Instant access to your savings. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Interest paid monthly, either to a linked current account, or adding it to your Online Flexi Saver account. Easy application process, you just need a UK mobile phone and UK driving licence or passport. Manage account online. Maximum balance £250,000. Must be aged 18 or older and have a UK address. Must have a linked UK current account. Your eligible deposits with Investec Bank are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2024
Why we like it
Unlimited payments and withdrawals. Interest paid annually. Open in a single or a joint name. Maximum deposit £250,000. FSCS Protected. Winner of Platinum Feefo Trusted Service Award in 2024. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
*Headline rate includes a guaranteed fixed bonus rate of 3.00% for the first 12 months (on balances up to £1 million), plus the standard variable rate which is currently 1.15%. After 12 months, you’ll continue to receive the standard variable rate (all rates are Gross/ AER. Annual interest payments. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals (daily limits apply). 24/7 access to your savings through the mobile app. Your eligible deposits held by a UK establishment of Barclays Bank UK PLC are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK's deposit guarantee scheme. This limit is applied to the total of any deposits you have with the following: Barclays, Barclays Business Banking, Barclays Premier Banking, Barclays Wealth Management and Tesco Bank. Any total deposits you hold above the limit between these brands are unlikely to be covered
Which? Recommended Savings Provider. No notice period. Deposit from £100. Interest paid monthly or annually. Apply in minutes. Your eligible deposits with RCI Bank UK Limited are protected up to a total of £85,000 by the FSCS
Save from £1. Unlimited payments and withdrawals. Interest paid annually. Open in a single or a joint name. Maximum deposit £500,000. Open and manage account online. FSCS Protected. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 16 or older
Choose monthly or annual interest payments. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. 24/7 access to your savings. Open and manage online. After 12 months the rate will revert to the underlying rate, currently 1.25% gross/AER variable. Post Office Online Saver is provided by Bank of Ireland UK. Must be UK resident. Must be aged 18 or older. FSCS protected
£500 bonus to boost your savings if you receive a residential purchase mortgage offer from Leeds Building Society
Why we like it
The Home Deposit Saver lets you earn a competitive rate of interest whilst building up the deposit needed for your first or next home. Open and manage online. FSCS Protected. You can only pay in up to £500 in a single month. Withdrawals are limited to 1 each year. You can deposit up to £30,000 in total. Bonus eligibility criteria apply
Interest calculated monthly. Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Open and manage online. FSCS Protected. Must retain a minimum balance of £20,000 in the account. Must be UK resident and be aged 18 or older
The interest rate tracks the Bank of England (BoE) Base Rate. Interest is calculated on the minimum daily balance and applied to the account on the first day of every subsequent month. Open and manage account online. Your eligible deposits are protected up to £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The maximum deposit you may pay into any one OakNorth Account is £500,000. The maximum amount (excluding the interest) that you will be allowed to hold on deposit with OakNorth Bank across multiple accounts is also £500,000. Unlimited withdrawals, subject to 95 days notice. Available to individuals, aged 18 or over, who are UK residents
Unlimited deposits and withdrawals. Interest paid monthly: can be added to your Notice Saver or paid to your linked account. Easy application process, you just need a UK mobile phone and UK driving licence or passport. Manage account online. Maximum balance £250,000. Withdrawals subject to 90 days notice. Must have a linked UK current account
If you are looking to open a savings account for 10-20k, there are a variety of options depending on whether you want to access your money regularly, earn a high interest rate, split your money into more than one account, and so on.
What is a Fixed Rate Bond Term?
Fixed rate bond terms typically vary from 3 months to 5 years. Most fixed rate bond deals are for 1 ,2, 3 and 5 year terms. The longer your money is locked away the higher the rate of interest you will receive on your money. If you don’t need instant access or easy access to your money, or a notice account then a fixed rate bond term might suit you best.
There is usually a minimum commitment for depositing money into a fixed rate bond - usually around £500 or more, but this will depend on the fixed rate bond provider. With a fixed rate bond you are normally restricted on access to your money during the specified term. Some fixed rate bond terms will not allow you access at all - while others may provide access on certain terms e.g. one withdrawal a year. Interest paid on your savings is treated as income and you may have to pay tax on it depending on your personal circumstances. If you don’t pay tax you can receive interest gross if you complete HMRC tax form R85. Some accounts will pay interest gross and it is up to you to declare any tax owed to the Inland Revenue. Some bonds allow you to have the interest paid on maturity while others pay monthly or annually.
Minimum bond deposits can vary from £500 to over £10,000. Make sure you are happy to lock away cash for set period of time.
What is an Instant Access Savings Account?
For savers looking to access their money regularly, a good instant access savings account will offer flexible withdrawal facilities while combining these with a good rate of interest.
Interest paid on your savings is treated as income, and you may have to pay income tax on it depending on your personal circumstances. If you don’t pay tax, you can receive interest gross providing you complete tax form R85. Some accounts will pay interest gross, and it is up to you to declare any tax owed to the Inland Revenue.
What are the benefits of a Cash ISA?
No income tax - you don't pay tax on any interest you earn from the cash in your ISA
Easy access - if you choose an instant access cash ISA (rather than a fixed-rate cash ISA) it's a convenient way to save at a good interest rate while retaining fast and easy access to your money, should you need it
No need to declare - you don't need to declare your cash ISA on your tax return
Straightforward transfers - you can transfer your cash ISA to a different provider to get a better rate of interest.
