LAST REVIEWED: 27 JUNE 2026
Best easy-access savings accounts -- June 2026
- Best easy access: Trading 212 Cash Account -- 5.01% AER (variable, includes 1.01% 12-month bonus for new money)
- Best easy access (existing accounts): Oxbury Bank -- 5.01% AER variable
- Best 1-year fixed bond: Atom Bank -- 4.82% AER
- Best regular saver: Nationwide Flex Regular Saver -- 8% AER (existing customers, up to £200/month)
- Best cash ISA: Trading 212 Cash ISA -- 4.51% AER (includes bonus)
Rates correct at 27 June 2026. Variable rates change without notice. Verify directly with provider before applying. All providers above are FCA-authorised and FSCS-protected up to £85,000.
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KEY FACTS - SAVINGS ACCOUNTS UK JUNE 2026 Data from Bank of England, FCA and FSCS |
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Best savings accounts UK June 2026: top rates by account type
Savings rates in the UK vary significantly by account type. Easy access accounts let you withdraw at any time but pay lower rates. Regular savers pay the highest rates but cap monthly deposits. Fixed-term bonds lock your money for a set period in exchange for a guaranteed rate. Cash ISAs wrap any account type in a tax-free shell. The table below covers the best rates available in June 2026 across all four types.
| Provider | Account type | Rate (AER) | Access | Min deposit | FSCS? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Direct | Regular saver | 7.00% | After 12 months | £25/mo (max £300/mo) | Yes |
| Lloyds Bank | Regular saver | 6.25% | After 12 months | £25/mo (max £400/mo) | Yes |
| Trading 212 | Easy access / Cash ISA | 5.10% | Instant | £1 | Yes (via HSBC) |
| Chip | Easy access | 4.84% | Instant | £1 | Yes |
| Chase | Easy access | 4.10% | Instant | £1 | Yes |
| Principality BS | 1-year fixed bond | 4.75% | At maturity only | £500 | Yes |
| Close Brothers | 1-year fixed bond | 4.71% | At maturity only | £10,000 | Yes |
| Moneybox | Cash ISA (easy access) | 4.76% | Instant | £1 | Yes |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs | Easy access | 4.50% | Instant | £1 | Yes |
| Atom Bank | 1-year fixed bond | 4.65% | At maturity only | £50 | Yes |
| Nationwide | Flex Regular Saver | 6.50% | After 12 months | £1/mo (max £200/mo) | Yes |
| Yorkshire Building Society | Easy access | 4.50% | Instant | £1 | Yes |
Best easy access savings accounts UK June 2026
Easy access accounts let you deposit and withdraw at any time with no notice period and no penalty. They pay lower rates than fixed-term accounts but offer full flexibility. These are the best easy access rates available in June 2026.
| Provider | Rate (AER) | Min deposit | Interest paid | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading 212 | 5.10% | £1 | Daily | Cash ISA wrapper available |
| Chip | 4.84% | £1 | Monthly | App-based, auto-save features |
| Marcus by Goldman Sachs | 4.50% | £1 | Monthly | No bonus rate, consistent |
| Yorkshire Building Society | 4.50% | £1 | Monthly | Branch and online access |
| Chase | 4.10% | £1 | Monthly | App-only, linked to Chase current account |
| Monzo | 3.75% (standard) / 4.25% (Plus/Premium) | £1 | Monthly | Higher rate requires paid plan |
Best regular savings accounts UK June 2026
Regular savings accounts pay the highest headline rates but require you to deposit a fixed amount each month (typically £25 to £500) and are usually only available to existing current account customers. The rate applies to your growing balance over 12 months - the effective return on the full 12-month deposit is approximately half the headline rate because early deposits earn interest longer than later ones.
| Provider | Rate (AER) | Max monthly deposit | Max interest (12mo) | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Direct | 7.00% | £300 | ~£136 | First Direct current account required |
| Nationwide | 6.50% | £200 | ~£85 | Nationwide FlexAccount required |
| Lloyds Bank | 6.25% | £400 | ~£163 | Lloyds current account required |
| HSBC | 5.00% | £250 | ~£81 | HSBC current account required |
| Barclays | 5.12% | £500 | ~£166 | Barclays current account required |
Best fixed-term savings bonds UK June 2026
Fixed-term bonds lock your money for 1, 2, or 3 years in exchange for a guaranteed rate that does not change. They pay more than easy access accounts because you surrender flexibility. You typically cannot access your money early without a penalty, and if rates rise further during your term, you cannot benefit. The best strategy is to ladder your savings across different terms rather than committing everything to a single fixed period.
| Provider | Term | Rate (AER) | Min deposit | Interest on £10,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principality BS | 1 year | 4.75% | £500 | £475 |
| Close Brothers | 1 year | 4.71% | £10,000 | £471 |
| Atom Bank | 1 year | 4.65% | £50 | £465 |
| Shawbrook Bank | 2 years | 4.55% | £1,000 | £931 (total over 2yr) |
| OakNorth Bank | 2 years | 4.50% | £1 | £921 (total over 2yr) |
| Vanquis Bank | 3 years | 4.30% | £1,000 | £1,345 (total over 3yr) |
Best cash ISA rates UK June 2026
A cash ISA is a savings account where all interest is earned tax-free, regardless of how much interest you earn. The annual ISA allowance is £20,000 per person. Cash ISAs are especially valuable for higher and additional rate taxpayers who have used their Personal Savings Allowance, and for anyone likely to earn more than £1,000 in savings interest per year. You can transfer existing ISA balances to a new provider to take advantage of better rates without losing the tax-free status.
| Provider | ISA type | Rate (AER) | Access | Transfers in? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading 212 | Easy access Cash ISA | 5.10% | Instant | Yes |
| Moneybox | Easy access Cash ISA | 4.76% | Instant | Yes |
| Plum | Easy access Cash ISA | 4.72% | Instant | Yes |
| Santander | Easy access Cash ISA | 4.20% | Instant | Yes |
| Paragon Bank | Fixed Cash ISA 1 year | 4.61% | At maturity | Yes |
How to choose the right savings account
The best savings account depends on four questions: how soon you might need the money, how much you have to save, whether you pay tax on savings interest, and whether you want to save a lump sum or monthly amounts.
If you might need the money within 12 months, use an easy access account. Trading 212 at 5.10% and Chip at 4.84% are the best rates currently available with no notice period. Do not lock money into a fixed bond if there is any chance you will need early access - penalties can wipe out all the interest earned.
If you can lock money away for 1 to 3 years, fixed-term bonds pay more. Principality at 4.75% for 1 year beats every easy access rate. The Bank of England base rate is expected to fall further through 2026, which means locking in today's rates before they drop further is a reasonable strategy for money you definitely will not need.
If you are a higher or additional rate taxpayer, prioritise a cash ISA over a standard savings account. The Personal Savings Allowance is £500 for higher rate taxpayers and £0 for additional rate taxpayers. Any interest above your allowance is taxed at your marginal rate. A cash ISA at 4.76% tax-free beats a standard account at 5.10% gross if you pay 40% tax.
If you want to save monthly, a regular saver at 7% (First Direct) or 6.50% (Nationwide) beats everything else - but only if you are an existing customer and can commit to monthly deposits for 12 months without withdrawing.
FSCS protection and savings safety
All UK-authorised banks and building societies are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). If a provider fails, FSCS protects up to £85,000 per person per institution (£170,000 for joint accounts). This protection applies automatically - you do not need to register or pay for it.
If you have more than £85,000 to save, split your savings across multiple institutions. Trading 212 holds customer funds with HSBC UK, which means Trading 212 cash is covered under HSBC's FSCS limit - not a separate limit. Check which bank holds the underlying funds for any app-based savings provider before assuming you have a separate £85,000 limit.
The FSCS limit applies per banking licence, not per brand. Lloyds, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland share one banking licence and one £85,000 limit. NatWest and RBS share one licence. HSBC and First Direct share one licence. If you hold savings with multiple brands under the same licence, your total protection is £85,000 across all of them combined.
Savings interest tax: what you owe and how to avoid it
Savings interest is taxable income in the UK. How much tax you pay depends on your income tax band and your Personal Savings Allowance.
| Tax band | Personal Savings Allowance | Tax on interest above allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Basic rate (20%) | £1,000 | 20% |
| Higher rate (40%) | £500 | 40% |
| Additional rate (45%) | £0 | 45% |
HMRC collects savings tax through your tax code or self-assessment. Banks report interest paid to HMRC automatically. You do not need to declare interest below your allowance, but you must declare any interest above it. The starting rate for savings (0% on up to £5,000 of savings interest for non-taxpayers and low earners) is a separate allowance on top of the Personal Savings Allowance.
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RELATED GUIDES Best ISA accounts UK - Best regular savings accounts UK - Best joint savings accounts UK - Best balance transfer cards UK |
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DISCLAIMER Savings rates change frequently. All rates shown are correct as of June 2026 and may have changed by the time you read this. Always verify the current rate directly with the provider before opening an account. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Kael Tripton Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. |
What is the best savings account UK right now?
As of June 2026, the best savings account UK depends on your situation. For easy access, Trading 212 offers 5.10% AER with no minimum deposit and instant withdrawals. For regular monthly saving, First Direct pays 7.00% AER on up to £300 per month for existing customers. For a lump sum you can lock away for 12 months, Principality Building Society pays 4.75% AER. For tax-free savings, Trading 212's Cash ISA at 5.10% AER is the best easy-access ISA currently available. The Bank of England base rate is 4.25%, meaning the best easy access rates are comfortably above base.
Is 5% interest on savings good in 2026?
Yes, 5% AER on easy access savings is competitive in June 2026. The Bank of England base rate is 4.25% and is expected to fall further through 2026. Easy access rates above 5% are available from challenger banks and app-based providers such as Trading 212 and Chip, but these rates can be withdrawn at any time. High street banks typically pay 2% to 3.5% on easy access, significantly below the market-leading rates. If your current savings account pays less than 4%, you are leaving meaningful interest on the table and should consider switching.
How much interest will I earn on £10,000 in a savings account?
At 5.10% AER (Trading 212 easy access), £10,000 earns approximately £510 in interest over 12 months. At 4.75% AER (Principality 1-year fixed), £10,000 earns £475. At the average high street easy access rate of around 2.5%, the same £10,000 earns only £250. The difference between staying with a low-rate account and switching to a market-leading rate on £10,000 is approximately £250 to £260 per year. On £50,000 the difference exceeds £1,000 per year. Switching takes 10 to 20 minutes and can be done entirely online for most providers.
Are savings accounts safe in the UK?
Yes. Savings in UK-authorised banks and building societies are protected by the FSCS up to £85,000 per person per institution (£170,000 for joint accounts). This includes all the providers listed in this article. If a bank fails, FSCS pays compensation automatically within seven working days for amounts up to £85,000. You do not need to do anything to activate the protection. For savings above £85,000, split balances across different banking licences - not just different brands, as some brands share a single banking licence and a single FSCS limit.
Should I fix my savings rate now or wait for rates to rise?
In June 2026 with the Bank of England base rate at 4.25% and markets pricing in further cuts through 2026 and into 2027, the consensus among economists is that savings rates are more likely to fall than rise over the next 12 to 24 months. This makes fixing now at 4.65% to 4.75% for 1 year a reasonable strategy for money you will not need. Easy access rates will fall as the base rate falls. If you believe rates will fall, locking in a 1 or 2-year fixed term before they do preserves your current rate. However, no-one can predict base rate movements with certainty - if you need the money before the term ends, the penalty for early access can eliminate your interest advantage entirely.
What is the Personal Savings Allowance and how does it work?
The Personal Savings Allowance (PSA) is the amount of savings interest you can earn each tax year before paying income tax on it. Basic rate taxpayers get a £1,000 PSA, higher rate taxpayers get £500, and additional rate taxpayers get nothing. The PSA is separate from the ISA allowance. Interest earned inside an ISA does not count towards the PSA and is always tax-free. If your savings interest exceeds your PSA, the excess is added to your taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate. Banks report interest paid to HMRC automatically, so HMRC typically adjusts your tax code to collect any tax owed without requiring you to file a return unless you are self-assessed.
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SOURCES AND VERIFICATION
Rates correct June 2026. Check provider directly before opening any account. |
