Are you missing out by making this current account mistake?

Are you missing out by making this current account mistake?
Are you missing out by making this current account mistake?



New figures show fewer people are switching current accounts.

The data produced by payment body BACS shows that 1.01 million people switched current account last year, compared to 1.03 million in 2015.

The slowdown could be because a number of account providers have slashed the rewards on their headline accounts in recent months, thus reducing the incentive to switch.

But this doesn't mean you should simply accept a poor deal from your existing bank or building society.

Here, we take a look a look at the current accounts that may be best for you based on several different factors.

Best for online security

With reports of cyber attacks hitting the headlines in the last few months you may be interested in the banks with the best security.

According to recent Which? research, First Direct was top for online security features.

Which? found that, while all banks were broadly secure, only five – First Direct, HSBC, Barclays, M&S Bank and Nationwide – had two-factor authentication set up for online login into accounts.

Two-factor authentication requires two types of ID checks. This is usually something you know like a password or PIN and something you have like a device that generates a one-time passcode.

Lloyds Bank, Halifax/Bank of Scotland, NatWest/RBS, Metro Bank, Santander and TSB were found not to have this extra layer of security in place – despite having the technology to do so.

The bank is also rolling out voice recognition technology along with HSBC, which it claims will make its service even more secure.

Best for in-credit interest

If you want to earn interest on the money you put in your current account Nationwide is the bank to go for.

The FlexDirect pays a market leading 5% interest on balances up to £2,500 for 12 months, which is better than any traditional savings account on the market.

If you have a bigger balance the Santander 123 Current Account pays 1.5% on balances up to £20,000.

Best for paying bills

Some accounts pay cashback based on your household bills.

The best at the moment is the NatWest Reward Current Account, which pays 3% unlimited cashback on seven types including Council Tax, mobile, home phone, TV, water, gas, electricity and broadband bills.

The account is worth going for if your bills allow you to earn more than the £3 monthly fee the account attracts.

NatWest claims 20% of its customers are able to earn £217 a year using the account.

Best for easy cash rewards

You can still earn cashback even if you don't necessarily have eligible bills coming out of your account.

The Co-operative Bank is offering those that have its Standard Current Account and sign up to the Everyday Rewards programme the chance to earn £5.50 a month or £66 a year.

You'll get a cash reward of £4 a month plus the chance to earn 5p on every debit card transaction you make in a month up to £1.50.

To be eligible you will need to deposit £800 a month into the account, have four active direct set up log into online or mobile banking at least once during the month and stay opted in for paperless statements.

Plus, at the moment there is a £110 bonus to switch to the account.

Best for monthly income under £1,000

Many of the top current accounts require you to be able to deposit a high level of cash each month in order to access the benefits or to use the account without a fee.

The Lloyds bank Club Lloyds Account for example, requires you put in at least £1,500 to avoid a £3 monthly fee, while the Nationwide FlexDirect account stipulates you must be able to pay in at least £1,000 a month to earn interest.

So if you have a low monthly income or your monthly income varies each month you might not be able to get the best out of these deals.

The TSB Classic Plus account offers 3% credit interest on balances up to £1,500 as well as 5% cashback on your first £100 of contactless payments every month as long as you deposit at least £500 a month.

The Santander 123 Current Account also only requires a monthly deposit of £500 a month and for two Direct Debits to be set up on the account to access the benefits of interest and cashback.

Best for customer service

The latest UK Institute of Customer Service Index (UKCSI) reveals some banks are better than others when it comes to how they treat their customers.

Nationwide and First Direct were joint 6th best in the survey of over 10,000 people who rated their experiences of organisations for things like professionalism, quality and complaint handling.

They were the only banks to feature in the top 20, with TSB taking 28th place.

Best if you use an overdraft

If you are prone to falling into the red from time to time, chances are your bank is profiting big time.

However, you can avoid fees and interest with First Direct. It offers a £250 interest-free and fee-free overdraft on its 1st Account, a buffer that is far higher than any of its rivals.

Thinking about switching bank? Compare current accounts

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