Deal WatchSaving & interest
Deal Watch: £200 and £175 switching payments, 4.57% easy access and an 8% regular saver, checked 30 October
Every deal re-checked on the provider's own website this morning. No affiliate links.
Published 30 October 2026Last checked 30 October 2026UK-wideFrom Kitty (provider pages)
Illustration generated with AI
What's happening
This week's checked deals: two bank switching payments of £175 and £200, easy-access savings at 4.57%, a one-year fix at 5.15% and a regular saver paying 8.00% for a year. Every deal was checked on the provider's own website on 30 October 2026. The Bank of England's next interest rate decision is on 5 November, and variable rates can change after it.
The question: Which bank switching offers and savings rates are available this week, and what are the conditions?
This applies to you if…
- You are happy to move your main bank account using the Current Account Switch Service
- You have savings in an account paying less than the rates below
- You can put a set amount aside each month
Not for you if…
- People who have recently had a switching payment from the same banking group
- People who need fixed savings money back within a year
- People who would struggle to meet a pay-in condition each month
What it's worth
Rates and payments as shown on provider pages, 30 October 2026
Interest on £5,000 for a year
- At 1.50% AER: about £75
- At 4.57% AER: about £229
- Difference: about £154
About £154 more over a year, if the variable rate stays the same
Illustrative calc. Variable rates can change. Interest above your Personal Savings Allowance is taxed.
How to do it
- 1
Check the full terms on the provider's site
Use the link for each deal. Conditions and exclusions are set by the provider and can change.
Takes about 10 minutes
- 2
For a switch, use the Current Account Switch Service
The new bank starts it for you and moves your Direct Debits and standing orders. NatWest and Nationwide both say a switch takes 7 working days.
Takes about 20 minutes to apply
- 3
Meet the conditions within the time allowed
Set a reminder for the pay-in deadline and any app log-in or card payment.
- 4
Check how your savings are protected
Each provider here says eligible deposits are protected up to £120,000 per person by the FSCS. Brands sharing a banking licence share one limit.
Deadline
No end dates given
Every provider said offers can change or end at any time. Prices and rates checked on 30 October 2026.
The catches
Interest can be taxed
Savings interest above your Personal Savings Allowance is taxed. HMRC sets the allowance at £1,000 for basic-rate and £500 for higher-rate taxpayers.
Bonus rates drop
Zopa and Santander include 12-month bonuses. After that the rate falls, so set a reminder.
Fixed means fixed
Afin's one-year account allows no withdrawals during the term.
Credit checks
Opening a current account usually involves a credit check, which shows on your credit file.
Santander's regular saver needs its current account
If you don't bank with Santander, you would need to open one first.
Illustrative example
Example: Mo moves his bank and savings
Mo has £5,000 in an easy-access account paying 1.50% and banks with a bank not listed here.
- He switches his current account to Nationwide's FlexDirect, which has no monthly fee. He pays in his £1,600 salary and makes a card payment within 31 days.
- He moves his £5,000 to an easy-access account paying 4.57%.
£175 switching payment, plus about £154 more interest over a year if the rate holds.
Illustrative example using rates checked on 30 October 2026. Rates and offers can change.
This week's deals
Bank switching
- See the offer on NatWest's site
NatWest — Select or Reward account
£200 when you switch
Full switch using the Current Account Switch Service. Within 60 days, pay in £1,250 (can be several payments, each kept in for 24 hours) and log in to the NatWest app. Paid within 30 days. Not if you held a NatWest current account on 6 May 2026, or have had a NatWest Group cash switch payment before. You cannot switch in from Royal Bank of Scotland or Ulster Bank. Check the monthly fee for the account you choose.
Checked on 30 October 2026 · Ends no end date given
- See the offer on Nationwide's site
Nationwide — FlexDirect, FlexAccount or FlexPlus
£175 when you switch
Full switch from a non-Nationwide, non-Virgin Money account with at least 2 Direct Debits, completed within 28 days. Within 31 days, pay in £1,000 and make 1 debit card payment. Paid within 10 days of meeting the rules. FlexDirect and FlexAccount have no monthly fee. FlexPlus costs £18 a month. One sole and one joint payment per person, ever.
Checked on 30 October 2026 · Ends no end date given
Easy-access savings
- See the offer on Oxbury Bank's site
Oxbury Bank — Easy Access Autumn Account (Issue 2)
4.57% AER variable
New Oxbury personal savings customers only. £1,000 to £120,000. Withdraw any time. Apply on a computer or tablet, then manage by app or online. No bonus included in the rate.
Checked on 30 October 2026 · Ends no end date given
Limited-access savings
- See the offer on Zopa's site
Zopa — Limited Access pot
4.56% AER variable
Includes a 1.06% AER bonus for 12 months on the first £50,000. For savings customers who opened on or after 16 June 2026, or earlier but have not added money. Up to 3 withdrawals in 12 months keeps the rate. A fourth drops it to 2.00% AER until the pot's anniversary. App only. £1 to £250,000.
Checked on 30 October 2026 · Ends no end date given
One-year fixed savings
- See the offer on Afin Bank's site
Afin Bank — 1-Year Fixed Term Account (Issue 8)
5.15% AER fixed for 12 months
Minimum £1,000. Up to £200,000 across all your Afin savings. Pay in within 14 days, no top-ups after. No withdrawals during the term. Interest paid yearly. Apply in the Afin app, downloaded from your phone's official app store.
Checked on 30 October 2026 · Ends no end date given
Regular saver
- See the offer on Santander's site
Santander — Regular Saver
8.00% AER variable for 12 months
Includes a 5.00% bonus for the first 12 months, then 3.00%. Pay in up to £200 a month. You need a Santander current account. Withdrawals go to that current account.
Checked on 30 October 2026 · Ends no end date given
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What this means for…
- Saver: Easy-access rates of 4.57% and a 5.15% one-year fix were available on 30 October 2026.
- Get benefits: Broadband social tariffs are open to people on Universal Credit and several other benefits.
Common misreadings
You might hear: Switching bank means changing all my Direct Debits myself.
Actually: The Current Account Switch Service moves them for you and redirects payments sent to your old account.
You might hear: An 8% regular saver earns 8% on all the money for a year.
Actually: You pay in month by month, so earlier payments earn for longer than later ones. The interest is lower than 8% of the total you pay in.
Where the UK nations differ
- UK-wide
- These deals are open to UK residents across all four nations, subject to each provider's terms.
What you could do
have savings in an easy-access account paying under 4%
Compare your rate with the easy-access deals above and check the terms.
are happy to switch your main bank account
Check whether you meet a switching offer's rules before you apply.
get Universal Credit or Pension Credit and pay for broadband
Look at Ofcom's list of social tariffs, which can be cheaper than standard deals.
Timeline
5 November 2026
Bank of England interest rate decision
Variable savings rates could move after the decision.
The detail
The rules
- Deals are listed by type, then by headline rate or payment. We do not take affiliate payments.
- Each deal was checked on the provider's own page on 30 October 2026.
- Broadband social tariffs: Ofcom says that if you or someone in your household claims Universal Credit you can switch to any of them. The person getting the benefit needs to be the main person on the contract.
- We could not check switching offers from Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC, first direct or Santander on their own websites today, so they are not listed.
Words explained
- AER (annual equivalent rate)
- The interest you would earn in a year, including the effect of interest being added.
- Variable rate
- A rate the provider can change at any time.
- Current Account Switch Service
- The free service that moves your account, payments and Direct Debits to a new bank.
- FSCS
- The Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which protects savings up to £120,000 per person per banking licence if a bank fails.
In short
This week NatWest pays £200 and Nationwide £175 to switch, if you meet their rules. Oxbury pays 4.57% on easy-access savings for new customers, Afin 5.15% fixed for a year, and Santander 8.00% on a regular saver for its own customers. All checked on 30 October and can change at any time.
Related dates
- 5 Apr Tax year endsDeadline · in 157 days
- 5 Apr Last day to use this year's ISA allowance before savings tax risesDeadline · in 157 days
Sources
- NatWest Select or Reward account, NatWest (2026-10-30)
- Nationwide FlexDirect, FlexAccount or FlexPlus, Nationwide (2026-10-30)
- Oxbury Bank Easy Access Autumn Account (Issue 2), Oxbury Bank (2026-10-30)
- Zopa Limited Access pot, Zopa (2026-10-30)
- Afin Bank 1-Year Fixed Term Account (Issue 8), Afin Bank (2026-10-30)
- Santander Regular Saver, Santander (2026-10-30)
- Social tariffs, Ofcom
- Current Account Switch Service, Pay.UK
This is guidance, not regulated financial advice. Check figures against the linked official source before you act. Written with AI assistance and checked against primary sources. How Kitty works. For free, impartial help, try MoneyHelper or Citizens Advice.