Saving & banking

They have helped prudent households manage their finances through countless onslaughts. Because, let's face it, our wealth and savings have been under attack for decades and by successive governments. But I would think very carefully before going beyond that and making changes to your finances based on what you think Labour might do.

Barclays has become the latest bank to dangle a carrot in front of customers in an attempt to reel in new business. It is offering a £175 switching bonus to customers who switch to one of its current accounts - but they will need to jump through several hoops first.

While soaring inflation has ravaged savers' nest eggs in recent years, one lucky group has remained unaffected. They are the holders of Index-Linked Savings Certificates from National Savings and Investments. What makes these savings accounts special is that they promise to always beat inflation -although only by 0.01 of a percentage point.

It's always a bother when you can't access your money because your bank's app or website is inexplicably down. We reveal why banks suffer service outages, as well as five ways to make sure you're not left in the lurch the next time yours is unavailable.

Barclays is axing its monthly loyalty bonus payments for Blue Rewards scheme members in a shake up of its rewards. Is it still worth keeping now?

The idea that tech-savvy youngsters are less likely to fall victim to scams online is a misconception, new figures suggest. Over the last 12 months, Gen Z and Millennials accounted for 65% of scams reported, data from money app Revolut reveals - with a scam expert putting it down to the fact they do more of their banking online.

Savers opening a new bank account are unable to speak to a real human at seven in ten British banks and building societies, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Most banks do not have any customer service staff available to support those opening a new current or savings account, according to research for Investec Bank. Instead, new customers must direct their questions at an online chatbot - or worse, are left relying on information available on the bank's website.

Bank customers have found it harder to withdraw large sums of their own money over the counter at banks to use for the likes of building work or buying a used car. Some customers find themselves being asked for proof of an invoice, while others are point bank denied access to their own money. So just how easy is it to withdraw £5,000 from your bank if you needed a job or item paying in cash?

The 365-day notice account is being offered by saving and investing platform Prosper, in a deal that This is Money has secured exclusively for readers. The account has a variable rate tracking the Bank of England base rate and comfortably beats the top one-year fixed rate accounts.

Savvy savers are pouring money into cash Isas as they look to protect the interest on their nest eggs from tax. They put more than £11bn into cash Isas in April to take advantage of their £20,000 allowance, which reset at the start of the new tax year on April 6. This was up an impressive 31% on the same month last year.

When you think of generative AI and fraud, your mind might not immediately conjure up images it being used as a force for good. But both Mastercard and Visa are using AI to beat criminals at their own game. Here's how...

Co-op has become the latest bank to attempt to reel in customers by offering a cash bonus - we explain how to get it. It joins Lloyds, First Direct, Nationwide, Santander and TSB as banks battle for customers.

The UK's five biggest banks are still failing to offer competitive savings interest despite the Financial Conduct Authority's Consumer Duty rules introduced last summer, new figures reveal. Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Santander and NatWest are continuing to offer easy-access savings rates far below the market average, new figures from rates monitor Moneyfacts Compare reveal. This is despite the finance watchdog telling them to give savers 'fair value'.

Cash Isas have seen the largest inflows for the start of the tax year since the tax-free accounts were launched in 1999, official data shows. The £11.7bn is more than the first three months of the 2023-24 tax year combined, when savers piled more than £9bn into cash Isas.

Savings platforms tell me they are becoming ever-more popular.  And they are determined to bring their wares to a wider public.The platforms, which include Raisin, Hargreaves Lansdown Active Savings, Flagstone and rivals, might not always offer all the best rates on the market but have a selection of deals that challenge the top of the savings tables.

The changes mean that monthly and weekly mini-bank statements will no longer be sent to those who have opted into the service. The existing service allows customers to view their statement each week along with five recent transactions without needing to log in to their online banking account.

Have you won one of this month's major prizes? Our tables show all the £1,000 to £1m winners. You can also look up the winners for the past 12 months and tap in your bond numbers to see how close you were to winning.

My father-in-law is 85 years old. He has just had heart surgery, suffers from mobility issues and is in the early stages of dementia. He also recently lost his wife of more than 40 years. In July 2023 he noticed that transactions had been made from his bank account with HSBC, totalling £5,523. This is his sole bank account and only held around £6,000. Originally HSBC did put the money back into his account pending an investigation. However, it later said that as it was his card that had been used and his Pin, the money would not be reimbursed. He has dementia and his recollection of events is unclear - but the spending happened two hours away and was nothing like his usual activity.

Between 28 May and 30 July, customers can make use of the Current Account Switch Service to move their account to either a Club Lloyds account, a Club Lloyds Platinum account or a Club Lloyds Silver account.

Nationwide Building Society has announced it will pay out another 'Fairer Share' bonus this year. Britain's biggest building society will pay 3.85m eligible members £100 this summer after yet another set of bumper profits. So, will you be eligible for the payout?

The building society last year gave some 3.3 million customers £100 each. But the latest payout could be even higher because the mutual's profits have been buoyed by higher interest rates. Nationwide has said it wants to capitalise on this to continue paying a 'Fairer Share' bonus to eligible members. The details, which will be announced on Thursday, will come a day after Virgin Money shareholders decide on whether to accept a controversial £2.9 billion takeover offer from Nationwide.

Just under half of young savers put away at least 20% of their monthly income, compared to just 12% of 45- to 54-year-olds. But under 24-year-olds are the most likely to dip into their pot, with more than one in five using it to fund everyday living expenses. They make an average of three withdrawals from their saved funds every year, the research shows.

Engine, the technology business Starling Bank was built on, has been busy launching banks around the world, from Romania to Australia. This is Money's saving and banking reporter Helen Kirrane speaks to Engine's CEO Sam Everington about the new banks Engine is launching, how many more could launch and where.

Providers pushed up their rates in April, with several offering more than 5% on a one-year fixed rate cash Isa. But those have all disappeared with the best rates now at 4.72% from Shawbrook and OakNorth Bank. On the High Street, the top rate of 4.7% come from Tipton BS or 4.65% from Monmouthshire Building Society along with Kent Reliance.

The secret to saving success is compound interest. Over the long-term this earns you interest on the interest on your savings and boosts your returns. This calculator works out how much a regular monthly savings scheme could make and how much a lump sum investment could be worth.

How hard does your bank account work for you? Hard enough to give you cashback on your household bills, interest on your balance or simply standout customer service? Here is our pick of the best accounts to make your money work harder, cut down on fees, or get free stuff.

A new wave of savings platforms have emerged in recent years which help savers keep track of their accounts more easily and move money into better rates after signing up. We round them up, look at the top rates from savings platform Raisin and reveal whether they beat the best buys in our independent This is Money savings tables.