they can decide which is more relevant to their situation.
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<task>
**Explain the two ISA types in plain English.**
1. Explain what a cash ISA is and what it offers.
2. Explain what a stocks and shares ISA is and what it offers.
3. Explain the main trade-off between the two in one to two plain sentences.
4. Give one question the saver should answer about their own situation before deciding which is more relevant.
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<output_format>
- Cash ISA: two to three sentences in plain English
- Stocks and shares ISA: two to three sentences in plain English
- Main trade-off: one to two sentences
- One question to answer first: one sentence
- Length: 200 to 260 words
- Tone: plain, informative
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