The Current Account Switch Service explained
The Current Account Switch Service, almost always shortened to CASS, was set up in 2013 to make moving banks genuinely easy. Before CASS, switching meant chasing every Direct Debit, every standing order and every incoming payment yourself, often spending several weeks fixing the small problems that arose. CASS replaced all of that with a seven-day automated process backed by a financial guarantee.
The service is operated by Pay.UK, the not-for-profit body that runs the UK's retail payments infrastructure. It is free to use. The new bank does the work; your only real input is choosing the date and signing the forms. Behind the scenes, the new bank coordinates with your old bank, redirects all your payments and closes the old account on the agreed switch date.
You are protected if anything goes wrong
If a payment to your old account fails to redirect, if a Direct Debit is not transferred correctly or if you incur charges or interest because of an error during the switch, the new bank refunds you in full. They will put you back in the position you would have been in if the switch had completed cleanly. You raise the claim with the new bank, they investigate and they correct it. The guarantee is permanent rather than time-limited and it is the structural reason CASS works.
One important note: CASS only switches current accounts. Savings accounts, ISAs (Individual Savings Accounts, which let you save or invest tax-free), mortgages, loans, credit cards and any other product you hold with the old bank stay where they are unless you close them yourself. Most people switching for an incentive only need their day-to-day current account to move; the rest can be left in place or transferred separately at a later date.
What gets moved automatically (and what does not)
The most useful question to answer before starting a switch is what CASS will and will not handle for you. Most of the friction people fear about switching is already automated; some specific things are not and those are the ones to plan around.
Moved automatically by CASS
- Direct Debits — every active mandate, including energy, council tax, gym, mobile phone, streaming subscriptions and charity donations.
- Standing orders — your scheduled outgoing payments such as rent, regular savings transfers and monthly transfers to family.
- Salary, benefits and pension payments — incoming payments are redirected automatically. HMRC, DWP and your employer's payroll are notified by CASS on your behalf.
- Closing the old account — happens automatically on the agreed switch date, with any remaining balance moved to the new account.
- 36 months of redirection — any payment that still tries to reach the old account during this period is bounced to the new one with a notification to the sender.
Not moved — handle these yourself
- Savings accounts and ISAs — these are separate products, so you will need to transfer them manually if you want to consolidate everything at one bank. Our guide on building an emergency fund covers where to keep savings for maximum protection and access.
- Loans, mortgages and credit cards — these stay where they are. Settle or refinance them separately if you wish to move them.
- Card-on-file payments — anything stored against your old debit card (subscriptions on Amazon, Netflix or other online retailers) needs the new card details adding manually.
- PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Wallet links — these reference your old card details. Update each one after the switch completes.
The card-on-file gap is what catches most people out. Subscriptions or recurring purchases set up against your old debit card (rather than as proper Direct Debits) will keep trying to charge the old card for a few weeks before failing. A 30-minute pass through your subscription accounts the day after the switch saves the awkward "your subscription has lapsed" emails a fortnight later.
Switching incentives currently available in 2026
UK banks compete hard for new current account customers and the cash incentives are genuinely worthwhile. As of April 2026, six headline offers are running, ranging from £100 to £250 (the higher figure for high-income premium accounts). Each one comes with conditions: typically you must move at least two Direct Debits, deposit a set amount within 60 days and use the account regularly.
The biggest cash bonus is rarely the best account for you
It is tempting to pick the highest headline figure, but the £50 difference between offers is usually less significant than the longer-term account features. First Direct consistently scores top in customer service surveys. NatWest's £36-a-year cashback adds up faster than the gap between £150 and £200. Club Lloyds' annual perks (a year of Disney+ or six cinema tickets) and 6.25% regular saver are worth comparing closely. Always check the eligibility conditions and any monthly fees before applying.
When switching is not the right move
Switching is straightforward and worthwhile in most situations, but there are a small number of cases where it is genuinely better to wait or stay. Each of these is worth checking against your own circumstances before starting the process.
Each one has a specific reason
You are within three months of a mortgage application. The hard credit search the new bank runs and the visible account changes can look like financial pressure to mortgage underwriters reviewing your application. Wait until after the mortgage completes.
You depend on an arranged overdraft. The new bank may offer a smaller overdraft limit at first or charge interest at a different rate. If your finances rely on an existing overdraft facility, check the new bank's offer carefully before committing.
You have non-standard payment arrangements. Business accounts, certain property management arrangements and some closed-loop payment systems occasionally do not redirect cleanly. The CASS Guarantee covers any losses, but it is worth knowing about in advance if you have unusual payment flows.
Beyond these three, there is also a softer reason for not switching: you genuinely like your current bank. Service quality, app usability, branch access and how the bank treats you when something goes wrong all matter. A £200 incentive does not compensate for a year of poor service. If you have been with your bank for a long time and they treat you well, the right answer is sometimes to stay.
Choosing the right account for your needs
Once you have decided to switch, the next question is which account to switch to. The largest cash bonus is rarely the right starting point. The features that matter long-term tend to come from how you actually use the account day-to-day.
Independent banking satisfaction data is published twice a year by the FCA's Service Quality Survey. The most recent rankings are available via the FCA consumer site.
Three patterns are worth considering when choosing. People who travel frequently usually do best with First Direct, Chase, Starling or Monzo, all of which offer fee-free overseas card spending. People who use their bank app heavily tend to prefer the digital-first banks (Monzo, Starling, Revolut, Chase) for their pot-based budgeting features and notification tools. People who value branch access still favour the traditional banks (Lloyds, NatWest, HSBC, Barclays), although the branch network has been shrinking across the industry. If you are not sure how you actually use your account, our companion guide on understanding your monthly outgoings walks through the audit that surfaces the answer.
The right approach is usually to identify two or three accounts that genuinely suit you and then choose between them on the incentive offered. Picking purely on the cash bonus often leads to switching to an account that does not match how you bank, which costs more long-term than the bonus is worth.
The step-by-step switch process
The switch itself takes seven working days, but the wider process from "deciding to switch" to "settled in the new account" usually runs across two to three weeks. Each stage is straightforward.
You can apply online, in branch or through the new bank's mobile app. The application takes 10-30 minutes and includes identity verification (passport, driving licence or biometric check), proof of address and a credit check. Most applications get an immediate decision, although some need 1-2 days for additional checks.
The new bank will ask you to pick a switch date once your application is approved. Choose a date at least 7 working days in the future and ideally a few days after your next payday. This gives the system time to redirect any incoming payments cleanly. Avoid dates close to monthly Direct Debit cycles for high-priority bills (mortgage, rent, council tax) just to keep things simple. A switch is also a useful trigger for reviewing whether each of those Direct Debits is still on the best available rate; our guide on saving money on household bills covers the category-by-category review.
The new bank will provide two short forms: an Account Switch Form (instructing the new bank to handle the switch) and a Current Account Closure Form (closing your old account on the agreed date). Sign both. From this point onwards, the new bank handles everything; you do not need to contact your old bank yourself.
The new bank coordinates with your old bank during the seven working days. You will receive your new debit card and any account details shortly after applying. On the switch date, your balance moves across, the old account closes and your Direct Debits become active on the new account. You should keep some funds in the old account until the switch completes, in case any final payments hit before the redirection takes effect.
Go through your subscriptions and online retailers and update the card details for each one. The most commonly forgotten places are Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, Apple ID, Google Play, PayPal and any card-stored shopping accounts. This is the single most useful task to do on the day the switch completes.
If your switch came with a cash incentive, you will need to meet the conditions to qualify (typically depositing a set amount, having a minimum number of active Direct Debits and using the account in some way). The bank's switching page lists the exact criteria. Set yourself a calendar reminder for the deadline, because most bonuses are paid within 30-45 days of meeting the criteria.
Troubleshooting if something goes wrong
The vast majority of switches complete cleanly. When something does go wrong, the CASS Guarantee covers you and the resolution process is well-defined. Knowing what to do in each scenario saves time and stress.
Contact the new bank immediately, not the old bank. Under the CASS Guarantee, the new bank is responsible for refunding any charges or interest you incur because of the error and for ensuring the payment reaches its intended destination. Keep records of any failed transactions and any related charges. The new bank typically resolves these within 5-7 working days.
This is rare but does happen, usually when an organisation you pay does not store account details in a standardised way. The new bank can investigate and either redirect the payment manually or cancel and re-establish the Direct Debit. You will not be liable for any charges as long as you raise the issue within 13 months of the switch.
Bonus payments can be delayed if the qualifying criteria appear borderline (for example, a Direct Debit that took slightly longer than expected to become active). Wait until the deadline stated in the offer before complaining. If the bonus is still not paid, contact the new bank's switching team with evidence that you met the criteria. Most disputes are resolved within 14 days. If the bank refuses, you can escalate the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free.
You can cancel a switch up to 7 working days before the agreed switch date. After that point, the cancellation process is more complex and may not stop all the redirections. If you genuinely need to abandon a switch in progress, contact the new bank as early as possible and they will tell you what is and is not still recoverable.
Bonus-hopping and how often you can switch
"Bonus-hopping" is the name sometimes given to the practice of switching banks repeatedly to capture multiple cash incentives. It is fully within the rules and many people use it to add £500-£1,000 a year to their savings. The rules and restrictions are worth understanding before you start.
Most people who hop bonuses regularly keep one stable bank account as the home for their salary and main Direct Debits, then use a second "hopping" account that they cycle through different providers. This avoids the disruption of moving everything every few months and keeps your credit file looking stable for any major borrowing decisions.
Most banks block you from claiming the same incentive twice and many block claims if you have ever held an account with them or with their group. Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland share a banking group; if you claimed a Halifax bonus in 2024, you cannot claim a Lloyds bonus in 2025. The same applies across NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank. Keep a simple list of which banks you have used and when.
Each switch involves a hard credit search, which can drop your score by 5-25 points and stays visible for 12 months. If you are planning to apply for a mortgage or large personal loan, stop hopping at least three months before the application. The credit search effect itself fades quickly, but underwriters look unfavourably on a recent pattern of multiple new accounts being opened. Our guide on how to improve your credit score in 12 months explains the wider context of how lenders read your file.
How much bonus-hopping can actually earn
A patient hopper switching three or four times a year typically captures £500-£1,000 in incentives annually. The maximum is closer to £1,200-£1,500, achieved by people who track all the qualifying conditions carefully and never miss a deadline. The work involved is real but modest: roughly 30-60 minutes of admin per switch. For most people, the simpler approach is to switch once or twice when an offer genuinely suits them, rather than treating it as an income stream.