Switch Current Accounts

Earn rewards for switching!

Switch reward Current Account Options

Account

first direct 1st Account

Switch Offer

£175 welcome bonus
when you switch to a 1st Account

Funding Required

No monthly minimum

Interest Rate

Access to 7% AER/Gross on Regular Savings*

Account Fee

FREE

More info

SPECIAL OFFER – Switch to a 1st Account and bank £175**

More Information About This Account

*Put away between £25 and £300 for a fixed 12 month term. If you save £300 every month for 12 months and qualify for the 7.00% AER/gross p.a. interest rate, you’ll earn approximately £136.50 interest (gross). Interest is calculated daily and paid 12 months after you opened the account. AER stands for Annual Equivalent Rate. This shows you what the rate would be if interest were paid and compounded each year. Gross is the rate of interest if interest were paid and not compounded each year. No partial withdrawals allowed. Early closure will result in interest being paid at the standard account variable rate.
£250 interest-free overdraft (subject to status)
No minimum monthly funding
No monthly account fee
Mobile banking app
No first direct fees for when spending abroad, withdrawing cash from the UK or when making a debit card payment in a foreign currency in the UK
UK based contact centre
Easy switching with the Current Account Switch Service

Must be 18 or older
Must be UK resident
Representative Example: How does our overdraft compare? The representative APR shows the cost of borrowing over a year, so you can use it to compare the cost of our overdraft against other overdrafts and ways of borrowing. 0% EAR variable on the first £250, 39.9% EAR variable thereafter, giving a representative rate of 30.5% APR variable (assumed arranged overdraft £1,200). For customers with an offset mortgage linked to a 1st Account, the interest-free limit will not apply
**Open a 1st account on or after 9th September and before offer is withdrawn. Switch your everyday banking to using the Current Account Switch Service (CASS). Deposit a minimum of £1,000 (in single or multiple deposits) in your account and within 45 days of opening your first direct 1st Account. Complete a full CASS switch including at least two Direct Debits or Standing Orders must be made within 45 Days of us opening your first direct 1st Account. Register and Log onto digital banking, within 45 days of us opening your first direct 1st Account. Use your new 1st account debit card at least 5+ times. Be a new customer to first direct, who has not previously held a first direct product, or has opened an HSBC current account on or after 1 January 2018

Account

Santander Edge Current Account

Switch Offer

Earn £150 cash
when you switch to a Santander Edge current account

Funding Required

£500 per month

Features

Earn cashback every month on selected household bills and essential spend, plus get access to an exclusive savings account paying 6% AER

Account fee

£3 per month

More info

Earn £150 cash when you switch to a Santander Edge current account. To receive the £150, simply open an account, set up 2 direct debits and pay in £1,500 within 60 days. T&Cs apply*

More Information About This Account

Earn 1% cashback every month on selected household bills paid by Direct Debit, capped at up to £10 each month
Earn 1% cashback every month on supermarket and travel spend when you use your debit card, capped at £10 each month
Access to Santander Edge Saver with 6.00% AER / 5.84% gross (variable) interest up to £4,000 with 1.50% AER / 1.49% gross (variable) bonus rate for the 12 months from opening
Get cashback, vouchers, prize draws and other offers personalised to you when you use Santander Boosts
No fees or charges for international payments or CHAPS payments

Arranged overdraft interest rate of 39.94% APR/EAR (variable)
For cashback on household bills and essential spend, you must pay a minimum of £500 into your account each month, have 2 active Direct Debits, be over 18 and live in the UK permanently
Paper-free account
To be eligible for Santander Boosts, you must have a personal Santander debit or credit card, be 18 years or over and be registered for Online and Mobile Banking
£3 monthly fee
*Switch incentive available when you use Current Account Switch Service. For £150 cash you’ll have to complete the full switch, set up 2 active Direct Debits and pay in £1,500 within 60 days. T&Cs apply

Account

Santander Edge Up Current Account

Switch Offer

Earn £150 cash
when you switch to a Santander Edge Up current account

Funding Required

£1,500 per month

Features

3.00% AER (2.96% gross variable) on balances up to £25,000, and up to 1% cashback on household bills, supermarket and travel costs (exclusions apply)

Account Fee

£5 pm

More info

Earn £150 cash when you switch to a Santander Edge Up current account. To receive the £150, simply open an account, set up 2 direct debits and pay in £1,500 within 60 days. T&Cs apply*

More Information About This Account

3.00% AER/2.96% gross (variable) on balances up to £25,000
1% cashback (up to £15 a month) on selected household bills when you pay by Direct Debit
1% cashback (up to £15 a month) at supermarkets and on travel costs when you use your debit card (exclusions apply)
Free to use Santander Edge Up debit card outside the UK
Get cashback, vouchers, prize draws and personalised offers with Santander Boosts , free rewards service

Must be 18 or older and live in the UK permanently
Monthly fee of £5
Must pay a minimum of £1,500 into the account each month
Must have 2 active Direct Debits
Arranged overdraft available (subject to status)
Arranged overdraft interest rate of 39.94% APR / EAR (variable)
*Switch incentive available when you use Current Account Switch Service. For £150 cash you’ll have to complete the full switch, set up 2 active Direct Debits and pay in £1,500 within 60 days. T&Cs apply

Switch Current Accounts

If you are looking to switch your current account, it’s never been easier.

The internet has vastly improved the switching process, with many consumers taking advantage of the speed and simplicity of changing current account providers.

As of September 2013, banks and building societies will be able to provide a switching service that takes place within seven days. This short period of time means that you will be able to make the most out of the deals on offer and receive the highest standard of service.

Customer service is, after all, the main reason that customers choose to switch current account in the first place. While banks should provide a friendly, effective and professional service and if they fail to do this, there are many other reasons for choosing to opt for a different bank.

You may be able to secure certain kinds of incentives for switching, such as cashback incentives and low-interest introductory rates, or you may be able to get a better deal elsewhere.

Suppose you are unsure of what different banks and building societies are offering. In that case, you should undoubtedly look at our comprehensive comparison tables to get a clear idea of the various current accounts and the benefits you may experience in deciding to switch current accounts.

What if there are any problems?

Your new bank is responsible for contacting you before the switch date if there are any hitches with transferring your standing orders and direct debits – and incoming payments.

And the switching service is covered by a guarantee: the new bank must refund you if there are any charges because payments didn’t go through on time. But you have to ask them for this.

Can I keep my old current account open when I switch?

Yes – you can use the partial switch service and keep your old account open, transferring all or some of your payments. But the process isn’t covered by the service guarantee so it can take longer: possibly up to 20 working days. And there isn’t an automatic-redirect for the three years after you switch. A partial switch may not qualify for the incentives offered for switching (though that shouldn’t be the only reason why you change accounts).

What about transferring “recurring payments”?

Not all your regular bill payments may be made by direct debits or standing orders. Some service providers (such as telecoms services, online subscriptions, gym membership and payday loans) get you to set up a “recurring payment” or “continuous payment authority” which is linked to your debit or credit card

Because they’re linked to a card rather than directly to your bank account, they’re not included in the switching service (or covered by the guarantee).

It’s not always clear which are your continuous payment authorities: you won’t find them listed on your online banking portal. When you set them up you were asked for you card details (“please read me the long card number”) rather than your bank account and sort code numbers.

You’ll need to check your monthly card statements: any regular payments going out each month that are not marked as DD (direct debit) or SO (standing order) are likely to be continuous payment authorities.

If you want to keep paying for this service (or loan) in this way, you’ll need to contact each provider and tell them your new card details as soon as you have them.

This may sound like a lot of bother, but it is useful to check periodically what’s going out of your account regularly: there may be services you’re not using (such as fast delivery, or additional online data storage) that you want to cancel.

What about the individuals who have my bank account details, for sending occasional payments?

If you can remember the family members or friends who occasionally transfer money directly to your bank, you can send them your new account details and ask them to set them you up as a new Payee.

It’s probably not a good idea to just email all your Contacts with your new account details. If you’re concerned about email security, the most secure way of sending bank account details to specific people is via WhatsApp.

And if any payments are accidentally made to your old account, for 36 months (three years) after you’ve switched, your new bank or building society will arrange for any payments to be automatically redirected to your new account. They will also contact the sender and give them your new account details.

When should I choose to make the transfer?

You can pick any convenient day in the month, so long as it’s more than a week away, and not a weekend or a bank holiday.

If all your regular payments tend to go out of your account around the same time it’s best to choose a time of the month when your bank account isn’t so busy.