Need a Timeout from investing?

Step back when you need to. A Timeout lets you pause your investing activity on your own terms.

We’re built to help you invest for the long-term. Sometimes the smartest move is to step away for a while, and a Timeout lets you do exactly that.

It's designed for moments when you want to avoid impulsive decisions, cool off after a loss, or simply take a break from the markets. It’s also a way to commit to a buy-and-hold strategy by removing the temptation to react to short-term noise.

To start a Timeout, reach out to us at support@lightyear.com. If you have an account with us and are logged in, you can also use the in-app contact button shown below this article.

There are two kinds of moments where a Timeout makes sense:

• You want to sit out a volatile period without second-guessing yourself
• You're cooling off after a loss and don't want to make a reactive decision
• You're committed to a long-term strategy and want to remove the option to deviate

Some signals are worth taking seriously. If any of these sound familiar, a Timeout might help and we'd encourage you to reach out:

• You're investing money meant for rent, bills, or essentials
• You're borrowing or using credit to invest
• You're increasing position sizes to recover recent losses
• You're convinced one good trade will fix things
• You're checking your portfolio compulsively, including at night or during work
• You're losing sleep over open positions or skipping things that matter to watch the market
• You're feeling low or anxious about your portfolio

If any of this resonates, you don't need to handle it alone. MoneyHelper offers free guidance on money worries. Mental Health & Money Advice supports people whose mental health and finances are affecting each other. GamCare (0808 8020 133) supports anyone whose relationship with risk-taking is starting to feel like a problem.

You can still:

• Log in and view your portfolio
• Sell your existing holdings
• Make withdrawals as normal
• Receive dividends, stock splits, and corporate actions
• Receive essential communications from us (statements, notices, corporate action alerts)

You won't be able to:

• Place new buy orders
• Make deposits
• Run scheduled contributions “auto-invest” through Plans (these pause until your Timeout ends)
• Receive marketing or non-essential notifications from us

A Timeout stays in place until you ask us to lift it. You're in control.

When you email us to set up your Timeout, it helps to tell us roughly how long you'd like it to last. That gives us a sense of what you're aiming for and lets us check in appropriately. You might find it useful to commit to a specific period (e.g. a week, a month, six months) or prefer to leave it open-ended.

Whatever you tell us, you're in charge. If you decide you want to come back sooner, just let us know and we'll lift the Timeout.

When you're ready to start investing again, email us at support@lightyear.com. If you are logged in, you can also use the in-app contact button shown below this article.

We'll lift your Timeout within 1 working day following confirmation we’ve received your request.

If you're worried about your own situation, or about someone using a Lightyear account, let our team know at support@lightyear.com or if you are logged in, you can contact us through the app below this article.

We treat every conversation in confidence. We'll work with you to find the right next step, whether that's a Timeout, adjusting your account settings, or pointing you towards somewhere better placed to help. Learn more from our article Connecting you with the support you need.