Current Accounts
Compare the latest current account deals with switch rewards
Switch Incentive Current Accounts
Some banks offer very attractive monetary incentives for switching current accounts. The Current Account Switch Service makes switching simple, reliable and stress-free.
Everyday Current Accounts
High Interest Current Accounts
Reward & Cashback Current Accounts
Mobile App Current Accounts
High Net Current Accounts
There are no tables for this criteria
Children’s Current Accounts
Student Current Accounts
Bad Credit Current Accounts
Change to a current account that suits you better
More than 5.1 million UK bank and building society customers have switched their bank accounts using the free (and guaranteed) current account switching service which simplifies the process for customers.
They’re choosing accounts which are better suited to their spending and saving patterns, and offer them rewards that they will really make use of.
7 steps to switch your current account in 7 days:
1 Have a look at the different current account features on offer and choose the account you want to switch to. (You won’t be able to switch from a joint account to a sole account. And if you have an overdraft, you’ll need to checked if a new bank or building society is willing to let you transfer it over.)
2 Check that the bank / building society you’re currently using is signed up to the Current Account Switch Guarantee service.
3 Check that the one you want to transfer to is also signed up to the service. (All but one of the banks / building societies on Fair Investment are part of the scheme.)
If either account isn’t part of the service, you can still switch – you’ll just need to do it manually.
4 Follow the links from Fair Investment on this page to the current account you’ve chosen and fill in the details. Provide them with two separate documents proving your identity and your address.
5 As soon as the account is opened you just need to complete a Switch Agreement form and an Account Closure form.
6 If you want to do a complete switch, closing your old account, your chosen bank will contact your old bank and arrange for your balance and payments to be transferred over, including direct debits and standing orders going out, and salary payments coming in.
7 Everything will be completed within 7 working days. You can agree the date you want your new account to open, and the process will start six working days before that.
How soon you’ll get your debit card and PIN isn’t covered by the guarantee: that depends on how quickly your new bank can get them sent out to you. So your new account will be set up in seven working days, but you may have to wait a bit longer to access it.
What if there are any problems?
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?
What about transferring “recurring payments”?
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?
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?
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.
Current Account Services