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Investment trusts

Investment trusts
Top investment trusts
Expert Tips

Please remember, investment value can go up or down and you could get back less than you invest. The value of international investments may be affected by currency fluctuations which might reduce their value in sterling.

Investment trust ideas from our experts

Our Super 60 investments and ACE 40 ethical list include a range of investment trusts. Or get up and running with our Quick-start Funds.

Experts in JISA

Quick-start Funds

Easy, straightforward investing with six low-cost funds. A simple way to help get you started.

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What is an investment trust?

An investment trust works in much the same way as a fund. It's a way to invest in a range of companies without picking individual shares.

Like funds, trusts invest in a 'basket' of underlying assets such as shares, bonds or property. But unlike funds, they are structured as companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Investors in a trust share in the capital gains (or losses) and in any income payments made. As a result, trusts have two values: the value of the investments held in the trust and its share price.

Why do people invest in trusts?

Investment trusts have various bells and whistles that investors can use to their advantage. These include ‘rainy day’ reserves, which have enabled the vast majority of trusts to weather the Covid-19 dividend drought by either maintaining or increasing dividend payments to shareholders.

Investors can also pick up a potential bargain when a trust is trading on a discount. Performance can be supercharged in rising markets by 'gearing'.

Investment trust performance can involve rather more ups and downs than funds, because of gearing and the effect of movements in the discount. But if you're invested for the long term, it is not worth worrying too much about short-term swings.

Kyle Caldwell – Collectives Editor

ii Top 50 Fund Index 

We're pleased to introduce the first edition of the ii Top 50 Fund Index. At the end of each quarter we rank the most-popular funds, investment trusts and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The list is based on the number of purchases made by interactive investor customers over a three-month period (with the first edition covering 1 April 2024 to 30 June 2024).

The data is real-time trades which excludes regular investing. Here’s what caught our eye in the second quarter of 2024.

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ii Top 50 Fund Index

Why choose interactive investor to buy investment trusts?

  • We offer one of the widest choice of investments in the market – more than 40,000 UK & global investment options, including over 600 investment trusts.
  • Our flat fees start from just £4.99 a month - Most other investment platforms charge a percentage fee that grows with your investments.
  • The £4.99 monthly fee includes our Stocks & Shares ISA and Trading Account.
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How to invest in investment trusts with ii

1.

Open an account

It only takes a few minutes to get started.

2.

Choose your investment trust(s)

Need inspiration? We've included several investment trusts in our Super 60 investment list.

3.

Choose how you want to invest

We've made it simple:

  • Top up monthly with our regular investing service and pay no trading fees.
  • Or buy & sell investments as and when you choose. 

Latest investment trust news and insights

Ian Cowie: why now isn’t the time to sell investment trusts

by Ian Cowie | 18th July 2024

Our columnist explains how investors with exposure to US investment trusts are sitting pretty over both the short and long term.

Top Performers

Fund, investment trust and ETF data. Read the latest

Video interviews

Latest articles

UK real estate upgrades and three top picks in the sector

about 2 hours agoGraeme Evans

Best investment trusts for income

Investors looking for an investment trust that generates income should firstly consider UK equity income and global equity income trusts. These both invest in dividend paying companies, to produce an income for shareholders.

Other income options for investors to consider include commercial property and infrastructure.

One of the main advantages of an investment trust compared with funds is its ability to hold dividend reserves. We explain this in more detail below in the investment trust FAQs.

As a result, many investment trusts have impressive track records in growing their dividends year in, year out.

Trusts with increasing dividends

The most recent list of investment trust “Dividend Heroes” published annually (March 2024) by the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) shows that ten trusts have now achieved increasing dividends for 50 years or more:

  • City of London Investment Trust (one of our Super 60 funds)
  • Bankers Investment Trust (one of our Super 60 funds)
  • Alliance Trust
  • Caledonia Investments
  • BMO Global Smaller Companies
  • F&C Investment Trust (one of our Super 60 funds)
  • Brunner
  • JPMorgan Claverhouse
  • Scottish American
  • Murray Income

As of March 2024, there were 20 investment trusts that have raised dividends for more than 20 years in a row. 

The table below shows the 10 investment trusts that have increased dividends for 50 years or more. Most invest in global businesses that pay dividends. The remaining three investment trusts invest in dividend-paying shares listed on the UK market. Please note: figures correct at March 2024.

CompanySectorNumber of consecutive
years dividend increased
City of LondonUK equity income57
BankersGlobal57
Alliance TrustGlobal57
Caledonia InvestmentsGlobal56
The Global Smaller Companies Trust OrdGlobal53
F&C ITGlobal53
BrunnerGlobal52
JPMorgan ClaverhouseUK equity income51
Murray IncomeUK equity income50
Scottish AmericanGlobal equity income50
Funds Income

New to interactive investor?

Open an investment account to invest in trusts. It takes less than 10 minutes to get started. 

Already an ii customer?

Log in to use our quickrank tool to find your next investment trust. There's over 400 to choose from.

Learn more about investment trusts

The value of your investments can fall as well as rise and you may not get back all the money that you invest. Please note the tax treatment of these products depends on the individual circumstances of each customer and may be subject to change in future.