To move a personal current account to another UK bank or building society, open the new account and ask that provider to arrange a free switch through the Current Account Switch Service (CASS). It transfers your balance and eligible regular payments, redirects payments sent to your old account and closes that account on the agreed switch date. Allow at least seven working days after opening the new account and arranging the switch.
Before you switch: choose and open the new account
CASS arranges the move; it does not select or open an account for you. Apply to the bank or building society you want to join first. The provider carries out its normal identity, security and eligibility checks, so approval is not guaranteed. Compare the account terms against how you bank, rather than choosing on a switching offer alone.
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- Charges: Check any monthly fee and the conditions for avoiding it.
- Overdraft: Compare interest and fees, and do not assume an existing limit will move with you.
- Eligibility conditions: Some accounts require a minimum monthly deposit or a set number of Direct Debits. MoneyHelper’s account-selection guidance explains what to compare.
- Access and features: Consider branch or banking-hub access, the services you use, and whether your payment or financial-data apps support the new provider.
- Promotions: Check the provider’s current eligibility and fulfilment terms; offers can change.
CASS is for regular current accounts at participating providers, not savings accounts or ISAs. Check the service information and personal-account FAQs for current participation and account details.
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- Open the destination account. Wait until the new provider confirms it is open.
- Request CASS from the new provider. Give it the details it requests for your old account. The new bank or building society manages the process; you do not need to arrange the transfer with the old provider yourself.
- Agree a switch date. Allow at least seven working days after the new account is open and the switch is arranged. Choose a working day: the switch date cannot be a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday.
- Check the account details if there is a delay. If the information you gave does not match the old bank’s records, you may need to update your details with that bank before the switch can proceed.
See the personal switching process for the provider’s step-by-step overview.
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What CASS moves—and what it does not
On the agreed date, CASS transfers the remaining balance and eligible regular incoming and outgoing payments, including salary, benefits, Direct Debits and standing orders. Payments sent to the old account after the switch are redirected to the new one; under the guarantee, the sender is contacted with the new details. The old account is closed as part of a CASS switch.
CASS does not automatically move every account-related arrangement. Contact relevant services yourself to update them where needed.
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- Overdraft: The new provider must separately agree any overdraft under its lending criteria. If it has not agreed how to handle your existing overdraft, arrange repayment separately before switching. An overdraft limit does not automatically transfer.
- Third-party payment and financial-data access: Money-management apps, payment services and other financial-data connections do not transfer automatically. Contact each provider and re-authorise access using your new account; some services may not support your new bank.
- Joint accounts: Both holders must agree to switch, and the destination must also be a joint account. CASS cannot move a joint account into a sole account.
Keep the final seven working days clear
The old account remains usable until the switch date, but do not set up new Direct Debits or standing orders on it during the seven working days before that date. Set up any new payment arrangements on the new account instead. CASS handles payment arrangements up to that final-week window.
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What the Current Account Switch Guarantee covers
The guarantee is offered by the new participating bank or building society. It says the service is free, the balance and regular payments are transferred, payments sent to the old account are redirected, and charges or interest caused by a switching failure are refunded. The provider decides whether to offer compensation beyond that refund. Read the Current Account Switch Guarantee for its terms.
If you want to keep your old account
A CASS switch closes the old account. If you want to keep it open, speak to your bank about another way to move your banking. That arrangement will not carry the CASS guarantee, so check how payments and any balance will be handled before proceeding.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.After the switch date
Check that the new account shows the expected balance and regular payments, and confirm that important payees have the right details. If a payment or account detail appears to be missing, contact the new provider promptly. Keep an eye on payments redirected from the old account, and update any organisations or services that still need your new details.
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