2.5% for lending to Mr Osborne

Interesting that the current ructions in the markets mean that investors can earn 2.5% by lending their money to the government.

That compares to 1.76% for the best easy access savings accounts. One of those is the government's National Savings, ironically.

The best easy access Individual Savings Accounts are about the same.

Accounts where you have to give several months' notice pay 2%.

Tying your money up for 5 years, you can achieve the dizzy heights of a 2.9% return.

So lending to the government by buying what we call Gilts (they're government bonds or IOUs), might be getting more attractive if you've got £1,000 or more to stash away.

Gilts are virtually risk free, because they depend on the solvency of the state EXCEPT for one thing.

You're guaranteed to get the underlying amount of the loan back at the end of the term, but the price can fluctuate along the way - because Gilts like other bonds are traded in the financial markets.

The 2.5% is for 10 year Gilts, though you're not committed for 10 years.

You can buy or sell via brokers or from the Bank of England's Debt Management Office which has lots of other info.