We have some exciting news to share! The Motley Fool UK has now become The Twelfth Magpie -- an independent, UK-owned company, led by our long-serving UK management team — Mark Rogers, Chris Nials and Heather Adlington. In practical terms, it’s the same team you know, now fully focused on serving our UK readers and members.

Just as importantly, our approach remains unchanged: long-term, jargon-free, and on your side. This site is our new home, and there will be extra tweaks made across the coming few days as we settle in. So if anything looks a little off, please bear with us!

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

Here’s how I’d invest £10k in the best UK shares in an ISA today to make a million

Purchasing the best UK shares today could help you to become an ISA millionaire, in my view, as the stock market gradually recovers over the long run.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

Investing £10k, or any other amount, in the best UK shares could produce a surprisingly large ISA portfolio in the long run. The track record of indexes such as the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 suggests a recovery from the recent stock market crash is likely over the coming years.

Therefore, buying companies when their share prices are cheap could be a means of generating high returns in the long run. It could increase your chances of becoming an ISA millionaire.

XXX

Identifying the best UK shares today

The stock market crash means identifying the best UK shares to buy today is a more challenging task than it was even just a few months ago. Asset prices have fallen, profit forecasts have largely been cancelled, and the prospects for the economy are very uncertain.

However, it’s still possible to identify high-quality businesses. For example, they may have a competitive advantage over their peers that’ll provide them with a greater chance of surviving an economic downturn. It may also help them to benefit from a likely recovery.

Their competitive advantage may include factors such as greater diversity, unique products, a stronger balance sheet with greater liquidity, or strong brand loyalty. Buying UK shares with some, or most, of those traits could improve your chances of generating high returns.

Low valuations

Similarly, purchasing UK shares that offer wide margins of safety may be a shrewd move. This process may be more difficult due to an uncertain outlook. However, it’s still possible to compare a company’s value versus those of its peers. Stocks that trade at a discount to their rivals, despite offering recovery potential, could produce relatively high returns.

Although valuations across the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 may move lower over the coming months, in the long run they’ve the capacity to rise significantly. Therefore, it’s a good idea to attempt to purchase UK shares while they offer discounts compared to their intrinsic values. This may help to protect your portfolio’s performance to some extent should there be a second market crash.

Investing £10k today

Investing £10k in UK shares today could produce higher returns than those of the wider stock market over the long run. As such, even though the historic 8% annualised returns of the FTSE 100 suggest that it would normally take 60 years for £10,000 to grow to £1m, that process may be substantially shortened. That can be achieved through buying high-quality companies with competitive advantages when they offer wide margins of safety.

Many FTSE 350 stocks currently trade at price levels last seen in the previous bear market during 2008/09. So now could be just the right time to build a diverse ISA portfolio of companies that can produce high capital returns as the wider market recovers.

Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Friends and sisters exploring the outdoors together in Cornwall. They are standing with their arms around each other at the coast.
Investing Articles

£503 buys 14 shares in this FTSE 250 stock that returned 23.9% annually for the last 15 years

This FTSE 250 stock has averaged a huge return for 15 years. At today's price, £503 buys 14 shares. But…

Read more »

Black woman using loudspeaker to be heard
Investing Articles

£1,000 buys 25 shares in this FTSE 100 stock that’s returned 29.2% annually for the last 10 years

This FTSE 100 mining stock has returned close to 30% a year for a decade. At 3,995p, £1,000 buys 25…

Read more »

Female student sitting at the steps and using laptop
Investing Articles

Down 47%, is this growth stock finally worth buying in May?

With a £288m order book and a hidden pipeline of defence and nuclear contracts, is this growth stock now too…

Read more »

House models and one with REIT - standing for real estate investment trust - written on it.
Investing Articles

2 REITs yielding 7%+ to consider for passive income in 2026

A REIT backed by the NHS and another backed by Tesco and Sainsbury's with both yielding 7%+. Here's why I'm…

Read more »

Woman riding her old fashioned bicycle along the Beach Esplanade at Aberdeen, Scotland.
Investing Articles

Just 97 shares of this UK dividend stock generate £238 in passive income

A 5.7% yield, £238 in passive income from just 97 shares, and one of the most divisive dividend stocks on…

Read more »

ISA coins
Investing Articles

£10,000 in an ISA generates a second income of…

The London Stock Exchange is home to some of the world's most generous dividends. But how big a second income…

Read more »

Shot of a senior man drinking coffee and looking thoughtfully out of a window
Investing Articles

Expert recommendations: 2 top income stocks yielding 7%+!

With yields of 7.2% and 7.8% respectively, these two income stocks are catching the eyes of institutional analysts. Should investors…

Read more »

Illustration of flames over a black background
Investing Articles

3 top income-focused stocks to buy in May 2026, according to experts

Looking for a stock to buy for income in May 2026? Experts have flagged these three UK dividend shares as…

Read more »