Latest banking news

Inflation all wrapped up

Oliver Roylance-Smith / 01 February 2012

Recent weeks have provided confirmation of the interest rate status quo from the Bank of England along with the release of the latest inflation figures from the Office for National Statistics. Combi... Read more

Inflation and interest rates - what it means for you

Oliver Roylance-Smith / 01 February 2012

In the last fortnight we have had a further vote on the base rate by the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee as well as the revised inflation figures released by the Office for Nationa... Read more

Savings vs Inflation

Oliver Roylance-Smith / 29 November 2011

With so much uncertainty surrounding what will happen to inflation in the future, we review the current range of savings plans and see how their returns stack up against the rising cost of living. F... Read more

Compare Current Accounts

See Latest Deals on Current Accounts

It is surprising how many people in the UK do not opt to switch their current account, especially if they could get a much better deal elsewhere. With so many banks and building societies offering customers introductory rewards and benefits, it may be time for you to compare current accounts to see if you could be getting more for your money.

A few things you may use to compare different current accounts are:

Which types of introductory benefits or long term features would be useful to you?
Which type of card or cheque book would you get with the current account?
Would you like your current account to come with extra features for a monthly fee, such as insurance?
Would you like your current account to come with an overdraft? If so, are there applicable fees?
Would you like a current account that offers some interest?

See below for a selection of latest current account deals:

Latest Current Account Deals

	Account	Interest (AER)	Overdraft Rate	Funding Required*	Fee pm	Features	Apply
Santander	Santander Current Account	5.00%**	0.0%	£0.00	Nil	Up to £300 Cashback when you switch your current account	More Info >
Halifax	Rewards Current Account	0.00%	Daily fees on agreed overdrafts	£0.00	Nil	£5 cashback every month you deposit £1,000.	More Info >
Lloyds TSB	Lloyds TSB Classic Current Account	Up to 3%	19.30%	£0.00	Nil	Easy switching process. Earn up to 3% AER on balances of £3,000-£5,000 with Vantage. £10 overdrafts buffer and grace period.	More Info >
Barclays	Barclays Bank Account	0.0%	19.30%	£0.00	Nil	Telephone and Online Banking - Simply, free and easy to use	More Info >
Barclays	Barclays Current Account Plus	0.0%	18.30%	£300.00	£5pm	Benefits include mobile phone insurance, cardholder protection and much more for £6.50 per month.	More Info >
Barclays	Barclays Additions Active	0.0%	18.30%	£300.00	£15	Benefits include Travel Insurance, mobile phone insurance, breakdown cover and much more for £15 per month.	More Info >
HSBC	HSBC Advance Current Account	0.0%	17.90 %	£500.00	£12.95	Could provide you with up to £500 of benefits & services a year. £6pm for first 3 months. ID theft and personal safety assistance. Text Banking. HSBC Advance Specialist 24/7 on hand.	More Info >
HSBC	HSBC Current Account	0.0%	19.90 %	£500	Nil	Overdraft, award-winning online banking, access to 4% savings account	More Info >
NatWest	Select Account	0%	19.89%	£0.00	Nil	A flexible current account for day-to-day banking. Overdraft (subject to eligibility) - extra breathing space for your finances. Over 18s only.	More Info >
NatWest	Advantage Gold	0.0%	19.49%	£100.00	£12.95	For the third year running, the independent financial research company Defaqto gave Advantage Gold their 5 Star rating for product features, benefits and charges (February 2011).	More Info >
RBS	Royalties Gold	£0.00	19.24%	£100.00	£12.95	Mobile phone insurance - includes iPhones; Green Flag car breakdown cover - even on your driveway; Annual world wide travel insurance - includes winter sports.	More Info >
RBS	Select Current Account	0%	19.89%	£0.00	Nil	A flexible current account for day-to-day banking. Overdraft (subject to eligibility) - extra breathing space for your finances. Over 18s only.	More Info >
Nationwide	Nationwide Flex Account	0%	18.9%	£700 per month	Nil	Preferential rates on savings and loans. Free European travel insurance, discounts on home insurance. No monthly fee. (Pay in a minimum of £750 per month to get the benefits.)	More Info >

*Some current accounts require customers to pay in a minimum amount each month.

**See Terms and Conditions

As you compare the current accounts available from a number of different banks and building societies, you will no doubt see the range of what is on offer to you should you open a new current account or switch your existing account. It could therefore be a good idea for you to consider what would be the most important to you in your current account.

If you already hold a current account and, after comparing current accounts, you decide that your money might be better off elsewhere, it could be a good idea for you to switch current accounts.

At present, it is fairly easy to switch current accounts, with a number of banks and building societies offering a switching service. The transition between different banks is set to be made even easier in 2013, with the introduction of a new account transferring system.

Comparing different deals along the criteria that is important to you, such as overdraft or extra features, is the best way to ensure you get the best current account deal.

Got a Current Acccount? See Latest Savings Accounts Deals Below...

Instant Access Savings Accounts Deals

Provider	Account	Interest Rate (AER)	Term	Apply
	ING Direct Savings Account	2.90%	Instant Access	Apply Now >
2.90% AER variable (2.86% gross p.a.) Includes a fixed bonus of 2.36% gross p.a. for 12 months Rate available on balances upto £250,000 Unlimited withdrawals without penalties Interest is paid monthly
	Direct Transfer Account	2.80%	Easy Access	Apply Now >
Rate includes a 0.89% bonus for 12 months Open with £1,000 Bonus rate to help your savings grow
	Online Saver	2.80%	Instant Access	Apply Now >
Open an account with just £1 Instant access online Unlimited withdrawals and deposits 2.80% gross/AER variable including 12 month fixed bonus of 2.70% Enter the Halifax Savers Prize Draw for a chance to win £100,000 or one of a thousand smaller prizes. (You must hold £5,000 in savings each month and register.)
	Nationwide Regular Savings	up to 2.50%	Instant Access	Apply Now >
Open with £1 Tiered interest rates Save up to £1,000 per month Unlimited withdrawals
	Lloyds TSB International Bonus Saver	1.51%	Instant Access	Apply Now >
Earn up to 2.01% with 12 month bonus and minimum balance of £100,000 Earn up to 1.51% with 12 month bonus and minimum balance of £5,000 Bank in Sterling, Euro or US Dollars Get instant access to your money
	Natwest E Savings	1.00%	Instant Access	Apply Now >
Instant access to your cash Benefit if interest rates rise with a variable rate
	Direct Saver	1.00%	Instant Access	Apply Now >
Earn up to 1.50% with a variable bonus of 0.50% Start savings with just £1 Instant access to your money with unlimited withdrawals
	Online Bonus Saver	0.75%	Instant Access	Apply Now >
0.75% rate includes a 0.50% bonus on months where you don't make a withdrawal Rate without bonus is 0.25% Open with just £1 Interest paid monthly

See more instant access savings accounts