Savings accounts
Find an account that could help you save more
- Grow your money with high interest rate savings accounts
- Compare different types of accounts to suit your needs
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What is a savings account?
A savings account is a type of bank account where you put money that you don’t need to spend immediately. You deposit money with the bank and get paid interest in return for saving with them.
Savings accounts are simpler than current accounts, which are designed for everyday banking like paying bills. For example, you can’t have an overdraft with a savings account. A savings account is there for you to put money away safely so it’s available when you need it. It can help you build up a lump sum, and earn you interest on money that you don’t need right now, for other things.
What types of savings accounts are there?
There are many different savings accounts out there. These are the main types:
Easy access savings accounts
Easy access accounts let you withdraw money when you need it, so they’re a good place to save for emergencies.
Fixed rate savings account
If you can lock your money away for a set time, fixed rate savings accounts, also known as fixed rate bonds, give you the certainty of knowing how much interest you’ll get in total.
Regular savings account
Regular savings accounts pay among the most favourable interest rates, but there are usually rules about how much you can put in and take out.
Cash ISA
With a Cash ISA, you don’t pay tax on any interest earned. There’s a limit on the amount you can pay in every year.
Children’s savings accounts
If you’re looking to give your child a headstart for when they’re older, you can open a savings account for them. Currently, you can’t compare children’s savings accounts with us.
Junior ISA
You can save for your child’s future in a Junior Individual Savings Account (JISA). They’re long-term, tax-free savings accounts for children.
Lifetime ISA
Designed for saving towards a home or for retirement, Lifetime ISAs are available for people aged 18-39.
Notice accounts
A notice account is mix between an easy access and fixed rate savings account. It allows you to access your money, but you’ll need to give notice before doing so.
What can a savings account be used for?
Different accounts can be used to help you reach different savings goals.
1. An emergency fund
Boiler broken down? Car need new tyres? Having an emergency fund in an instant access savings account can help you cover unexpected expenses.
2. A family holiday
You can build up a lump sum for next year’s break by putting money away each month in a regular savings account.
3. Saving for retirement
Locking your money away for a set period of time in a fixed rate savings account can help towards your retirement fund.
4. A home deposit
Lifetime ISAs are designed to help people get on the property ladder. You can pay in up to £4,000 a year and the government will add a bonus.
5. Your children’s future
Opening a children’s savings account or junior ISA can build a nest egg for them when they reach 18.
6. Tax-free saving
If you put your money into an ISA you can save up to £20,000 without having to pay any tax on the interest.
Which type of savings account is best for me?
Only you can decide which account is best for you and your circumstances – and it may be you need more than one savings account. For example, you might need an account which you can take money out of quickly, as well as an account to put money away and save for your longer-term goals.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself when considering which is the best savings account for you:
How much money do you have to save?
Some accounts pay different rates of interest depending on how much you save. Usually, the more you have saved, the higher the interest, so check out your options. If you have more than £85,000 in savings and deposits, it could be worth splitting it between different accounts and banks with different banking licences. That way you’ll be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if your bank goes bust. Some international banks may be protected by their own country's scheme. See more on keeping your savings safe.
Do you have a rainy day fund?
MoneyHelper (formerly the Money Advice Service) says a good rule of thumb is to have around three months of essential outgoings in an instant access savings account. Think about how much you spend every month on mortgage or rent, bills, food and other essentials, then multiply that by three. You should put this emergency fund money in an account where you can get hold of it quickly when you need it.
Do you need access to your money?
For the most part, easy access accounts let you make withdrawals whenever you want, but some may limit the total number of withdrawals you can make in a year, so always check first.
Can you put your cash away for longer?
Fixed-rate accounts could pay higher interest in return for keeping your money in an account for a set period of time. If you take your money out sooner, there can be high penalties and you could miss out on higher interest rates if they rise during the savings term. You can save regularly into other kinds of accounts too, so weigh up your options.
Do you want to add to your savings every month?
Regular saver accounts are designed to let you save around £200 to £500 a month – the maximum you can save varies between providers. They can pay higher interest rates than other accounts, but some only apply for a year and then you’ll have to move your money elsewhere. Others will let you continue to build your funds.
Do you pay tax on your interest?
Your personal savings allowance means you won’t pay tax on the first £500 to £1,000 of interest accumulated, depending on your tax band. Alternatively, the interest you earn on an ISA will be totally tax-free.
Are you saving for a deposit as a first-time buyer?
One option is to open a Lifetime ISA to earn a 25% bonus on your savings if you’re a first-time buyer aged 18-39 inclusive. You can’t use these savings without paying a withdrawal penalty, unless you’re buying a house, or using the money for retirement from the age of 60, or you’re terminally ill with fewer than 12 months to live.
Do you want to save for your kids?
If you have children under 18, you can save money for them. For example, with a Junior ISA you can lock money away until they are 18, which they could then use to help pay for university, or their first car, or even as a deposit on a home.
Is saving the best use of your money?
Would you actually be better off paying off your debts or overpaying your mortgage, than saving? Remember, interest rates on debts and mortgages are usually higher than what you can earn on your savings, so saving could represent a false economy.
Do you have a particular savings goal?
Are you saving for the holiday of a lifetime, a wedding, or a new car? You may want to separate these savings from other funds, to help you see how close you are to your specific goal.
How hands-on do you want to be?
Some providers tempt savers in with a high bonus rate for a fixed period, which then drops significantly. If you’re confident that you’ll remember to switch accounts when the bonus rate falls, then you could choose one of these. If you don’t have time to keep switching, you may prefer to choose an account that offers a stable, decent rate of interest.
Why compare savings accounts?
When choosing a savings account, you want to get a good interest rate – along with the features you need to manage your finances. With so many providers out there, you have a lot of options to choose from to find the right savings account to suit your needs.
At Compare the Market, we make it easy to compare savings account rates by gathering information from dozens of accounts in one place. You can see the rates available and key information at a glance – including pros and cons, maximum and minimum balance, and the ways you can manage your account.
Don’t just take our word for it, join thousands of other happy savers who Compare the Market
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Are savings accounts worth it?
Interest rates have risen sharply after historic lows during the coronavirus pandemic. This is good for savings accounts, allowing you to earn more than in recent years.
Savings accounts can also help you manage your money. Having a separate account or accounts for your savings enables you to separate the money you want to put aside – and because it’s not in your current account, you won’t be so tempted to spend it. Thinking about saving can also help you understand your finances, clarify your goals and get into good financial habits.
However, if you have debts with high rates of interest it may be wise to pay these off before you open a savings account, as you may be paying more in interest than you’d earn in savings.
Of course, to make the most of savings, it’s important to look for the best rates available, with an account that suits how you want to access and run it.
Saving regularly - Saving regularly means that the money can mount up over time if you don’t dip into it. Over time you’ll also benefit from compound interest, which means you’ll be earning interest on the interest paid into your account in earlier years. Banks and building societies often offer a higher rate for regular savings, although there is often a limit to the amount you can put by every month.
Example of regular savings accounts
Interest rate gross: 2%
Rate fixed for the 12-month term
Improving your financial wellbeing
During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, times were hard for savers, with interest rates dropping to historic lows of 0.1%, before rising from late 2021, through 2022 and into 2023. This makes it a good time for savers.
It’s estimated that 11.5 million UK adults have less than £100 in savings, according to the UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing 2020-2030 report published by the Money and Pensions Service, while nine million people borrow money to pay their monthly bills. But it’s not all bad news.
The same report has set a target of creating a ‘Nation of Savers’, increasing the number of monthly savers from 14.7m to 16.7m by 2030. If you’re someone looking to take greater control of their financial future, you’ll want to know how to start saving and where to put your money.
How much should I be saving?
MoneyHelper advises making sure you have at least three months’ worth of essential outgoings in an emergency fund. And you can get yourself into the savings habit by setting up a standing order or Direct Debit into a savings account.
It’s important to first work out how much money you can afford to save. You can potentially have more spare money by regularly reviewing your bills and making sure you’re not paying more than you need to for services like gas, electricity, phone, broadband and insurance. For example, you might be able to save £457[1] on your car insurance and £179[2] on home insurance by getting a better deal.
But remember, before you start putting all your spare money into savings, it’s important to think of your long-term plans and goals, particularly your pension. As well as growing your savings, you may want to increase your pension contributions, or set up a pension if you don’t have one already. As with any financial investment, we’d always recommend seeking independent financial advice.
[1] Based on Online independent research by Consumer Intelligence during May 2023 51% of customers could achieve this saving on their car insurance through Compare the Market.
[2] Based on online independent research by Consumer Intelligence during May 2023. 51% of customers could achieve this saving on their Buildings and Contents insurance through Compare the Market.
What our expert says...
“If you’ve lots to save, it’s worth getting the most from your money by dividing your savings between different bank accounts and providers. Consider an easy-access savings account or a high interest current account for savings under £3,000, then a longer-term fixed rate account for the rest. If you’re happy to lock away a larger amount for a longer period, you’ll be able to benefit from a higher interest rate.”
- Alex Hasty, Finances expert
Frequently asked questions
What should you consider when you compare savings accounts?
- Interest rate vs access – most easy access accounts offer a lower interest rate than other savings accounts, while the higher interest accounts typically have restrictions on when you can access your money.
- Minimum and maximum deposit – some accounts can be opened with just £1, while others may need you to deposit much larger sums. Some savings accounts will also have a maximum balance. A number of accounts offer tiered rates of interest, so the amount of money you have in the account can affect your rate of interest.
- Tax – an ISA should help you maximise your tax-free earnings.
- Protection – make sure your savings are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), so you know you'll get most of, or all of your money back, if the organisation fails.
If you've only got a small amount to save, some current accounts will pay higher rates of interest on balances up to a certain level, so these may be worth considering over savings accounts. But you'll need to be disciplined and make sure you don't spend the cash in your account. It might be worth opening a savings account, too.
Who can open a savings account?
If you want to open an ISA, you’ll need to be a UK resident or a crown servant (for example a diplomat, their spouse or civil partner).
Other than that, it’s up to each account provider to set their own rules. There might be age restrictions, so you may have to be 16 or 18 for some types of account, and some banks may reserve their best-paying savings accounts for customers who have a current account with them.
Some small building societies may restrict their accounts to people who live in their area. For example, the Ipswich Building Society only offers its savings accounts to existing members or people who live in its local postcode areas.
Make sure you check the eligibility rules for any account you’re considering.
Can I open a joint savings account?
Yes, most savings accounts are also available as joint accounts, although some providers may require one of you to be an existing customer first.
You can’t, however, open a joint ISA. That’s because it’s an Individual Savings Account intended for one person only.
How do savings accounts work?
Savings accounts are offered by banks, building societies and credit unions, and can also be offered by friendly societies and other financial institutions. Traditionally, banks use the money they hold as savings to lend to other people. They make a profit on the difference between what they charge for the loan, and what they pay you in interest.
Interest is what you pay for borrowing money, and what banks pay you for saving with them. For example, if you choose an account that pays 2% AER interest and you deposit £1,000 for a year, at the end of the year you’ll have £1,020.18 – your original deposit of £1,000 plus £20.18 in interest. If the interest was only 0.1%, you would only earn £1 on your money. That’s why it’s important to find the best rate of interest for a savings account that suits your needs.
What really makes a difference over time is the effect of compounding. This is when you earn interest on the interest that has been added to the account.
Take a look at our example below. You can see how the value of the savings deposited builds up over time. In the example, you start with a deposit of £5,000 and don’t make any additional payments, but just leave the interest (at a rate of 2%) in the account. In year five, you’re earning roughly £10 more a year, thanks to interest on your interest:
| Year | Year’s interest (compounded monthly) | Total interest | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £100.92 | £100.92 | £5,100.92 |
| Year 2 | £102.96 | £203.88 | £5,203.88 |
| Year 3 | £105.07 | £308.95 | £5,308.95 |
| Year 4 | £107.12 | £416.07 | £5,416.07 |
| Year 5 | £109.32 | £525.39 | £5,525.39 |
Compounding also explains why, if you have a loan or debt, the longer you take to pay it off, the more you’ll pay in interest.
Banks can afford to pay interest because typically they charge higher rates to borrowers than they pay to savers. If a bank charged the customer 5% interest to borrow £100, the bank would earn £5, then pay part of that profit as interest to savers in return.
Do I have to pay tax on the interest my savings earn?
It depends on the type of savings account you have and how much you’ve saved in total. There are two types of savings accounts – taxed and tax-free. An ISA is a tax-free account.
Interest from other types of savings accounts counts as income, and how much tax you pay depends on how much interest you earn. Most people will earn all of their interest on savings, without paying any tax at all. That’s because you get a personal savings allowance of £1,000 interest tax-free if you’re a basic rate taxpayer, or £500 if you’re a higher-rate taxpayer.
You’ll pay tax on any interest over your allowance at your usual rate of income tax. That’s 20% for basic taxpayers and 40% for higher-rate taxpayers.
For more detail see tax on savings interest at GOV.UK.
How can I be sure my savings are safe?
Make sure your savings are in an account that is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This scheme applies to all banks and financial organisations that are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Most deposits up to £85,000 are protected if the authorised bank or financial firm goes under.
I have debts. Should I pay those off before I start saving?
If you have outstanding credit card debts subject to high rates of interest, it might be advisable to pay those off first, before thinking about putting money away. That’s because you’ll almost certainly be paying a higher rate of interest on debts like loans and credit cards than you’ll be earning in savings interest. Once you’ve cleared your debts, you’ll have more money and can save faster.
If, on the other hand, you’re paying off your credit card in full every month and keeping up your mortgage payments for example, it might be a good time to start saving.
How does inflation affect my savings?
Everything you buy is influenced by inflation. If inflation rises, so will the cost of everyday goods, for example, groceries, fuel etc. If your savings account interest rate is lower than the rate of inflation, you’ll be losing out because the money earned won’t buy you as much as it did a year ago.
If you want to make the most of your savings, make sure the interest rate you’re getting is higher than the rate of inflation.
Find out what inflation means for your savings.
What are introductory bonus rates?
Some savings accounts offer high interest rates as incentives for new customers. But once the introductory period is up, you could be left with an interest rate that’s much lower. It could be a good idea to stick around for the introductory rate, and then compare and switch again.
Always check the terms of the introductory rate, as breaking certain rules could mean you lose it – for example, if you withdraw money before the end of the introductory period.
Can I have more than one savings account?
Yes. You can have multiple accounts as long as you meet any requirements set by the account providers. This could offer you real advantages.
Different types of savings accounts offer different benefits, from easy access to higher interest rates. For example, you might want your emergency savings in an easy access account so you can get your hands on the money if you have a problem. Alternatively, you may want to consider looking for an account that locks your money away for a set period and offers you a higher rate of interest.
You might also want to use savings accounts in different ways. For example, a branch account where you can pop in and pay cheques easily, but another that you just manage on your phone.
If you do have multiple accounts, you’ll need to keep an eye on all of them so you can move money to the better-paying accounts, if interest rates drop or when fixed-term arrangements come to an end.
Can I take my money out of a savings account whenever I want?
It depends on the rules of the account. Easy access accounts allow you to take your money out when you want, although some may specify a maximum number of withdrawals a year. Fixed term accounts might not let you take your money out at all until the end of the fixed-rate period, while others will let you do so, but might charge a heavy penalty.
How can I save for my children?
You can set up a savings account for your child. Different accounts may be aimed at different age groups, so make sure your child is the right age for the account. Children’s accounts typically work in a similar way to adult savings accounts and offer as much variety.
You can also set up a Junior ISA for your child. The money saved is put away until your child reaches 18, when it converts to an adult ISA and your child has full control over the money. It’s designed to keep savings tax-free long term, but as most children won’t pay tax on savings, this may not be a concern for you now.
After a certain age, children can apply for a savings account themselves too. But under 16s may need a parent or guardian to go with them into a branch, so always check the details of the account.
Encouraging your children to save money from their pocket money or jobs, and from birthday and Christmas money, can help get them into the savings habit, giving them a good financial footing for when they’re older.
How do I open a savings account?
This depends on the account you choose. Some accounts are opened and managed online or on the phone. Others require you to go into a branch or apply by post.
Use our comparison tool to easily see what you need to do, to open the account – it’ll be in the next steps box for each individual account.
What do you need to open a savings account?
Once you’re ready to apply for an account, you’ll need to have the basics to hand – your address, occupation and current bank details. You may need to prove your identity with a passport, driving licence or energy bill, particularly if you haven't banked with that provider before. If you want to open an ISA, you’ll need your National Insurance number too.
How do I close a savings account?
This will depend on your account provider. You may be able to close some accounts online, while for others you might have to visit a branch. If you have a fixed-term savings product, you might not be allowed to close it before the end of the term. Or if you do, you may have to pay a significant penalty.
If you want to move your ISA to another provider, you’ll need to complete a transfer form. You shouldn’t close the account with the original provider without doing this, as you won’t be able to reinvest that part of your tax-free allowance again.
I’ve already got a savings account. How often should I review it to see if it’s still right for me?
You should make sure on a regular basis that your money is still in the best account. Interest rates can change, new accounts and even new banks become available, and your own personal circumstances may change too.
Ideally you should review your options for non-fixed term savings accounts at least once a year, and if any of these things happen:
- Bonus rates end
- Your provider tells you they're reducing interest rates
- When you’ve saved enough to potentially allow you access to an account with a higher minimum deposit that could earn you more interest
- Your tax circumstances change
- You have a joint account split with your partner
- Fixed-rate deposits are coming to an end
- The Government makes changes to savings in the Budget
- Any changes are made to the limits of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
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