When it comes to looking after your money, you want to make sure you use accounts and providers that are easy to use, safe and suit your needs. Compare all the leading UK current accounts side by side and see which accounts offer the best rates and deals to suit your everyday spending and banking needs.
4 providers expertly compared:
Fees
£18 per month
Arranged Overdraft
Yes
Interest Rate
Rewards Only
Includes: Mobile phone and worldwide travel insurance. UK car breakdown cover, 3% Rewards on 7 types of household bills paid by Direct Debit.
To apply you must be 18 or over and a UK resident.
4 providers expertly compared:
Fees
£12 per month
Arranged Overdraft
Yes
Interest Rate
Rewards Only
Includes: European travel insurance, Mobile phone insurance, 3% Rewards on 7 types of household bills paid by Direct Debit
To apply you must be 18 or over and a UK resident
4 providers expertly compared:
Fees
£2 per month
Arranged Overdraft
Yes
Interest Rate
Rewards Only
Earn 3% in Rewards on 7 types of household bills paid by Direct Debit, including Council Tax. Earn Rewards month in, month out. 5.00 in Rewards = £5.00 when exchanged.
To apply you must be 18 or over and a UK resident
4 providers expertly compared:
Fees
£12.50 per month
Arranged Overdraft
No
Interest Rate
Nil
Guaranteed acceptance* / no credit checks required. You will receive a prepaid VISA card which can be used anywhere you see the VISA Acceptance Mark. Budgeting tool – only spend what you have loaded. FREE mobile banking app and online account management to manage your money on the move.
About current accounts
When it comes to looking after your money, you want to make sure you use accounts and providers that are easy to use, safe and suit your needs. A current account is considered as a bank account that covers all your daily spends and regular finance activities. However, is a current account right for you and how can you find one that best suits your needs?
A current account is a bank account that manages your day-to-day money. A current account can be used to pay bills, daily shopping needs and direct debits. It can also be the account where you receive wages and receive money such as benefits, tax credits and transfers from people.
LTypically, you need to be over the age of sixteen years of age to open a current account. However, some banks and providers offer children’s current accounts for children as young as seven. Often banks will need a parent or guardian to help open the account with them. You will also need to ensure you have a valid proof of identity and proof of address. The current account provider may ask to see more than one proof of identity and address.
The current account provider is also likely to check your credit score and could decline you if you have a bad credit score. Alternatively, they may just refuse an overdraft element of the current account.
Many banks will not charge you for opening a current account. However, some may stipulate that you have to have a certain amount of money paid into the account every month to take advantage of their offers. There are some fee-free basic bank accounts that you can use if you do not qualify for a current account.
While many banks offer an overdraft for your current account, they may charge you interest or a fixed fee for using it. You may also pay a high charge if you go over your agreed overdraft limit.
If there is not enough money in your current account to pay your standing orders or direct debit, then a bank may charge you for every payment that is refused. In some cases, this can be £25 per transaction that fails.
If you go over your overdraft limit, then your back can charge you for each transaction you try to make, even if the payment does not go through. The transaction fee can vary between banks, however, can be up to £25 per transaction. This means if you try to withdraw money from an ATM four times when you are overdrawn, you could face a bill of £100.
Some banks will apply an annual or monthly fee to your current account. Current accounts usually have a cost when the offer the customer a benefit, such as cashback accounts, where you can earn money just by using your current account to spend in certain shops or pay for specific bills. Some banks will also charge for high-interest accounts, where you have to option to obtain interest on the money that is in your account.
There are many different types of current account available, and banks and providers will vary with their terms and the benefits they can provide. Some of the current accounts on the market include;
Choosing the right current account for you will depend mainly on how you want to use your current account. Banks and providers will offer various deals and special offers to attract you to do your banking with them. This means it is usually easy to get a good deal with plenty of benefits from the bank. Make sure to shop around to find the best deal for you.
As well as the particular advantages they offer their customers, have a look at their facilities too. Aspects such as mobile banking apps can be very useful. Having a provider which makes banking easy could save you valuable time and stress.
