Best savings rates: General savings - easy access online and branch

  • The web's best savings tables
  • Completely independent and unique
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  • Compiled by savings expert Sylvia Morris  
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By This Is Money

Published: 06:33 EST, 22 October 2004 | Updated: 04:19 EST, 7 October 2016

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ONLINE ACCOUNTS - EASY ACCESS 
Type of account (min investment) 0% tax 20% tax 40% tax
BONUS accounts - Pay a bonus for the first 12 months or more. These are the rates including the bonus   
Post Office Online Saver 20  (£1+) (6)0.9 0.72 0.54 
BM Savings Online Extra 22 (£25,000+) (3) 0.75 0.6 0.45 
Tesco Bank Internet Saver (£1+) (1) 0.66 0.53 0.40
TSB Esavings (£1+) (8) 0.5 0.40.3 
Accounts WITHOUT bonus - These rates are not boosted by a temporary bonus that drops off  after a year
  
RCI Bank Freedom Savings (£100+) (2) 1.00 0.80  0.60
Shawbrook Bank Easy Access 5 (£1,000+) 1.00 0.80 0.60
Coventry BS Easy Access Saver 3  (£1+) 1.000.800.60
National Savings & Investments Income Bonds (£1+) ^1.00 0.80 0.60 
Kent Reliance Easy Access Issue 16 (£1,000+) ^1.00 0.80 0.60 
Principality BS e-Saver 15 (£1+) 0.90 0.72 0.54 
Newcastle BS Community Saver Issue 1  (£1+) 0.80 0.64 0.48 
Aldermore Easy Access Issue 10 (£1,000+) 0.750.60 0.45 
Virgin Money Man Utd Red Devil E-Saver Issue 3 (£1+) 0.75 0.60 0.45 
Virgin Money Saving to Buy 5Buy  (£1+) (7) 0.75 0.60 0.45 
Leeds BS E-Saver 3 0.75 0.60 0.45 
Saffron BS e-Saver 11 (£10+) 0.7 0.56 0.42
^ These providers have not changed the rate since the 0.25 percentage fall in Bank of England base rate to 0.25 per cent on August 4. It could drop shortly 
(1) Rate drops to 0.4 per cent after 12 months    
(2) Money up to €100k protected by FGDR - French Savings Protection Scheme  
(3) Rate drops to 0.05 per cent after 12 months.


(4) You are limited to making withdrawals on one day a year, of your choosing   
(5) You are limited to three withdrawals a year. If you make more your rate drops to 0.5 per cent.    
(6) Rate drops to 0.25 per cent after 12 months    
(7) Maximum you can have in the account is £30,000  
(8) Rate drops to 0.05 per cent after 12 months  
(9) You have to put your savings (minimum £20,000) into this account by 14 September 2016. You can't add any more money after this date. 
BRANCH-BASED ACCOUNTS - INSTANT ACCESS 
Type of account (min investment) 0% tax 20% tax 40% tax
BONUS accounts - They pay a bonus for the first 12 months or more. These are the rates including the bonus   
Post Office Instant Saver Issue 8 (£500+) (8) (13) * 0.55 0.44 0.3
TSB Easy Saver (£1+) (5) 0.45 0.36 0.27 
Accounts WITHOUT bonus- These rates are not boosted by a temporary bonus that drops off after a year   
Newbury BS welcome to Newbury (£50+) (1) 1.35 1.08 0.81
Coventry BS Easy Access Saver 3 (£1+) 1.000.80 0.60 
Kent Reliance Easy Access Issue 16 (£1,000+) ^1.00 0.80 0.60 
Leeds BS Rainy Day Saver Issue 6 (£25,000) (6)0.95 0.76 0.57 
Leeds BS Rainy Day Saver Issue 6 (£10,000) (6)0.90 0.72 0.54 
National Counties BS Branch Saver 4 (£500+) 0.86 0.69 0.52 
West Bromwich BS Limited Access (£1,000) (6)0.85 0.680.51 
Newcastle Community Saver Issue 1  (2)  0.80 0.64 0.48
Virgin Money Man Utd Red Devil Saver Issue 3  (£1+) 0.75 0.60 0.45 
Saffron BS Branch Saver  (£5,000+) 0.75  0.60 0.45
Scottish BS Instant Access (£100+) ^0.65 0.520.39 
Yorkshire BS Triple Access Saver 5 (£100+) (4)  0.60 0.48 0.36
^ These providers have not changed the rate since the 0.25 percentage fall in Bank of England base rate to 0.25 per cent on August 4. It could drop shortly.
(1) The maximum you can put in this account is £3,000. Only available to those living in the building society's operating area. Not available to existing members or those who have been members in the last six months.
(2) Plus an additional 0.1 per cent to charity.

(3) You are limited to three withdrawals a year. If you make more your rate drops to 0.5 per cent  
(4) You are limited to 3 withdrawals a year.

(5) Rate drops to 0.05 per cent after 12 months   
(6) You are limited to six withdrawals a year   
(8) Rate drops to 0.1 per cent after 12 months.   
(12) You are limited to one withdrawal a month.

(13) Licensed to Bank of Ireland UK subsidiary - more explained here

(16) The maximum you can put in this account is £3,000. Only available to those living in the building society's operating area. Not available to existing members or those who have been members in the last six months.

 Dear Reader,

These tables are unique on the web. They are independent and providers are not forced to pay to appear, which is typically the case at big comparison sites.

Independent savings expert: Sylvia Morris

Independent savings expert: Sylvia Morris

They are completely unbiased - we simply show the best rates around and don't do 'featured deals'.

We've gone a step further, too. To feature in the best buys on variable rate accounts in our savings tables, an account must give you easy access to your money and come with no hidden catches.

In the past we have refused to include accounts where the rate is boosted by a short-term bonus or those with over-restrictive conditions so you only earn the advertised rate if you make three or less withdrawals a year.

But with interest rates so low, most of today's best deals have some sort of clause built in, whether that's a bonus or a restriction on withdrawals.

For that reason, we've included decent bonuses as long as they last for at least 12 months. This is to avoid you having to switch your account too often when short-term bonuses run out.

If there is a restriction on withdrawals we have made this clear in the notes on each account.

We also ignore old-style 'notice' accounts where the bank or building society can demand you give up to six months' notice that you want to take our money out while it can change the rate at any time without warning.

All banks and building societies are registered with the Financial Services Authority and signed up to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, either directly (protecting up to £75,000) or via its passport scheme (where the compensation limit depends on the bank's home country. In Europe it is €100,000).

If you have a question about the tables email sy.morris@dailymail.co.uk and editor@thisismoney.co.uk

Sylvia Morris

This is Money savings tables expert

All savings tables

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>> Research your own savings accounts


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