Best bank accounts.

[Harry Bloomfield]

They aren't a bank, they actually deposit the money in proper banks. I don't think I'd use them for anything other than parking foreign currency.

Restart my search then, for a bank which pays interest on a current account, without all the silly restrictions...

 

[motorbiking]

Spring? though not a current account.

why not keep your current account and move the money as needed.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Spring? though not a current account.

why not keep your current account and move the money as needed.

'Running alongside your current account, working quietly in the background, seamlessly growing your savings.'

It's a savings account, I already have good savings accounts, it's a current account I need, into which to have a few readies, without silly restrictions, but earning a percentage. Thanks anyway.

 

[Ihavenojob]

it's a current account I need

Best high-interest bank accounts 2026 - Which?

We reveal the current accounts that pay the most interest, helping you to grow your money

www.which.co.uk

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Best high-interest bank accounts 2026 - Which?

We reveal the current accounts that pay the most interest, helping you to grow your money

www.which.co.uk

Thanks, I'm just looking at Zopa.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

LHV looks superb, 3.75% on a current account is way above anyone else. I can't have it as they don't do joint accounts. Don't understand the problem if you don't need this, I'd be switching now if they did.

Don't bother with Club Lloyds, which we are lumbered with. Currently 1.5%, but about to reduce to 0.75%. A higher rate from £4k-£5k, just so they can say "up to" this rate, then 0% over £5k. So that higher band is pretty pointless, if you go over or under you get less, which of course is exactly what happens with any current account, by its nature the balance is up and down all the time.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

LHV looks superb, 3.75% on a current account is way above anyone else. I can't have it as they don't do joint accounts. Don't understand the problem if you don't need this, I'd be switching now if they did.

I tried to open an account with Zopa, got as far as the final stage of verifying, and for some reason, it decided on the details I provided something made it unhappy, please try later. Tried it several more times, same result.

LHV was the first app I downloaded, but never got to try setting the account up. Just done that now - and it looks OK, thanks..

Assuming 5k in the account, it should earn £187 per annum, versus the £37 per annum from Nat West.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Setting up the Wise account, and putting money into it, was like falling off a log, however....

Moving money out, is an absolute nightmare. You are inundated, with question, after question, about why you want to move money, are you sure, are you absolutely sure, are you certain, endless. I tried to move just £1 as a tester, last night, it said it would be there in seconds, then said my account would be locked for 24 hours, for security checks. It had gone through by this morning, so I tried repeating the same transfer, to the same account, and it locked my account a second time, with a wait for the transfer to go through. Best advice, is stay well away from Wise.

 

[motorbiking]

I think that is unfair.

All banks have anti money laundering checks and your own bank should have asked you the same.

It’s quite normal for banks to do checks and block withdrawals on new customer accounts.

Use them for what they are good for - foreign currency transactions

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

All banks have anti money laundering checks and your own bank should have asked you the same.

They do, but not to that extreme..

It’s quite normal for banks to do checks and block withdrawals on new customer accounts.

I've never known it before, especially for tiny, tester amounts.

 

[motorbiking]

It’s quite normal to limit withdrawals in the first 1-2 weeks. It’s to stop money laundering

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I wouldn't touch "Wise". From the sounds of the lack of FSCS protection, it needs "Un" in front of the name.

The only person I've ever met who told me he was honest was the same person who robbed the room I was renting. Be vary wary of anyone who calls themselves something that is designed to sound trustworthy!

 

[fixitflav]

We also get interest on our Club Lloyds current account. But they keep reducing that by more than the BoE reduces by, it's 0.75% now. But better than the nothing you get from most banks. There are better options, I did look around but no better deals are available with a joint account. Many modern banks just don't offer them.

Lloyds also do a Monthly Saver, which pays 6.25%. Can put in maximum £400 per month. Of course the 6.25% is on the current balance, so average about 3% over a year.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It’s quite normal to limit withdrawals in the first 1-2 weeks. It’s to stop money laundering

Latest is, they are delaying yet another transfer from Wise, to another account. They didn't advise me via the App, or the App online, but via email, that they want further verification - they wanted me to provide a photo, with me holding what I provided as my ID document, alongside my face, and explain why I am transferring >my own money< from the account, to another account bearing my name and address.

It seems, once they get their hands on your money, they don't like letting go of it, and make it just as difficult as possible, to deter you. What a shambles.

 

[motorbiking]

I wouldn't touch "Wise". From the sounds of the lack of FSCS protection, it needs "Un" in front of the name.

The only person I've ever met who told me he was honest was the same person who robbed the room I was renting. Be vary wary of anyone who calls themselves something that is designed to sound trustworthy!

I've moved 10s probably 100s of thousands via them over the years. But they aren't a bank and not what Harry is looking for.