Analysis Paralysis! Help a UK newbie Investor...

[StiffUpperLip]

Trying to choose a low cost platform for my first foray into the investing world.  Monevator's site + comments have narrowed the field to Bestinvest, Charles Stanley and J D Investing but I'm thoroughly stuck going round in circles now and all three websites aren't helping with their different information and layout making it difficult to compare fees, products etc.

Any advice / experience welcome!

I've got a lump sum of just over £6k to invest in a SIPP wrapper before the end of the FY (in order to get my taxable below the 50k threshold where the gov will claw back my child benefit)  then I intend to invest in my SIPP monthly or quarterly from the beginning of the new FY for the same purpose.

Need to get out of this rut and take the plunge - the first investment is the hardest, right?

[frugledoc]

Hargreaves Lansdowne is easily the best site. It is also very cheap if you are investing in ETFs rather than funds.

Their SIPP charge is 0.45% per year capped at £200 pounds a year unless you invest in funds in which case it is uncapped.

[theadvicist]

I also use and recommend HL. Their customer service is brilliant - a real person answers the phone and is always happy to explain things twice and slowly to me.

[MustacheAndaHalf]

A really lousy mutual fund in the U.S. will charge 1.5% per year in fees... and will beat the best online savings account by a wide margin.  A terrible mutual fund will do better than where you have the money now.  Hope that's motivation enough to get started!