Crewegirl

Thanks guys.
Norm UK can you pm me your details please and I will pass on to man that holds the purse strings.

scot47

Get advice from a professional that you can trust. Watch out for sharks. Equities are good. Beware fancy investment schemes promising huge returns.

Gobobo

I think this is the best option for the OP. They obviously (no disrespect intended) have little or no experience in investing, and have a large enough cash sum to consider buying property (with or without a mortgage, it isn't clear, but the sum must be a generous five figures or, possibly, six).

With thousands burning a hole in their account and little experience in what to do with it, they're ripe for being turned over by many chancers including advisers, consultants, family, friends, close acquaintances etc etc.

The funds mentioned above buy stocks in dozens or hundreds of companies. It's likely several of those will fold but the chances of losing a great deal are minimal with diversification. The only major problem is the OP's lack of experience. When (not if) stock markets turn down they would be wise to ignore fluctuations and look at the longer term. Markets have always gone up in the longer term and will do - otherwise we're all ****ed and any other assets won't hold their value either as margin calls mean the big players losing in shares have to sell other equities - bonds, precious metals, commodities, property, gilts, treasuries, currency - to cover their losses in a major downturn. The last downturn meant almost all investments' correlation went to one. This might not be the case in future, it's a worse case scenario, but most investments (including cash) look expensive right now.

If the OP reads and reads and reads about investing, they may, in time, find vehicles more suitable to their risk appetites and time horizon - once they know what they are. Until then, if they stash the money away in a Global shares fund the deed is done and they can look forward to other matters.

The above, I think, is good advice. This next paragraph is just my opinion only:

FWIW I prefer the first of the two above options, unless the bonds are all short-dated. When (or if) interest rates rise the bond values will likely fall if they're long-dated. If the OP is willing to see the bonds to term they'd get their capital back, but inflation could seriously erode that.

All the above is only applicable for money that will not be used for at least five years. OP, you'd do well to keep some rainy day money in a no-notice account in case the SHTF. I, personally, have about £10k available in case I need it (or a family member does) and some spare cash in case I get an urge to buy into a fund or company. I'm, by the sounds of it, further down the line in my investing life, having been a financial adviser previously and majored in economics in uni. That's not to say I still make spectacular errors but my profit/loss is, overall, in the black by a few percentage points above that if I'd kept it all in a cash ISA. And, once you get into investing, it's an interesting hobby. You never stop learning and some of the above could be wrong. Further reading is the best advice I think I can give.

Crewegirl

Thank you gobobo.
Norm UK thanks and have passed your details to Mr crewegirl.
Gobobo you are right we are new to investing and yes, the time has now cone that we feel something needs to ge dobe with it.
Thanks again for advice everyone.