Which banks offer switch bonuses?
Switch offers are a recruitment tool, so they appear and disappear with little notice. An offer that is live this week may be withdrawn next week, and amounts change between rounds.
For that reason this page covers who tends to run offers and how the market behaves, rather than quoting figures that would be out of date within weeks. Our Current Offers page tracks what's actually live.
Banks that regularly run switch offers
Over the past few years, switch incentives have come from most of the large UK high street names and several app-based banks, including:
- Nationwide Building Society
- Lloyds Bank and Halifax
- NatWest and RBS
- First Direct
- Santander
- TSB
- Co-operative Bank
- Barclays and Virgin Money, on and off
What the offers typically look like
Cash amounts in recent years have generally sat somewhere in the low-to-mid hundreds of pounds, with the higher figures usually attached to more demanding conditions or to packaged accounts that carry a monthly fee.
Some incentives aren't cash at all — a savings rate boost, a fee-free overdraft buffer, cashback on bills, or a subscription bundle. Compare the real value against a straightforward cash bonus before choosing.
The eligibility rules that catch people out
- Previous customer exclusions — often applying across a whole banking group, not just the individual brand.
- Having claimed a switch bonus from that bank before, sometimes with a cut-off date going back years.
- Needing to switch from a different banking group than the one you're joining.
- Sole versus joint account restrictions.
- A deadline for starting the switch, which is usually earlier than the deadline for completing it.
How to catch offers in time
Because windows are short, preparation beats research. Keep a couple of small direct debits running on an account you're willing to switch, know which banking groups you've already claimed from, and check for live offers before you commit.
We post offers to our Instagram as they appear, and our Current Offers page collects them in one place.
Common questions
- Can I claim more than one switch bonus?
- Yes — many people switch repeatedly over time. Each bank has its own rules about previous customers and previous bonuses, so eligibility is per bank rather than a single overall limit.
- Do I need to move my salary across?
- Some offers require a minimum pay-in, which a salary satisfies easily, but a transfer from another account of your own often meets it too. Check whether the terms specify the source of the funds.
Live offers by bank
Each bank page shows the current bonus, who qualifies, the switch timeline and how to switch. Amounts are refreshed automatically every Monday.