Model portfolios
Five portfolios selected and managed by our experts. Designed to help you realise your financial goals.
Important information - the value of your investments may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. Investing in emerging markets involves different risks from developed markets. In many cases the risks are greater. The value of international investments is affected by currency fluctuations which might reduce their value in sterling. The selection of these funds does not constitute a personal recommendation. We have not assessed your personal circumstances or preferences.
Looking for ideas to fit your investment goals? Then look no further than our model portfolios. Designed to make selections easier for investors, these five portfolios offer either growth or income options, with a choice of actively managed investments or low-cost tracker funds.
Full details of our methodology, including how the model portfolios are constructed and managed, as well as the full selection process can be found here.
Our model portfolios are designed to help investors realise their financial goals. They comprise our highest-conviction choices from the whole fund universe and are built upon a proven selection process. Created with an asset allocation to global equities of between 80% and 100%, they are designed for investors who have at least five years before they need the money.
Performance of model portfolios over 12-month time periods
| Discrete returns for the periods*: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/12/2020 - 30/11/2021 | 01/12/2019 - 30/11/2020 | 01/12/2018 - 30/11/2019 | |
| Growth portfolios | |||
| ii Active Growth | 18.1 | 18.4 | N/A |
| ii Ethical Growth | 17 | 21 | N/A |
| ii Low-Cost Growth | 16.6 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Growth benchmark | 17.2 | 4.2 | 10.6 |
| Income portfolios | |||
| ii Active Income | 14.6 | -5.5 | N/A |
| ii Low-Cost Income | 14.4 | -7.3 | N/A |
| Income benchmark | 14.9 | -6.7 | 7.9 |
| Morningstar GBP Adventurous Allocation average | 14.6 | 5.3 | 9.7 |
Notes *as at 30 November 2021. Portfolio launch date (for monitoring purposes) was 1 January 2019, except Ethical Growth portfolio, launched on 1 October 2019. Data source: Morningstar Direct. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
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What will it cost to buy and sell the model portfolios?
You will have to buy and sell each constituent individually. Lump-sum investment starts from as little as £3.99 online with ii, depending on the Service Plan you select. You can also invest monthly using our free regular investment service. A 0.5% UK stamp duty applies when you buy investment trust shares and government charges apply to some investments.
Our model portfolios
Active growth
This portfolio is designed for investors who are building their wealth and are interested in investing in actively managed funds, whose managers are able to select the investments they want, rather than passively tracking an investment index.
The following table lists the constituents of the active growth portfolio and the current portfolio weighting of each. The Product Cost includes both the ongoing charge and any other costs associated with managing the investment, including transaction costs, incurred by the manager buying and selling underlying investments. It is a more accurate indication of the total annual costs, rather than just using the ongoing charge figure. We also show how a £20,000 investment would be allocated.
| Investment | Portfolio Weighting | Ongoing Charge (OCF) | Product Cost | Allocation of £20,000 |
| Liontrust Special Situations I Acc | 10% | 0.83% | 0.92% | £2,000 |
| Castlefield CFP SDL UK Bufftlgy Gen Acc | 10% | 1.19% | 1.41% | £2,000 |
| Scottish Mortgage Ord | 15% | 0.37% | 0.86% | £3,000 |
| Fidelity Global Dividend W Acc | 10% | 0.93% | 1.11% | £2,000 |
| Fundsmith Equity I Acc | 15% | 0.95% | 0.96% | £3,000 |
| F&C Investment Trust Ord | 10% | 0.57% | 1.10% | £2,000 |
| JPMorgan Emerging Markets Ord | 10% | 0.99% | 1.03% | £2,000 |
| Jupiter Strategic Bond I Acc | 10% | 0.73% | 0.94% | £2,000 |
| Capital Gearing Ord | 5% | 0.68% | 1.08% | £1,000 |
| Standard Life Private Eq Ord | 5% | 1.12% | 5.50% | £1,000 |
| Total / Weighted Average | 100% | 0.81% | 1.25%* | £20,000 |
* This is the combined figure for the portfolio, based on the current portfolio weighting. Data correct as at end March 2021.
In addition, ii charges a monthly Service Plan fee and a separate SIPP fee. Our monthly fee comes with trading credits. Trade costs are usually £7.99, or £3.99 for our Super Investor Service Plan and free for regular investments. Please note that UK Stamp Duty Reserve Tax is not tiered and is charged at 0.5% on Investment Trusts. For full details on our charges please see our Rates & Charges.
Timeline
| March 2021 | Annual review A full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| November 2020 | Quarterly review A selective rebalancing back to the target Fund weightings: from Scottish Mortgage IT to Liontrust Special Situations and Jupiter Strategic Bond Funds Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of performance of individual funds such as Scottish Mortgage IT, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| April 2020 | Buy Scottish Mortgage Trust Global exposure to exciting disruptive growth companies, public and private, selected by highly experienced managers at Baillie Gifford. |
| April 2020 | Buy Standard Life Private Equity Trust High conviction portfolio of third-party private equity funds selected by Aberdeen Standard Investments. |
| April 2020 | Annual Review Increase in the number of funds for greater diversification and a full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of market volatility in the first quarter and performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| January 2019 | Portfolio launched |
Active income
Please note: As a result of recent extreme economic conditions, many companies temporarily stopped paying dividends or significantly reduced the amount they have historically paid out. This means the income that is likely to be achieved by the portfolio in the near future may be less or more than the historic yield quoted in the table.
This portfolio is designed for investors who are looking for income and are interested in investing in actively managed funds, whose managers are able to select the investments they want, rather than passively track an investment index.
Among the portfolio’s fund holdings, the appropriate ‘income’ share class has been selected. This means income generated by the fund is not automatically reinvested, as it is with an ‘accumulation’ share class. For the portfolio’s investment trust holdings, dividends can either be taken as cash or reinvested. The latter option can be achieved via ii’s dividend reinvestment service.
The following table lists the constituents of the active income portfolio and the current portfolio weighting of each. The Product Cost includes both the ongoing charge and any other costs associated with managing the investment, including transaction costs, incurred by the manager buying and selling underlying investments. It is a more accurate indication of the total annual costs, rather than just using the ongoing charge figure. We also show how a £20,000 investment would be allocated.
| Investment | Portfolio Weighting | Ongoing Charge (OCF) | Product Cost | Historic Yield | Allocation of £20,000 |
| City of London Ord | 10% | 0.39% | 0.96% | 6.28% | £2,000 |
| Man GLG UK Income Professional Inc D | 10% | 0.90% | 1.63% | 7.12% | £2,000 |
| Fidelity Global Dividend W Inc | 15% | 0.93% | 1.11% | 2.84% | £3,000 |
| Bankers Ord | 10% | 0.50% | 0.95% | 2.21% | £2,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Brands Equity Income I Inc | 10% | 1.00% | 1.13% | 4.00% | £2,000 |
| Murray International Ord | 15%` | 0.69% | 1.04% | 5.65% | £3,000 |
| Utilico Emerging Markets Ord | 10% | 1.10% | 1.64% | 4.00% | £2,000 |
| Jupiter Strategic Bond I Inc | 10% | 0.73% | 0.94% | 3.05% | £2,000 |
| Standard Life Private Equity | 5% | 1.12% | 5.50% | 2.83% | £1,000 |
| BMO Commercial Property | 5% | 1.18% | 2.43% | 2.79% | £1,000 |
| Total / Weighted Average | 100% | 0.82%* | 1.44%* | 4.22%* | £20,000 |
*These are the combined figures for the portfolio, based on the current portfolio weighting. Data correct as at end March 2021.
In addition, ii charges a monthly Service Plan fee and a separate SIPP fee. Our monthly fee comes with trading credits. Trade costs are usually £7.99, or £3.99 for our Super Investor Service Plan and free for regular investments. Please note that UK Stamp Duty Reserve Tax is not tiered and is charged at 0.5% on Investment Trusts. For full details on our charges please see our Rates & Charges.
Timeline
| March 2021 | Annual review A full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| August 2020 | Dividend reinstatement BMO Commercial Property Trust The trust has reintroduced monthly dividends at 0.25p per share which is 50% of the previous rate. |
| August 2020 | Buy Morgan Stanley Global Brands Equity Income Fund Global portfolio of high-quality stocks with an enhanced income generated from dividends and premiums from selling index call options. |
| August 2020 | Increase Murray International Trust Increased allocation from 10% to 15% of the overall portfolio. |
| August 2020 | Sell Artemis Global Income Fund Replaced with Morgan Stanley Global Brands Equity Income Fund. |
| May 2020 | Buy Jupiter Strategic Bond Fund ‘Go-anywhere’ bond fund that invests in the best opportunities globally, across global credit and sovereign bond markets. Derivatives may be used to manage risk and all foreign currency exposure is hedged back to sterling. |
| May 2020 | Sell Royal London Sterling Extra Yield Bond Fund Replaced with Jupiter Strategic Bond Fund. |
| April 2020 | Dividend suspension BMO Commercial Property Trust The trust has temporarily suspended its future monthly dividend payments amid the uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. It last paid a 0.5 pence per share dividend on 31 March. The suspension is aimed at preserving the long-term value of the trust and bolster its cash reserves. |
| April 2020 | Buy UK equities portfolio with a bias towards large, multinational companies. A conservative management style employed by the manager at Janus Henderson prioritises sustainable income and long-term capital growth. |
| April 2020 | Sell Threadneedle UK Equity Income Fund Replaced with Super 60 rated City of London Trust. |
| April 2020 | Buy Fidelity Global Dividend Fund Sound, high-conviction portfolio of quality, global large capitalisation companies with a focus on total return and downside protection. |
| April 2020 | Sell Henderson International Income Trust Replaced with Super 60 rated Fidelity Global Dividend Fund. |
| April 2020 | Buy Murray International Trust Globally diversified portfolio of high-quality defensive stocks. Bonds are also used to enhance the dividend yield as well as to diversify equity exposure. Managed by Aberdeen Standard Investments. |
| April 2020 | Annual review Increase in the number of funds for greater diversification and a full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of market volatility in the first quarter and performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| August 2019 | Sell Renewables Infrastructure Trust Premium too high. Replaced with BMO Commercial Property and Standard Life Private Equity Trusts. |
| August 2019 | Buy BMO Commercial Property Trust Diversified portfolio of prime UK commercial property. |
| August 2019 | Buy Standard Life Private Equity Trust High conviction portfolio of third-party private equity funds selected by Aberdeen Standard Investments. |
| January 2019 | Portfolio launched |
Low-cost growth
This portfolio is designed for investors who are building their wealth and are interested in investing in low-cost tracker funds, which aim to replicate the performance of an index and where there is no fund manager discretion.
The following table lists the constituents of the low-cost growth portfolio and the current portfolio weighting of each. The Product Cost includes both the ongoing charge and any other costs associated with managing the investment, including transaction costs, incurred by the manager buying and selling underlying investments. It is a more accurate indication of the total annual costs, rather than just using the ongoing charge figure. We also show how a £20,000 investment would be allocated.
| Investment | Portfolio Weighting | Ongoing Charge (OCF) | Product Cost | Allocation of £20,000 |
| Fidelity Index UK P Acc | 10% | 0.06% | 0.13% | £2,000 |
| Vanguard FTSE 250 UCITS ETF | 10% | 0.10% | 0.26% | £2,000 |
| iShares Core MSCI World ETF USD Acc GBP | 15% | 0.20% | 0.21% | £3,000 |
| L&G Global 100 Index I Acc | 15% | 0.14% | 0.11% | £3,000 |
| Vanguard Glbl Small-Cap Idx GBP Acc | 15% | 0.31% | 0.36% | £3,000 |
| Fidelity Index Emerging Markets P Acc | 15% | 0.20% | 0.54% | £3,000 |
| Vanguard Global Bond Index GBPH Acc | 10% | 0.15% | 0.30% | £2,000 |
| WisdomTree Enhanced Cmdty ETF USD Acc GBP | 5% | 0.35% | 0.93% | £1,000 |
| iShares Glb Prpty Secs Eq Idx (UK) D Acc | 5% | 0.17% | 0.26% | £1,000 |
| Total / Weighted Average | 100% | 0.18%* | 0.31%* | £20,000 |
* This is the combined figure for the portfolio, based on the current portfolio weighting. Data correct as at end March 2021.
In addition, ii charges a monthly Service Plan fee and a separate SIPP fee. Our monthly fee comes with trading credits. Trade costs are usually £7.99, or £3.99 for our Super Investor Service Plan and free for regular investments. Please note that UK Stamp Duty Reserve Tax is not tiered and is charged at 0.5% on Investment Trusts. For full details on our charges please see our Rates & Charges.
Timeline
| March 2021 | Annual review A full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| April 2020 | Buy Vanguard FTSE 250 ETF Tracks the performance of the FTSE 250 Index of mid-size stocks in the UK. |
| April 2020 | Buy L&G Global 100 Index Fund Tracks the performance of the S&P Global 100 Index of multinational companies. |
| April 2020 | Annual review Increase in the number of funds for greater diversification and a full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of market volatility in the first quarter and performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| January 2019 | Portfolio launched |
Low-cost income
This portfolio is designed for investors who are building their wealth and are interested in investing in low-cost tracker funds, which aim to replicate the performance of an index and where there is no fund manager discretion.
Among the portfolio’s fund holdings, the appropriate ‘income’ share class has been selected. This means income generated by the fund is not automatically reinvested, as it is with an ‘accumulation’ share class. For the portfolio’s ETF holdings, dividends can either be taken as cash or reinvested. The latter option can be achieved via ii’s dividend reinvestment service.
The following table lists the constituents of the low-cost income portfolio and the current portfolio weighting of each. The Product Cost includes both the ongoing charge and any other costs associated with managing the investment, including transaction costs, incurred by the manager buying and selling underlying investments. It is a more accurate indication of the total annual costs, rather than just using the ongoing charge figure. We also show how a £20,000 investment would be allocated.
| Investment | Portfolio Weighting | Ongoing Charge (OCF) | Product Cost | Historic Yield | Allocation of £20,000 |
| Vanguard FTSE U.K. Eq Inc Idx Inc | 10% | 0.14% | 0.22% | 6.82% | £2,000 |
| SPDR® S&P UK Dividend Aristocrats ETF | 10% | 0.30% | 0.73% | 3.64% | £2,000 |
| SPDR® S&P Global Div Aristocrats ETF | 15% | 0.45% | 0.58% | 4.39% | £3,000 |
| WisdomTree Glbl Eqlty Div Gr ETF USD Acc GBP | 15% | 0.38% | 0.40% | 2.64% | £3,000 |
| Vanguard FTSE All-World High Div Yld ETF | 15% | 0.29% | 0.34% | 3.38% | £3,000 |
| WisdomTree Emerging Mkts Eq Inc ETF GBP | 15% | 0.46% | 0.53% | 5.29% | £3,000 |
| Vanguard Global Bond Index GBPH Inc | 10% | 0.15% | 0.30% | 1.64% | £2,000 |
| SPDR Morningstar Multi-Asset Infrastructure ETF Inc | 5% | 0.40% | 0.40% | 2.25% | £1,000 |
| iShares Glb Prpty Secs Eq Idx (UK) D Inc | 5% | 0.17% | 0.25% | 3.06% | £1,000 |
| Total / Weighted Average | 100% | 0.32%* | 0.44%* | 3.83%* | £20,000 |
* This is the combined figure for the portfolio, based on the current portfolio weighting. Data correct as at end March 2021.
In addition, ii charges a monthly Service Plan fee and a separate SIPP fee. Our monthly fee comes with trading credits. Trade costs are usually £7.99, or £3.99 for our Super Investor Service Plan and free for regular investments. Please note that UK Stamp Duty Reserve Tax is not tiered and is charged at 0.5% on Investment Trusts. For full details on our charges please see our Rates & Charges.
Timeline
| March 2021 | Annual review A full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| April 2020 | Buy SPDR® S&P UK Dividend Aristocrats ETF Tracks the performance of the S&P UK High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index of the 40 highest dividend-yielding UK companies. |
| April 2020 | Buy WisdomTree Global Quality Dividend Growth ETF Tracks the performance of the WisdomTree Global Developed Quality Dividend Growth, a fundamentally weighted index that is comprised of companies with the best combined rank of growth and quality factors from global developed markets. |
| April 2020 | Buy WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income ETF Tracks the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend, fundamentally weighted index and comprises the highest dividend-yielding stocks. |
| April 2020 | Sell iShares EM Dividend ETF Replaced with WisdomTree Emerging Markets Equity Income ETF. |
| April 2020 | Annual review Increase in the number of funds in the portfolio for greater diversification and a full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of market volatility in the first quarter and performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| January 2019 | Portfolio launched |
Ethical growth
A portfolio designed to give investors an idea about how they can build their own diversified ethical portfolio.
You can find out more about how we select ethical investments here.
The following table lists the constituents of the ethical growth portfolio and the current portfolio weighting of each. The Product Cost includes both the ongoing charge and any other costs associated with managing the investment, including transaction costs, incurred by the manager buying and selling underlying investments. It is a more accurate indication of the total annual costs, rather than just using the ongoing charge figure. We also show how a £20,000 investment would be allocated.
| Name | ii ACE ethical style | Portfolio Weighting | Ongoing Charge (OCF) | Product Cost | Allocation of £20,000 |
| Royal London Sustainable Leaders C Acc | Considers | 10% | 0.76% | 1.04% | £2,000 |
| Liontrust UK Ethical 2 Net Acc | Considers | 10% | 0.79% | 0.83% | £2,000 |
| BMO Responsible Global Equity 2 Acc | Considers | 15% | 0.80% | 0.96% | £3,000 |
| Baillie Gifford Positive Change B Acc | Embraces | 10% | 0.53% | 0.83% | £2,000 |
| Impax Environmental Markets Ord | Embraces | 15% | 1.12% | 1.35% | £3,000 |
| Montanaro Better World GBP | Embraces | 10% | 0.96% | 1.29% | £2,000 |
| Stewart Investors Glbl EM Sust B Acc GBP | Considers | 10% | 0.94% | 1.18% | £2,000 |
| Rathbone Ethical Bond I Acc | Considers | 10% | 0.65% | 0.74% | £2,000 |
| Syncona Ord | Embraces | 5% | 0.89% | 2.16% | £1,000 |
| FP Foresight Global Rl Infrastructure | Embraces | 5% | 0.85% | 1.17% | £1,000 |
| Total | 100% | 0.84% | 1.10%* | £20,000 |
* This is the combined figure for the portfolio, based on the current portfolio weighting. Data correct as at end October 2021.
Timeline
| November 2021 | Annual Review Asset Allocation and Portfolio constituents remained unchanged. Since October the portfolio is set for automatic quarterly rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weighting. |
| March 2021 | Quarterly Review A full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| November 2020 | Buy Liontrust UK Ethical Fund Multi-cap portfolio of UK companies, which have strong growth prospects and meet Liontrust’ s environmental and social criteria. |
| November 2020 | Sell Trojan Ethical Income Fund Replaced with Liontrust UK Ethical Fund. |
| November 2020 | Increase BMO Responsible Global Equity Fund Increased allocation from 10% to 15% of the overall portfolio. |
| November 2020 | Buy Baillie Gifford Positive Change Fund Concentrated impact portfolio of 25-50 global high-quality growth companies which can deliver positive change. |
| November 2020 | Sell Fundsmith Sustainable Equity Fund Replaced with Baillie Gifford Positive Change Fund. |
| November 2020 | Buy Montanaro Better World Fund Global small cap portfolio with six core themes and a focus on impact. |
| November 2020 | Sell iShares Global Clean Energy ETF Replaced with Montanaro Better World Fund. |
| November 2020 | Buy FP Foresight Global Real Infrastructure Fund Invests in companies that own or operate real infrastructure or renewable energy assets anywhere in the world. |
| November 2020 | Sell Impact Healthcare REIT Replaced with FP Foresight Global Real Infrastructure Fund. |
| November 2020 | Annual Review A full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| March 2020 | Quarterly Review Full rebalancing back to the target Asset Allocation and Fund weightings Our Asset Allocation has not changed since inception. However, as a result of market volatility in the first quarter and performance of individual funds, the portfolio had diverged from the original weightings. |
| October 2019 | Portfolio launched |
ii answers your questions about the model portfolios and how to start investing - find out more.
Disclaimer(s)
Our Model portfolios have been compiled by investment experts to help investors who do not have the time or the confidence to make their own investment choices. There are a variety of financial goals they are designed to help people meet.
However, you should note that the selection of our Model portfolios is not a ‘personal recommendation’. This means we have not assessed your investment knowledge, your financial situation (including your ability to bear losses), your investment objectives, your risk tolerance, or your sustainability preferences.
You should ensure that any investment decisions you make are suitable for your personal circumstances, and if you are unsure about the suitability of a particular investment or think you need a personal recommendation, you should speak to a suitably qualified financial adviser.
The past performance of an investment is not a reliable indicator of future results, and ii does not guarantee or predict the future performance of the Model portfolios or the constituent investments.
Disclosure(s)
Annual performance can be found on the factsheet of each fund, investment trust or ETF. Simply click on the asset’s name and then the performance tab.
Any changes to the Model portfolio constituents and the rationale behind those decisions will be communicated through the Quarterly Investment Outlook.
To see a list of previous updates to Model portfolio constituent investments, please go to the relevant Model portfolio’s ‘Timeline’.
ii adheres to a strict code of conduct. Members of ii staff may have holdings in one or more Model portfolios (or the constituent investments), which could create a conflict of interest. Any member of staff involved in the development of research about any financial instrument in which they have an interest are required to disclose such interest to ii. We will at all times consider whether such interest impairs the objectivity of the recommendation to add/remove a constituent investment to/from a Model Portfolio.
In addition, staff involved in compiling the Model portfolios are subject to a personal account dealing restriction. This prevents them from placing a transaction in the specified instrument(s) for five working days before and after an investment is included or amended and made public within a Model portfolio. This is to avoid personal interests conflicting with the interests of investors in the Model portfolios and their constituent investments.