Get a year of super-useful advice
Get the best deals, avoid scams and grow your savings with expert guidance all year for only £36.75 – that’s 25% off.
Join Which? MoneyOffer ends 8th January 2026
How 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.
Note: Accounts with particularly high fees are likely to be packaged accounts, which include benefits such as travel insurance. Find our scores for them here.
Santander Everyday | £200 | 71% | £0 | £1,500 | £0 | 2 | None |
Santander Edge | £200 | 71% | £3 | £1,500 | £500 | 2 | None |
Santander Edge Up | £200 | 71% | £5 | £1,500 | £1,500 | 2 | None |
Santander Edge Explorer | £200 | 71% | £17 | £1,500 | £0 | 2 | None |
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER First Direct 1st Account | £175 | 84% | £0 | £1,000 | £0 | 2 | 5 within 45 days of switch application |
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER Nationwide FlexAccount | £175 | 84% | £0 | £1,000 | £0 | 2 | 1 within 31 days of switch application |
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER Nationwide FlexDirect | £175 | 84% | £0 | £1,000 | £1,000 | 2 | 1 within 31 days of switch application |
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER Nationwide FlexPlus | £175 | 84% | £18 | £1,000 | £0 | 2 | 1 within 31 days of switch application |
Table notes: Data correct as of 22 December 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. We surveyed 6,665 members of the public in August 2025. 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
Santander - £200
Switch to an Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account and receive £200, starting from 10 November 2025.
To get the £200 bonus you must use the Current Account Switch Service and transfer at least £1,500 and two direct debits. Your switch must complete within 60 days of your initial switch request.
The bonus will be paid into your new account after 90 days after your request to switch.
The Everyday account is a free basic current account, while the higher tiers carry monthly fees of £5 and £17 in exchange for benefits.
For £3 a month, the Edge account offers up to £10 cashback monthly, alongside access to the Santander Edge saver account, which currently provides a 6% variable interest rate on balances up to £4,000.
This offer is available to both new and existing customers. To qualify for the incentive, the account you are switching from must be held with a bank outside of the Santander Group (i.e., not Santander, Cahoot, or Cater Allen). You also won't be eligible if you have previously received a switch incentive payment from Santander, or if you held a Santander current account on or after 1 January 2025.
Nationwide Building Society - £175
Switch to a FlexAccount, FlexDirect or FlexPlus (a packaged account) 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 two 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 one 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.
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.
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.