Current Accounts | Finance

Transparency of current account costs

Commenting on the Office of Fair Trading's announcement that banks have agreed to make personal current account costs more transparent, Kevin Mountford, head of banking at moneysupermarket.com, said; "This is welcome news, and should enable consumers to make more informed decisions when comparing current accounts. It's vital that customers looking to compare current accounts consider the ways in which they will use the account before opting for any provider. For example it may be more important for them to have a high interest rate on in credit balances, or conversely they may need good terms on overdraft usage. The only way they can do this is if banks are open about how their different fee structures work.

Yorkshire Bank signs up for current account TV advertising

Yorkshire Bank has launched a TV advertising campaign to support its lifestyle current account, Signature.

Student finance

In a few month's time, many students will be preparing to leave home and head off to university. For many it will be the first time they are fully in charge of their finances, with budgeting and bill paying becoming a necessary evil.

Alliance & Leicester voted Best Current Account Provider

New research from Sainsbury's Loans reveals that there are currently just four lenders, of which it is one, offering an APR of less than 8% on unsecured loans on loan amounts between £5,000 and £15,000.

Seven more credit unions launch current account

Seven more credit unions across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have launched the Credit Union Current Account.

uSwitch.com: Alliance & Leicester's £100 switching incentive

Louise Bond, Personal Finance expert at uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, comments on Alliance & Leicester's introduction of a £100 switching incentive on its Premier and Premier 50 current accounts from next week (5th January 2009): "This is a great incentive for people to shop around for a better deal on their current account, especially in today's economic climate. Anything that makes consumers think about whether their current account really offers good value for money, or whether they could get a better deal elsewhere, is to be welcomed. For some time Alliance & Leicester (A&L) has offered one of the better accounts on the high street with its Premier current account, and this £100 switching incentive, at a time when every penny counts, could prove a hit with many consumers.

moneysupermarket.com: A&L's £100 switching incentive

Commenting on the return of Alliance & Leicester's £100 switching incentive, Kevin Mountford, head of banking at moneysupermarket.com said: "2009 may well be the year of the current account after a period of relative stagnation as providers wait to see the outcome of the ongoing OFT court case on bank charges. At least two major providers have initiatives due early this year, as they step up the battle for the lucrative current account market. Consumers need to be vigilant though and look carefully at the different offers to see which will suit their needs. For example the right current account for a customer who never goes overdrawn will be different than for a customer who does dip into the red regularly.

The Co-operative Bank tops the charts again

The Co-operative Bank has scored the top mark on current accounts customer satisfaction (85%) according to the latest GFK NOP report.

Current account holders get ready to bank on a reward

Almost half of us (48%) intend to make our finances a priority in 2009, according to research by Halifax. Almost a third (32%) of people said that they intend to set a budget for spending.

Alliance & Leicester £100 current account incentive still available

As the January window for Premier League football clubs to switch players draws to a close, research from Alliance & Leicester Current Accounts reveals two thirds (67 per cent) of UK banking customers have remained with the same current account provider for the last decade, despite competitive offers on the market.

Current account roulette has odds stacked against you

Nationwide has become the latest current account provider to lower its in-credit interest without lowering its overdraft rate.

Switching soars

The latest internal data from The Co-operative Bank Current Accounts has revealed a 123% annual increase in customers switching their current accounts to The Co-operative Bank.

Don’t be an April fool, review your finances and pocket £100

Alliance & Leicester is urging people to avoid being an April Fool and review their finances, with a view to getting a better deal on their current account, and pocket £100.

Switch to make your money stretch further this Spring

Spring is in the air, and Alliance & Leicester is encouraging British households to review their finances to ensure they have the best current account to maximise their cash and meet their specific banking needs.

How honest are we? Not very, says new survey

Here's a test of your honesty. What would you do if you found £100 in the street? Would you hand it in to Police, give it to charity, spend it on yourself? Well, almost half of us would keep the £100 for ourselves if we found it on the street today - and over half of us would feel no guilt at pocketing the money.

Current accounts – changes afoot

The court has announced that unauthorised overdraft charges are assessable for fairness and the banks have applied directly to the House of Lords to get permission to appeal to the House of Lords. At some stage there will almost certainly be another court case to decide what actual level of charges are deemed to be fair.

Switching soars

The latest internal data from The Co-operative Bank Current Accounts has revealed a 123% annual increase in customers switching their current accounts to The Co-operative Bank.

A&L gives £100 cash boost to current account switchers

While the recent Budget will have been positive for some people, and not so good for others, Alliance & Leicester is urging people to put a spring in their step and give themselves a financial boost, by offering £100 to those who switch to Alliance & Leicester from Thursday 30 April 2009*.