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Join Which? MoneyHow to switch your bank account
Switch your bank account in just seven working days. Here, we explain how to
switch, the best time of the month to do it and what to do if something goes
wrong
Why switch bank accounts?
Not all banks are the same, and some offer far higher interest rates and lower overdraft fees than others, not to mention better customer service.
Better still, the Current Account Switch Service means that your new provider does most of the admin for you.
Here, we reveal the banks offering the biggest incentives to switchers and the pitfalls to look out for.
Best bank account switching bonuses
We don't recommend switching just because a bank is offering short-term perks – we think you should focus on interest rates, overdraft charges and its Which? customer score.
But if you're already looking to move, it's worth seeing what incentives are on offer:
| Provider | Account name | Switching bonus | Which? Customer Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barclays | Barclays Bank Account, Premier Current Account | £200-£400 | 72% |
| Lloyds Bank | Club Lloyds, Club Lloyds Platinum, Club Lloyds Silver, Lloyds Premier | £200 | 75% |
| Nationwide Building Society | FlexPlus, FlexDirect, FlexAccount | £175 | 81% |
| NatWest | Select, Reward, Premier Select, Premier Reward | £175 | 75% |
| Royal Bank of Scotland | Select, Reward, Premier Select, Premier Reward | £175 | 64% |
| First Direct (Which? Recommended Provider) | 1st Account | £175 | 83% |
| The Co-operative Bank | Standard Current Account, Everyday Extra | £175 | 72% |
Table notes: Data correct as of 13 October 2025. Which? customer score: Our rating for customer satisfaction, based on feedback from real customers. The score is made up of a customer's overall satisfaction with the brand and how likely they are to recommend that brand to a friend. n/a means sample size was too small for us to generate a customer score. We surveyed 4,510 members of the public in August/September 2024. Our full table includes scores and star ratings for all banks, including those chosen to be a Which? Recommended Provider (WRP).
Bank switching offer reviews
Barclays - £200-£400
Get a £200 cash bonus when you switch to a Barclays Bank Account, or get £400 when you open a Premier Current Account in the Barclays app using the Current Account Switch Service between 7 October and 27 November 2025.
To be eligible for the £200 bonus, you'll need to use the Current Account Switch Service and transfer at least £2,000 and two active direct debits into your new Barclays account within 30 days. You'll also need to download the Barclays app and link the account with Barclays Blue Rewards. There is a £5 monthly fee for Barclays Blue Rewards and you must have £800 paid into your linked account per month.
To get the £400 bonus, you need to switch to a Premier Current Account using the Current Account Switch Service and transfer at least £4,000. To be eligible for the Premier Account, you must have a gross annual income of at least £75,000 or hold at least £100,000 in savings with Barclays.
Once your switch has completed the bonus will be paid to your new current account within 28 working days and will show on your statement as ‘Switch Reward’.
This offer is only available to new UK customers. You also won't be eligible for the offer if you’ve previously received a switch bonus from Barclays, or if you’re only eligible for a Barclays Basic Current Account.
Lloyds Bank - £200
Get a £200 cash bonus when you switch to a Club Lloyds or Lloyds Premier account from 16 September 2025.
To receive the £200 bonus, you must use the Current Account Switch Service to move an account from another bank. Your switch must include at least three active direct debits from your old account. The bonus will be paid into your new account within 10 working days of the switch completing.
If you switch to a Club Lloyds account (£5 per month) you can also benefit from access to the Club Lloyds Monthly Saver which pays a fixed rate of 6.25% gross/AER for one year on deposits between £25 and £400 per month. The monthly fee is refunded if you pay in over £2,000 each month.
To qualify for the the Lloyds Premier account you must pay in £5,000 per month or have £100,000 of savings or investments with Lloyds Banking Group. The £15 monthly fee is refunded if you meet this criteria each month. Benefits include a Bupa Family GP & Wellbeing subscription, 1% cashback on eligible debit card spending, and a bonus on the standard rate for a one-year term deposit saver.
Both accounts provide fee-free worldwide debit card spending and access to the new Lloyds Travel booking feature in the app, and Lifestyle Benefits such as a Disney+ subscription or cinema tickets.
This offer is open to both new and existing customers. However, you are not eligible if you have already received a switching bonus from Lloyds, Halifax, or Bank of Scotland since April 2020. You also won't qualify for the offer if you simply upgrade your existing Lloyds account to a Club Lloyds or Lloyds Premier account; the offer requires you to switch in a different account from another bank.
Nationwide Building Society - £175
Switch to a Nationwide FlexPlus, FlexDirect, or FlexAccount and receive £175 starting from 18 September 2025.
To receive the £175 bonus, you must use the Current Account Switch Service and transfer at least £1,000 and 2 direct debits. Your switch must complete within 28 days of opening your Nationwide account.
Within 31 days of opening your account, you'll also need to make 1 debit card payment. This includes Contactless, Apple Pay and recurring payments - but note that gambling and crypto transactions, taking out cash, and money transfers will not count.
The bonus will be paid into your new account within a 10 days of the switch completing.
You can switch to one of Nationwide's three main current accounts. The FlexDirect account offers 5% AER interest on balances up to £1,500 and 1% cashback on debit card spending for the first 12 months. The everyday FlexAccount offers a no-fee option with both online and in-branch banking. For £18 per month, the FlexPlus account provides a packaged deal with benefits like worldwide family travel insurance, mobile phone insurance, and UK and European breakdown cover.
You won't be eligible for this offer if you've previously received a switching offer from Nationwide since 2021.
NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland - £175
NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland (both part of the NatWest Group) are offering £175 when you switch to a qualifying account. The offer is available for new customers who switch to a Select, Reward, Premier Select, or Premier Reward account using the Current Account Switch Service from 16 September 2025.
To get the bonus, you'll need to use the Current Account Switch Service and transfer at least £1,250 into your new account. You'll also need to log in to the mobile app within the first few weeks. The £175 will be paid into your account within 30 days of completing these steps.
The Reward and Premier Reward accounts include monthly cash rewards (£4 /£9) for tasks such as logging into your app or using direct debits. Both accounts include a monthly fee (£2 Reward / £4 Premier Reward). The Select account, also known as the Everyday bank account, has no monthly fee and an offers a short-term overdraft. The Premier Select account is also fee-free and offers zero-fee foreign transactions and an £500 interest-free overdraft. To be eligible for the Premier accounts you'll need at least £100k income (or £120k joint income) paid into your account, or a minimum of £100k savings or £500k+ mortgage with NatWest.
Once your new account is open, you can convert it into another current account within the same brand and still be eligible for this offer (excluding Foundation, Student, or Graduate accounts).
You are ineligible for this offer if you have previously received a cash incentive from a NatWest, RBS, or Ulster Bank switch offer. The account you're switching from also can't be with any of these banks.
First Direct - £175
To qualify for the switching bonus, you must use the Current Account Switch Service and move across at least two Direct Debits or standing orders. You must also deposit £1,000 or more into your account, make at least five debit card payments and log on to online banking within 45 days.
The £175 will be credited to your account on the 20th of the month after you meet the switching criteria.
This account also includes a £250 interest-free overdraft (subject to status) and gives you access to the Regular Saver Account, which offers 7% fixed AER for 12 months on deposits between £25 and £300 per month. Interest is added at the end of the year, and depositing the full £3,600 will earn you £136.50.
You're not eligible for this offer if you've previously held any First Direct financial product or if you opened a HSBC current account on or after 1 January 2018.
- First Direct is a Which? Recommended Provider for current accounts.
The Co-operative Bank - £175
Switch to The Co-operative Bank to bag £175.
You get an initial lump sum of £100 if, within 30 days of switching, you: deposit at least £1,000 into your new account (this includes any balance you transfer as part of the switch); have two active Direct Debits; make a minimum of 10 debit card or digital wallet transactions; and register for its online or mobile banking service.
You'll then receive £25 per month for three months thereafter, if you can continue meeting these requirements each month.
This bonus is available to new customers moving to either its Standard or Everyday Extra current account. Existing customers (with a Standard Current Account, Current Account Plus, Privilege, Privilege Premier, or Everyday Extra account) can also benefit by switching an account held with another provider to their Co-operative Bank account.
If you switch to an Everyday Extra (which costs £18 per month) you also get three months free access to travel insurance, breakdown cover and mobile phone insurance, bringing the total reward value to £229. But, we think other packaged accounts offer better value overall.
Current account customers get access to exclusive savings rates from the bank too, though compare these to the best on the market.
To be eligible for this switching offer, you must not have benefitted from a switch incentive at The Co-operative Bank since 1 November 2022.
- The Co-operative Bank is a Which? Eco Provider for current accounts.
How do I switch bank accounts?
There are plenty of reasons to switch bank accounts, as our video explains:
Most banks have agreed to use the new switching service, which means it should take just seven working days to switch you over from your old account once the new account is opened.
If you want to check which banks and building societies are participating, you can search by name here on the Current Account Switch Service (CASS) website.
The switching service is largely automated. The step-by-step process below details exactly what happens.
Step 1: find your new bank account
If you don't yet have an account in mind, you can skip to our advice on choosing the best current account below.
Step 2: apply for your chosen account
When you apply to the new provider, it will undertake its normal account-opening procedures.
Banks and building societies have to comply with strict money-laundering rules, so when you open an account you'll be asked to provide two separate documents for proof of identity and proof of address.
You'll then need to complete a Current Account Switch Agreement form and a Current Account Closure Instruction form provided by your new bank or building society.
Step 3: know your rights
Your new bank or building society will confirm whether it's using the Current Account Switching Service, which is backed by the Current Account Switch Guarantee.
This guarantee means that it will correct any problems with payments as a result of the switching process.
Step 4: choose a switch date
You'll be able to agree a convenient switch date for you with the new bank or building society.
It can't be a Saturday, Sunday or a bank holiday, and must be at least seven working days after your account has been opened.
Once this date has been agreed, your new bank will provide confirmation that the switch has begun and will be completed on the agreed switch date.
You'll continue using your old current account up until the agreed switching date, although don't set up new payments such as Direct Debits and standing orders during the seven working days leading up to your agreed switch date.
Your new provider will contact you if there are any issues during this period.
Step 5: start using your new account
On the switch date, your new bank or building society will be responsible for moving your incoming and outgoing payments and transferring any money to your new account before closing the old account and sending confirmation that the process is complete.