The Bank of England has held the Base Rate at 5.25% for the last five months, and while this isn’t great news for borrowers, it’s good news for savers who are benefitting from higher returns.
Not all banks and building societies pass on higher interest rates, however, so it’s important to shop around for the best possible returns.
Here’s what you need to know to make sure your savings are working as hard as they possibly can for you.
Why choosing the right account matters
More than one in 10 of us (15%) don’t have a savings account, according to money.co.uk, and while many people may feel more comfortable having their money readily available in a current account, these accounts rarely pay the best returns.
It’s especially important when inflation is high, as rising prices eat into the purchasing power of your cash. For example, inflation is currently sitting at 3.2% in the year to March, so something that cost £10 last year will now cost £10.32.
That being said, inflation is currently lower than the Bank of England’s base rate, so it’s possible to find savings accounts that pay interest that matches or beats inflation. These accounts are likely to start disappearing though, so if you’re looking for the best rate, don’t hang around.
What savings options are there?
There are lots of types of savings accounts, all of which serve different purposes. Some of the most popular types of savings accounts include:
- Easy access savings accounts – These are savings accounts which allow you to make withdrawals instantly or easily without penalty
- Fixed-rate bonds – These accounts offer a fixed rate of interest over a set period of time, and you cannot usually make withdrawals during the fixed term
- Notice accounts – Notice accounts require you to give notice to make withdrawals. If you don’t, you’ll usually have to forgo some interest as a penalty
- Regular savings accounts – These accounts allow you to put away small amount of money on a regular basis, typically ranging from £10-300 a month. The highest-interest paying regular savings accounts are generally linked to current accounts, so you must have a current account first before you’re eligible to open a regular saver account
- Cash ISAs – A tax-efficient way to save money, where you can save up to £20,000 a year and not pay any income tax on the interest you earn.
You can read more about how these accounts work in our guide What are the different types of savings accounts?
How many savings accounts should I have?
The number of savings accounts that you want will really depend on what your savings goals are and your personal situation. There’s no perfect combination of accounts, but many people will have a mixture of different types of savings accounts to suit different needs.
For example, if you have a long term goal of buying a new home, but also want to save for things like holidays, or one-off purchases, then a combination of a fixed-term account, and something with easier access might be a good combination.
The types of account we’ve listed above aren’t exhaustive, and there are lots of other types of savings accounts. If you aren’t sure where to start, an internet search of types of savings accounts that are good for your specific financial goals could be a good place to start.
Bear in mind that if something goes wrong with your savings provider, and they run into financial difficulties, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) will only compensate you with a maximum pay out of £85,000 per financial institution. That means if you have more than £85,000 in savings with one financial institution, then it’s worth moving any fund above this amount you have to a different bank. Find out more in our guide Are my savings safe?
What are the best savings accounts?
Interest rates are changing all the time, but at the time of writing the highest savings rates included:
Easy access accounts
Post Office Money – Online Saver Issue 72
Interest rate (AER) – 5.06%
Minimum opening balance – £1
Small Print – Easy access. Rate includes a 3.51% bonus for the first 12 months. Interest is paid annually in March or on the first working day of each month.
Fixed-rate bonds
Beehive Money – One Year Bond Issue 10
Interest rate (AER) – 5.18%
Minimum opening balance – £500
Small Print – No access within the term. The maturity date is 31.05.2025. Interest is paid on maturity.
Variable rate Cash ISAs
Plum – Plum Cash ISA
Interest rate (AER) – 5.17%
Minimum opening balance – £100
Small Print – The rate of 5.17% AER includes a bonus of 0.88% for the first 12 months, providing the following conditions are met: The account balance is kept at £100 or more and you have no more than 3 withdrawals in a single year. Should you make a 4th withdrawal or your balance drop below £100, the interest rate will drop to 3.00% AER. Transfers of existing ISA funds are allowed, but these receive the basic rate of 4.29% AER. The basic rate of interest of 4.29% is paid monthly, and the Plum bonus rate of 0.88% will be added at the end of the first year. This is not a flexible ISA.
This savings account is powered by the provider’s partner, CitiBank . CitiBank is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, so funds deposited are protected up to £85,000 subject to eligibility. Be aware that any funds that you already hold with CitiBank will also count towards this limit.
Fixed-rate Cash ISAs
Shawbrook – One Year Fixed Rate Cash ISA Bond Issue 92
Interest rate (AER) – 4.76%
Minimum opening balance – £1,000
Small Print – Withdrawals are allowed, subject to 90 days’ loss of interest. This is not a flexible ISA, but transfers in are allowed. Interest is paid on maturity or monthly.
Notice accounts
Investec – 90 Day Notice Saver
Interest rate (AER) – 5.25%
Minimum opening balance – £5,000
Small Print – Withdrawals are subject to 90 days’ notice only; no earlier access is allowed. Interest is paid monthly on the 15th into the account.
Regular savings accounts
The Co-operative Bank – Regular Saver Issue One
Interest rate (AER) – 7.00%
Minimum opening balance – £1
Small Print – This account is only available to Co-operative current account holders. Withdrawals are allowed. Interest is calculated daily and will be paid into the account at the end of the 12 month term, save up to £250 per calendar month and earn 7% interest AER.
Monthly income accounts
Hodge – One Year Fixed Rate Bond (online only)
Interest rate (AER) – 5.21%
Minimum opening balance – £5,000
Small Print – No access within the term. Interest is paid annually or monthly.
(Rates correct at time of writing: 15.04.24)
So don’t delay, check how much interest you’re earning on your savings now, and if your returns are nowhere near close to those shown above, it’s time to vote with your feet and move elsewhere.
Anna Bowes, founder of savings website SavingsChampion.co.uk said: “While there are still no savings accounts that can outpace inflation at the moment, the winners are those who shop around for the best savings accounts that suit their needs.”
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