SAVERS face a spring massacre as major banks and building societies slash interest rates on more than one hundreds accounts, shrinking returns for millions ahead of the new financial year.
Some of Britain’s largest financial institutions, including HSBC, NatWest, and the government-backed NS&I, are lowering rates for their loyal account holders.
If you currently have money saved in any of these accounts, you might want to consider moving your cash to get a better deal[/caption]
The Sun has analysed banking data to uncover that returns on more than 180 accounts are scheduled to be slashed in March and April.
Rachel Springall, finance expert at Moneyfactscompare.co.uk, said: “It’s so disheartening to see savings rates chopped in the last few days, but it just proves why savers are at the mercy of base rate cuts.
“Not even challenger banks have been able to escape making cuts as the market sentiment for lower interest rates has taken charge.”
Savers are being urged to check if their account is affected.
Whether you’re impacted or not will depend on the bank you’re with and the type of savings account you have.
For instance, with some types of accounts, the interest rate you get on your savings is locked in for a set period of time.
With others – often easy access accounts – the rate can change anytime.
Average savings rates have been steadily declining over the past 12 months.
Currently, average easy-access rates stand at 2.9%, down from 3.17% a year ago, according to MoneyFactsCompare.co.uk.
Similarly, the average one-year fixed bond rate has decreased from 4.08% to 3.94% over the same period.
That’s why ensuring you’re getting the best rate on your savings is crucial, especially when the Bank of England could make further cuts to the base rate later in March.
Rachel Springall added: “Savers need to proactively keep on top of the best rates and review their pots regularly to see if they are getting a raw deal.”
“Now is an ideal time for savers to consider grabbing a fixed rate deal so they can get a guaranteed return on their cash.
To help you stay informed, we’ve compiled a list of major banks and building societies currently reducing their savings rates, along with tips on comparing rates at any time.
It’s also worth noting that several challenger banks are still outshining well-known high-street brands, offering up to 8% returns.
However, these deals won’t last forever.
So, if your money is sitting in one of the accounts listed below, it might be time to consider switching for a better deal.
HSBC
HSBC is set to reduce the interest rates on its easy-access Premier Savings account twice in the coming months – first in February and then again in April.
From February 24, the rate for balances below £50,000 will drop from 1.98% to 1.74%, before decreasing further to 1.49% on April 17.
On the same day, the rate for the bank’s Online Bonus Saver – available to customers who refrain from making withdrawals during the month – will also decrease from 1.74% to 1.49%.
Additionally, rates on the Flexible Saver account will fall from 1.49% to 1.34% on 17 April.
HSBC is also cutting rates across some of its instant access cash ISAs from March 4.
HSBC Loyalty Cash ISA rates for Premier customers will fall from 3% to 2.75%.
Loyalty Cash ISA rates for all other customers will fall from 2.5% to 2.35%.
Rates offered on HSBC’s Help to Buy ISA will also fall from 3.2% to 2.96% for balances up to £12,000 and from 1.49% to 1.34% for balances over this amount.
NS&I SLASHES PRIZE FUND
FEWER big money Premium Bonds prizes will be available from the April draw, as the prize fund rate is slashed from 4.00% to 3.80%.
Premium Bonds provider NS&I said the odds of winning will remain the same, at 22,000 to one.
The changes mean that, for example, the estimated number of £100,000 prizes will decrease from 82 in February to an estimated 78 in April.
The number of £50,000 prizes will fall from 164 in February to an estimated 157 in April, while the number of £25,000 prizes will reduce from 328 to around 313 over the same period.
The number of £10,000 prizes will fall from 820 in February to an estimated 781 in April.
The number of £1 million prizes up for grabs will remain the same, at two.
There will be more chances to win a £25 prize, with the number increasing from 1,807,915 in February to an estimated 2,170,903 in April.
The total value of the prize pot will reduce from £430,052,425 in February to an estimated £411,118,825 in April. The number of prizes will remain around level, at 5,864,354 in February and an estimated 5,901,229 in April.
From March 5, the interest rate for NS&I’s Direct Saver will fall to 3.30% AER from 3.50% and the rate on Income Bonds will decrease to 3.30% AER from 3.49%.
Leeds Building Society
Leeds Building Society is slashing the savings rates offered on 42 variable rate savings accounts between March 19 and 21.
For instance, individuals holding a standard easy-access online E-Saver account will see savings rates drop from 2.15% to 2% as of March 19.
Similarly, Access Saver account holders will be subject to the same rate cut on the same date.
Customers with an Albion Access Account or Treasurers Saver Account will then see their savings rates fall on May 7.
Check to see if the savings rate on your Leeds Building Society account will fall using our tool below.
Leek Building Society
Leek Building Society is slashing the savings rates offered on 36 variable rate savings accounts on March 3.
Individuals holding a standard Easy Access Saver account will see a reduction in their savings rate from 2.45% to 2.2% next month.
Customers with an Easy Access Cash ISA will also see their rates fall from 3.25% to 3% on March 3.
Check to see if the savings rate on your Leek Building Society account will fall using our tool below.
NatWest
NatWest is slashing the savings rates offered on 11 variable rate savings accounts on March 6.
The rate offered on its Digital Regular Saver will fall from 1.50% to 1.25% for balances above £5,000.
These accounts require that you pay a set amount each month to get the interest rate advertised.
The rate offered on its easy access Flexible Saver will also fall from 1.50% to 1.25% on balances up to £25,000.
Check to see if the savings rate on your NatWest account will fall using our tool below.
Skipton Building Society
Skipton Building Society is slashing the savings rates offered on 94 variable rate savings accounts on March 6.
For example, those with a standard easy-access Branch eSaver will see their savings rate cut from 2.95% to 2.8%.
Customers savings into the building society’s 90 Day Notice Account will also see their savings rate cut from 3.25% to 3%.
Check to see if the savings rate on your Skipton Building Society account will fall using our tool below.
How do I find the best savings rates?
WITH your current savings rates in mind, don’t waste time looking at individual banking sites to compare rates – it’ll take you an eternity.
Research price comparison websites such as MoneyFactsCompare.co.uk and MoneySupermarket.
These will help you save you time and show you the best rates available.
They also let you tailor your searches to an account type that suits you.
As a benchmark, you’ll want to consider any account that currently pays more interest than the current level of inflation – 2%.
It’s always wise to have some money stashed inside an easy-access savings account to ensure you have quick access to cash to deal with any emergencies like a boiler repair, for example.
If you’re saving for a long-term goal, then consider locking some of your savings inside a fixed bond, as these usually come with the highest savings rates.
What are the top savings rates?
The best fixed rate currently offered is ICICI Bank’s SuperSaver one-year fixed bond, which pays 4.65% and only requires a minimum investment of £1,000.
The best notice accounts offer slightly higher rates than the best fixed-term bonds.
These also come with more flexibility when accessing your cash.
OakNorth Bank’s 120 day notice account offers savers 4.75% back with a minimum £10,000 deposit, for example.
However, if you’re looking for a savings account without withdrawal limitations, then you’ll want to opt for an easy-access saver.
These do what they say on the tin and usually allow for unlimited cash withdrawals.
The best easy-access savings account available is from Sidekick Money, which pays 4.75% – and you only need to pay a minimum of £1,000 to set it up.
If you want to build a habit of saving a set amount of money each month, a regular savings account could pay you dividends.
Principality Building Society’s Six Month Regular Saver offers 8% interest on savings.
It allows customers to save between £1 and £200 a month.
Save in the maximum, and you’ll earn 27.53 in interest.
While regular savings accounts look attractive due to the high interest rates on offer, they are not right for all savers.
You can’t use a regular savings account to earn interest on a lump sum.
The amount you can save into the account each month will be limited, typically to somewhere between £200 and £500.
Therefore, if you have more to save, it would be wise to consider one of the other accounts mentioned above.
SAVING ACCOUNT TYPES
THERE are four types of savings accounts fixed, notice, easy access, and regular savers.
Separately, there are ISAs or individual savings accounts which allow individuals to save up to £20,000 a year tax-free.
But we’ve rounded up the main types of conventional savings accounts below.
FIXED-RATE
A fixed-rate savings account or fixed-rate bond offers some of the highest interest rates but comes at the cost of being unable to withdraw your cash within the agreed term.
This means that your money is locked in, so even if interest rates increase you are unable to move your money and switch to a better account.
Some providers give the option to withdraw, but it comes with a hefty fee.
NOTICE
Notice accounts offer slightly lower rates in exchange for more flexibility when accessing your cash.
These accounts don’t lock your cash away for as long as a typical fixed bond account.
You’ll need to give advance notice to your bank – up to 180 days in some cases – before you can make a withdrawal or you’ll lose the interest.
EASY-ACCESS
An easy-access account does what it says on the tin and usually allows unlimited cash withdrawals.
These accounts tend to offer lower returns, but they are a good option if you want the freedom to move your money without being charged a penalty fee.
REGULAR SAVER
These accounts pay some of the best returns as long as you pay in a set amount each month.
You’ll usually need to hold a current account with providers to access the best rates.
However, if you have a lot of money to save, these accounts often come with monthly deposit limits.
What’s next for savings rates?
Financial markets are exercising more caution regarding the pace of future interest rate cuts than previously anticipated.
While economists still predict three further cuts by the end of 2025, reaching a 4% base rate, this projection coincides with a revised inflation forecast.
The Bank of England now expects inflation to peak at 3.7% later this summer, higher than earlier estimates.
This upward revision is partly attributed to the impact of policies introduced in the October 2024 Budget.
Specifically, measures within the budget have contributed to a rise in cost inflation, pushing the overall inflation figure higher.
This presents a complex situation for the Bank of England, as rising inflation typically warrants higher interest rates to curb spending and stabilise prices.
The next interest rate announcement is on March 20.
If interest rates continue to fall, it spells bad news for savers, whose rates typically fall when the Bank’s rate is cut.
However, in the meantime, opting for a fixed bond can be a useful bet to help ride out future cuts to the base rate.
