Question: Totally basic question, but I'm clueless :(.

How do I buy stocks (I'm based in UK)? I want to buy shares of index funds.
[Vanguard in the U.K.](https://vanguard.co.uk) offers following options:

* Invest directly - minimum £100k required per fund (I'd need at least 500k for a portfolio of 5 funds)
* Invest through a platform (I guess this is what I'm looking for?)

What would you recommend?

Is registering with an online brokerage a good way to do that?

**Edit:**
Follow-up question: From what I've read online brokerage holds my shares electronically.
What would happen to the shares and other securities if the company (broker) went bankrupt?

Answer: 
It's the only way. Vanguard UK will not let *you* invest directly. 
So you'd need to decide among the brokers who handle retail investors. [Schwab](http://www.schwab.co.uk/public/schwab-uk-en) is among those who have a UK presence.
Why do you want to by stocks via a unit trust? with all those extra platform charges?

iShares are ETF's that mirror a number of uk (and other indexes) they are brought via a broker like any other share or security.

Id also consider some of the UK investment trusts some of which have been running for 100's of years and have been paying dividends for decade upon decade.

I would investigate the various uk based dealers and pick one whose charges you like.

Money Observer, Investors chronicle would be a couple of good UK based magazines to read to do research as is motley fool UK.