Holding(s) in Company

TR-1: NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES

(1). Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached (ii):

            BlackRock Income Strategies Trust plc

(2). Reason for the notification (please tick the appropriate box or boxes):

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights: ( )

An acquisition or disposal of qualifying financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached: ( )

An acquisition or disposal of instruments with similar economic effect to qualifying financial instruments: ( )

An event changing the breakdown of voting rights: ( )

Other (please specify) : (X) please refer to section 13 – additional information

(3). Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation (iii):

            AXA Investment Managers S.A.

(4). Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.) (iv):

           

(5). Date of the transaction and date on which the threshold is crossed or reached (v):

            20 November 2015

(6). Date on which issuer notified:

            23 November 2015 (after close of business)

(7). Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached (vi, vii):

            13.00%, 12.00%, 11.00%, 10.00%, 5.00%

(8). Notified details:

A: Voting rights attached to shares (viii, ix):

Class/type of shares (if possible using the ISIN code):  Ordinary Shares GB0001297562

Situation previous to the triggering transaction:
     Number of Shares:  36,942,312
     Number of Voting rights:  36,942,312

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction:
     Number of shares (Direct):  0

     Number of voting rights:
          Direct (xi):  0
          Indirect (xii):  1,065,000

% of voting rights (x):
     Direct:  0.00%
     Indirect:  0.39%

B. Qualifying Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction:

Type of financial instrument:  

Expiration date (xiii): 

Exercise/Conversion Period (xiv): 

Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/converted:  

% of voting rights:  

C. Financial Instruments with similar economic effect to Qualifying Financial Instruments (xv, xvi)

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Type of financial instrument: 

Exercise price: 

Expiration date (xvii): 

Exercise/Conversion period (xviii): 

Number of voting rights instrument refers to: 

% of voting rights (xix, xx):
     Nominal:
     Delta:

Total (A + B + C):

Number of voting rights:  1,065,000

Percentage of voting rights:  0.39%

(9). Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable (xxi):

            N/A

(10). Name of the proxy holder:

            N/A

(11). Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

            N/A

(12). Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

            N/A

(13). Additional information:

            Thresholds crossed downward following the transfer of Friends Life funds to Aviva Investors Global Services Limited by AXA Investment managers S.A. on 20 November 2015

(14). Contact name:

            Ms S Beynsberger
            For BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited
            Secretary

(15). Contact telephone number:

            020 7743 2639

24 November 2015