It was once claimed investors in the north of England had the highest balances in their fixed-rate Isas, according to figures from 2006.

Data from savings provider Halifax (not including variable rate Isas) showed that compared to the rest of the UK, an average saver in the north stashed the most amount of money in their fixed-rate Isa account with £7,892 tucked away.

This was closely followed by the north-west and Northern Ireland, where the average figure saved in an ISA is £7,631.

As well as saving the most, investors in the north-west and Northern Ireland were the group most likely to have a fixed-rate Isa, which accounted for 18.3 per cent of Halifax's Isas.Although £3.6bn worth of ISA allowance remained unclaimed.

Older savers (over 65) were the best at keeping something for a rainy day as they had a high average of £8,094 in their Isas. Although

Peter Jackson, head of banking and savings at Halifax, said: "With the new tax year just begun, it makes perfect sense to put as much as you can in an account that earns a great rate which is guaranteed for one to four years."

If you want to make the most of your tax free savings allowance why not check on the latest ISA rates here