Active funds sold to UK investors posted a dramatic turnaround in fortunes during the tail end of 2020, with increased appetite for environmental, social and governance products helping boost inflows to their highest level in more than five years.

According to data from Calastone, which tracks money entering and leaving funds in the UK from financial advisers, fund supermarkets and wealth managers, the £1.7bn gathered by active funds during December was the largest haul registered since July 2015.