UK bank switch problems: payments, delays and missing incentives
By GetQuids· Last verified: 9 October 2026 (HKT)· 7 min read
A CASS troubleshooting checklist: find which date matters, preserve evidence and separate payment-transfer errors from a bank's promotional reward decision.
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First locate the stage
Check whether the receiving account was approved, whether full CASS was accepted and which completion date the bank confirmed. Account-opening and identity checks can precede the agreed switching period. Seven working days is not seven calendar days, and a weekend or bank holiday changes the calendar.
CASS normally transfers the balance and regular payments, closes the old current account and redirects payments sent to the old details. It does not move every separate savings, credit or investment product. Keep access and statements for any products outside the switch.
Choose the problem you actually have
| Problem | Evidence | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| No confirmed switch date | Application, account approval and switch-request messages | Ask the receiving bank whether full CASS is accepted and for the agreed date |
| Completion date passed | Confirmed date, switch reference, both account balances | Ask the receiving bank to trace the transfer and explain the delay |
| Bill missing or paid incorrectly | Mandate, bill, transaction dates and fees | Report the payment error promptly; confirm with the biller whether money is still due |
| Reward not credited | Saved campaign, account history and every qualifying task | Apply the campaign's payout clock; request the specific unmet clause if refused |
If a regular payment is missing
- Identify the payment type: Direct Debit, standing order or recurring card payment. A card subscription may need the new card details directly with the merchant.
- Check whether the instruction existed before the switch and whether it is visible at the receiving bank. Avoid creating new payment instructions during the switching period.
- Tell the receiving bank the payment amount, expected date, biller and switch reference. Keep the bill and any unpaid-payment or interest charge.
- Contact the biller before a further deadline if a bill is still outstanding. Agree any manual payment with the bank/biller to avoid paying twice.
- Ask the receiving bank about refunds of charges and interest caused by a switching error under the CASS arrangements. Keep the written explanation and corrected transaction.
If funding or an overdraft blocks progress
CASS does not promise a new overdraft facility. Agree the receiving bank's overdraft or settle the old borrowing before the switch as required. A balance transfer is not proof that the new bank has accepted every credit arrangement.
Separate available funds from money in flight. If a campaign needs funding to remain for a period, retain transactions showing deposit and withdrawal dates. Do not move money back and forth to fix an unclear task without first asking how the bank counts it.
If only the incentive is missing
Use the bank switching playbook and the selected offer's saved terms. Check new/existing-customer status, historical rewards, the required product and whether the switch was full CASS. Then check each funding, spending, mandate and app task individually.
For the checked HSBC campaign, opening starts the 60-day qualification period and qualification starts a separate up-to-60-day payout period. RBS/NatWest use completed-switch timing for the 60-day funding/app tasks, and qualifying deposits must remain 24 hours. Nationwide has distinct 28-day completion and 31-day funding/purchase windows. These are examples from the 9 October terms, not rules for every bank.
If the promised payout window has passed, ask for a written decision identifying the relevant clause and task. CASS payment-error remedies do not automatically entitle you to a promotional reward. If unresolved, use the bank's formal complaint route and the escalation information it supplies; keep the reference and correspondence.
Offer records with the checked campaign clocks
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
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
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
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
FAQ
- Should I close the old account myself?
- Full CASS normally closes it as part of the agreed transfer. Do not pre-empt that process; ask the receiving bank if the switch is delayed or account status is unclear.
- Will CASS fix a card subscription?
- Identify the payment type. Regular bank instructions and a merchant's recurring card payment are different; the latter may require new card details with the merchant.
- Does a completed switch prove the incentive is due?
- No. The bank must separately assess account eligibility, qualifying tasks, historic exclusions and the campaign payout window.