How do I switch bank accounts in the UK?

Do I need to tell my employer or pension provider when I switch bank accounts?

Usually, a full switch transfers regular incoming payments such as salary and benefits, so you do not need to update each payer for the switch itself. The Current Account Switch Service lists regular incoming payments among the items moved. Check your first expected payment in the new account anyway: that confirms the payer’s details and the timing are right.

Make a short list of money expected into the account: salary, pension, benefits and any other regular credits. Compare that list with the new account after the switch. If a payment is missing, contact the payer and your new bank rather than assuming the redirection has failed.

Payments sent to the old account after the switch are redirected to the new one, and the sender is notified of the new account details, according to the service’s common questions. That gives you cover while records catch up. It does not remove the value of updating an employer or pension provider yourself where you can, particularly if you want the new details confirmed at source.

Will my direct debits and standing orders move automatically?

Yes. A full switch transfers outgoing Direct Debits and standing orders, along with the remaining balance on the switch date. The switching process describes these as regular payments moved automatically.

Before you start, list each outgoing payment and its usual date. Include bills, household payments and standing orders you have arranged. After the switch, compare the list with the payment information in the new account, then check the first scheduled collection or transfer. This catches an unexpected omission before it becomes a missed payment.

There is one timing detail to manage: payment arrangements newly set up at the old bank during the seven-working-day switch period are not transferred. The service says you can keep using the old account until the agreed switch date, but avoid creating new Direct Debits or standing orders there during the transfer. Set up anything new with the destination account or ask the new bank how to handle it.

Use this practical sequence to keep the moving parts visible:

1. Open the new account and confirm it is ready for a full switch.
2. Ask the new bank to start the Current Account Switch Service and agree a suitable date.
3. Review your incoming payments, Direct Debits and standing orders before the transfer.
4. Avoid adding new payment arrangements at the old bank during the seven-working-day period.
5. After the switch, check the balance and each first expected payment against your list.

Do recurring card payments like subscriptions transfer to your new account?

Not necessarily. A subscription charged to your old debit card is different from a Direct Debit or standing order, so you may need to update its payment details directly with the provider. Barclays specifically advises that regular payments set up using the old debit card need new card details and cannot be transferred as part of the switch.

Before the switch, scan your card statements or account activity for recurring charges, then record the provider and renewal timing. Once you have your new card, update each provider’s saved payment details. A checklist helps separate card subscriptions from Direct Debits: the first needs a change with the merchant; the second is included in the full switch.

Do not assume that a payment is covered just because it repeats monthly. Identify how it is collected. If it is taken from the debit card, update the card details; if it is a Direct Debit, verify it appears among the arrangements being transferred.

How long does it take to switch a bank account?

A full Current Account Switch Service switch takes seven working days, scheduled for an agreed date that cannot be a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday. The service’s Switch Guarantee says the service is free and covers outgoing payments, incoming payments and the old account balance on the switch date.

Plan around working days rather than counting a calendar week. Agree the switch date with the new provider and keep the old account available until that date. If you need an overdraft, discuss it with the new bank before setting the switch in motion: overdraft approval is subject to eligibility, and the old overdraft may need to be repaid before the account can close.

The guarantee also provides a remedy if the switching process causes interest or charges on either current account: report the issue to the new bank so it can be refunded under the guarantee. That protection addresses problems caused by the switch; it is still sensible to monitor your first cycle of payments and raise any discrepancy promptly.

Redirection is a useful fallback, not a reason to skip the final checks. Keep a list of expected credits and debits, confirm card subscriptions separately, and compare the first payments in the new account against that list. If something goes to the old account, the service says it will be redirected, while the sender is contacted with your new details.