Savings Accounts

There are two tables: the first table only shows accounts that meet our strict criteria:

  • High interest rate - to maximise your return
  • Instant or near-instant access - to pay credit card bill promptly.
  • No penalty or limit for withdrawals
  • The account can be managed by internet or phone.
  • If a maximum holding amount exists, it is at least £30,000
  • Introductory rates are ignored
  • Minimum interest rate of 5.50% AER

The second shows accounts that have restrictions. e.g. the rate may be an introductory rate or there may be limitations on the withdrawals. The minimum interest rate in this table is 5.75% AER

Company Account AER Min Max Notes
Anglo Irish BankEasy Access 32.50%£500£1m
Alliance & LeicestereSaver Issue 32.50%£1£500K No interest in month of withdrawal (except Feb). Down from 4 2/2/9
Intelligent FinanceiSaver2.49%£1£0
Birmingham & MidshiresDirect Internet Savings2.40%£1£2m Down from 3.15% 16/01/09
Birmingham & Midshirese-Saver (2)2.35%£1£5m includes 2.8% bonus
Birmingham & MidshiresEasy Internet Savings2.25%£1£2m Down from 2.75 1/2/09
AKBankEasy access2.25%£1£0 Phone only
BMW FinanceeSaver2.25%£1£1m
Market Harborough BSOnthedot 22.20%£1£150k Late Jan - currently unavailable. Down from 4.15 12/1/9
Yorkshire BSInternet Saver2.10%£1£1m
Northern Rocke-Saver1.85%£1£250K
Newcastle BSNet Savings 71.84%£250£250k
SainsburyInternet Saver1.75%£1£0
Anglo Irish Bank7 day notice issue 31.60%£500£0 Down from 4.65% 9/01/09
Capital OneBase Beater1.55%£1£0 Down from 2.05 % 2/2/9. Base rate guarantee to July 2010
Accounts which meet most criteria but have restrictions
Company Account AER Min Max Notes / Restrictions
The AAInternet Saver 32.80%£1£1m Interest must be paid into another account.
TescoInternet Saver2.75%£1£100k 1.50% bonus for 12 months
SantandereSaver 22.75%£1£2m Phone & branch
Capital OneBonus Saver 32.55%£500£1m 0.8% bonus for 12 months. New customers only.
Citibank (Egg)Egg internet2.50%£1£100k Incl 2% variable bonus for first 12 months.
ING DirectSavings2.47%£1£1m Rate effective 15/1/09. Inc 1.46% bonus for 1 year
Post OfficeInstant Saver2.25%£500£1m Includes 1.5% bonus for 1 year. Max 6 free withdrawals.
The AATelephone Access 12.06%£500£500k 0.2% bonus for 6 months.
BarclayseSavings Reward1.76%£1£2m Incl 0.75% intro for 12 months. Interest reduced in month of withdrawal.
Principality BSeSaver 31.65%£1£1m includes 1.2% bonus for 12 months


Table | Savings Accounts |

What about cash mini-ISAs?

A cash mini-ISA is a special savings account in which the Government allows you to save up to £3600 per annum without paying tax on the interest earned. This means that a Stoozer could use it for the first £3600 of their Stooz money in any one year, thus earning interest without tax.

However, once you have paid £3600 into the account, you can not pay any more into the account in the same tax year ... even if you have withdrawn the original money paid in, so only use an ISA for your Stooz Pot if you are not already planning to use one for your normal savings. Besides, most Stoozers would hope to be able to build a stooz pot well in excess of £3,600! ISAs sometimes have interest rates a little higher than normal savings accounts, but we have excluded them from our tables because of the low maximum investment.

If you think that we have missed any useful stoozing accounts, why not tell us in the forums. Click HERE For details on the current Bank of England Base Rates