Switching banks: it's a service, not a chore

Switching current account sounds like admin, but the Current Account Switch Service (CASS) is designed to do the work for you. You apply to the new bank, pick a switch date, and the rest is handled behind the scenes — you don't have to close your old account yourself.

What moves automatically

Your balance, your incoming payments (like your salary), and your outgoing direct debits and standing orders all move across to the new account. For 3 years, anything sent to your old account is automatically redirected to the new one, so you won't miss a payment while everything updates.

The Guarantee

CASS comes with the Current Account Switch Guarantee: the switch completes within 7 working days, and if anything goes wrong — a payment missed because of the switch — you're refunded any resulting charges or interest. That guarantee is what makes switching low-risk.

A note on your credit score

Opening a new account usually involves a credit check, which can leave a small, temporary mark on your credit file. It's normal and settles over a few months; it's only worth being mindful of if you're about to apply for a mortgage or other big credit around the same time.

Why banks pay you to switch

A switch bonus is a marketing cost: a current account is a long-term relationship, and banks compete for new customers by paying a one-off cash incentive to win them over. That's exactly why these offers are for new customers only — and often exclude people who've held an account there before. The bonus rewards a genuinely new relationship, not a returning one.