UK bank switching bonuses: how to switch safely and get paid
By GetQuids· Last verified: 11 October 2026 (HKT)· 9 min read
How the Current Account Switch Service works, which switching offers are open now, the banking-group rules that decide who qualifies, and a checklist so the bonus actually arrives.
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How a switch works
The Current Account Switch Service (CASS) is the industry scheme that moves your account from one bank to another. You apply with the new bank, choose a full switch and agree a switch date, which can't be a weekend or bank holiday. CASS then takes seven working days: your regular payments in and out and your saved payees move across, and on the switch date your balance moves and the old account closes. In Q2 2026, 99.3% of switches finished within the seven working days.
Payments that still go to your old account are redirected for at least three years. Under the Current Account Switch Guarantee, if something goes wrong the banks refund any interest and charges it causes. You can cancel a switch up to seven working days before the switch date.
What CASS won't do for you
- Move savings accounts or ISAs. Transfer those separately.
- Carry over transaction history. Download old statements before the switch date.
- Keep open banking connections. Budgeting and saving apps need to be reconnected.
- Move new payments set up during the seven days. Wait until the switch has finished.
- Agree an overdraft. If you use one, agree it with the new bank first or arrange to repay the old one.
- Switch a joint account into a sole account.
Switching offers open now
| Bank | Bonus | Main tasks | You're excluded if |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSBC | £220 | Within 60 days: full switch with 2 Direct Debits, pay in £2,000, spend £500 on the card | You hold an HSBC or first direct current account, or opened one on or after 1 January 2023 |
| first direct | £210 (£175 + £35 to 2 December) | Within 45 days: switch with 2 Direct Debits or standing orders, pay in £1,000, 5 card payments, log in | You have ever held a first direct product, or opened an HSBC current account on or after 1 January 2018 |
| NatWest / RBS | £200 | Within 60 days of the switch: pay in £1,250, log in to the app | You held one of their current accounts on 6 May 2026, or ever had a NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank switch bonus |
| Nationwide | £175 | Switch with 2 active Direct Debits; within 31 days pay in £1,000 and make a card payment | You are switching from Nationwide or Virgin Money, or had this reward since 2021 |
| Barclays | Up to £300 (£150 + £30 a month for 5 months) | 3 active Direct Debits, £2,000 salary within 30 days; then 10 card payments and £2,000 salary each month | You had a Barclays current account open on or before 1 October 2026, or ever had a Barclays switch bonus |
| Lloyds | £200 (accounts opened by 9 December) | Switch with 3 active Direct Debits | You switch from Halifax or Bank of Scotland, or had a switch offer from the group since 1 January 2023 |
Offers change often and banks can end them early; the live terms on each bank's site control. Santander's last offer ended on 7 October 2026.
Claim through GetQuids
Provider
HSBC
Open a sole HSBC Bank Account in the HSBC UK app and, within 60 days, complete a full CASS switch with at least 2 Direct Debits, pay in £2,000 and spend £500 on the debit card. HSBC pays £220 within 60 days of you qualifying; current and recent HSBC UK or first direct customers are excluded. Screenshot each step as you go.
Requirement: Within 60 days of opening in the app: full CASS switch with at least 2 Direct Debits, £2,000 paid in and £500 of eligible debit-card purchases
Medium15-20 minutesPayout Within 60 days after all qualifying criteria are met
Verified 11 October 2026
Provider
First Direct
Open a 1st Account and, within 45 days, switch with CASS (at least 2 Direct Debits or standing orders), pay in £1,000, make 5 card payments and log on to the app or Online Banking. Accounts opened by 2 December 2026 get £210 (£175 plus a £35 boost); after that the £175 continues until first direct withdraws it. Note your opening date: every task counts from it.
Requirement: Within 45 days of opening: full CASS switch with at least 2 Direct Debits or standing orders, £1,000 paid in, 5 debit-card payments and a log-on to the app or Online Banking
Medium15-20 minutesPayout By the 20th of the month after the one in which you meet every condition (£175, plus £35 for accounts opened by 2 December 2026)
Verified 11 October 2026
Provider
NatWest
Open a NatWest Select or Reward account and complete a full CASS switch from a bank outside NatWest Group. Within 60 days of the switch completing, pay in £1,250 (each payment held for 24 hours) and log in to the mobile app. Anyone who has ever had NatWest Group switch cash is excluded. Note the date your switch completes: the 60 days start then.
Requirement: Within 60 days after the switch completes: £1,250 paid in, each payment held for at least 24 hours, and a mobile-app login
Medium15-20 minutesPayout Within 30 calendar days after qualification, while the eligible account remains open
Verified 11 October 2026
Provider
RBS
Open a RBS Select or Reward account and complete a full CASS switch from a bank outside NatWest Group. Within 60 days of the switch completing, pay in £1,250 (each payment held for 24 hours) and log in to the mobile app. Anyone who has ever had NatWest Group switch cash is excluded. Note the date your switch completes: the 60 days start then.
Requirement: Within 60 days after the switch completes: £1,250 paid in, each payment held for at least 24 hours, and a mobile-app login
Medium15-20 minutesPayout Within 30 calendar days after qualification, while the eligible account remains open
Verified 11 October 2026
Provider
Nationwide
Switch a current account from another bank in full, moving at least 2 active Direct Debits, within 28 days; then pay in £1,000 and make one eligible debit-card payment within 31 days. A new or existing FlexDirect, FlexAccount or FlexPlus can qualify; switches from Nationwide or Virgin Money are excluded, and sole and joint bonuses are limited to one each since 2021. Pick the earliest switch date offered.
Requirement: Switch completes within 28 days; £1,000 paid in and one eligible debit-card payment within 31 days of opening or of asking to switch into an existing account
Medium15-20 minutesPayout Within 10 days after all requirements, shown as 'Switching Offer', with the account still open
Verified 11 October 2026
One bonus per banking group
Banks treat their sister brands as one when it comes to bonuses. NatWest, RBS and Ulster Bank exclude anyone who has ever had a switch bonus from any of the three. Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland exclude anyone who had a switching offer from the group since 1 January 2023, and switching between them doesn't count. HSBC and first direct each exclude recent customers of the other, and Nationwide won't pay for a switch from Nationwide or Virgin Money.
Check your own history against the dates in the terms before you apply: the cut-off date, not the year you closed an account, is what matters.
Before you apply: a checklist
- Check you're eligible: UK residency, age, and no past bonus or account in the same banking group within the cut-off dates.
- Count your Direct Debits. Some banks only count ones paid in the last 13 months; new ones and standing orders may not count.
- Plan the pay-in. Note whether it must come from someone else, how long it must stay, and the deadline.
- Download statements from the old account and note any open banking apps to reconnect.
- Apply, choose a full switch, and put the switch date and every task deadline in your calendar.
- After the switch, do the tasks on time and keep the new account open until the bonus is paid, and longer if the terms ask.
The small print that trips people up
Active Direct Debits. Lloyds and Bank of Scotland only count a Direct Debit that has been paid in the last 13 months; ones set up after the switch starts, standing orders and card subscriptions don't count. first direct is an exception: it accepts standing orders.
Pay-ins. HSBC's £2,000 doesn't have to stay in the account, but NatWest wants each payment held for 24 hours. Check whether money from your own account at another bank counts before you rely on it.
Payout timing. Nationwide pays within 10 days, NatWest and RBS within 30 days, and HSBC within 60 days of you qualifying. Keep the terms PDF so you can chase a late payment.
Credit checks, tax and protection
Opening an account usually involves a credit check. CASS says the credit-scoring effect of a new account can last up to six months, and opening several accounts in six months makes it last longer. If you are about to apply for a mortgage, wait.
Tax isn't clear-cut. An HMRC adviser on HMRC's community forum has said switching incentives are not taxable, but that isn't formal guidance, and banks put it differently: Barclays says its offer isn't subject to UK income tax, while HSBC says it may be reportable to HMRC. If you have a lot of them, ask HMRC or a tax adviser.
Money in a UK bank is protected by the FSCS up to £120,000 per person per banking licence. Some brands share a licence, such as HSBC and first direct, so the limit is shared too. Use the FSCS checker before holding large balances.
FAQ
- How long does a bank switch take?
- Seven working days through CASS. You choose the switch date with the new bank; it can't be a weekend or bank holiday.
- Does a partial switch get the bonus?
- Usually not. Most offers need a full switch through CASS that closes the old account; Nationwide, for example, says a manual or partial switch won't count.
- Can I get a bonus from NatWest and then RBS?
- No. NatWest, RBS and Ulster Bank exclude anyone who has ever had a switch bonus from any of the three.
- What counts as an active Direct Debit?
- It depends on the bank. Lloyds and Bank of Scotland only count Direct Debits paid in the last 13 months, and not standing orders; first direct accepts standing orders.
- Will switching hurt my credit score?
- Opening an account usually means a credit check. CASS says the effect can last up to six months, and longer if you open several accounts in that time.
- Are switching bonuses taxable?
- There's no formal HMRC guidance. An HMRC forum adviser said they are not taxable, Barclays says its bonus isn't subject to income tax, and HSBC says its may be reportable. Ask HMRC if unsure.
- What happens to payments sent to my old account?
- CASS redirects them to the new account for at least three years.
- Can I close the new account once I'm paid?
- Read that bank's terms first for any rule about keeping the account open, and make sure your bills have moved before closing anything.