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Best Monthly Income Accounts

Make sure that you don't wait up at the end of the quarter for your interest payments. Scroll down to discover the best monthly interest accounts.
Faith Boluwatife
Author: 
Faith Boluwatife
Idil Woodall
Editor: 
Idil Woodall
15 mins
November 7th, 2024
Advertiser Disclosure

Monthly income accounts pay monthly interest from your income instead of the quarterly or annual interest earning common to most savings bank accounts.

Here, we list the best options available for UK customers, explain how monthly interest accounts, and more.

Best Monthly Income Accounts Bank Accounts – Our Recommendation

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Best Bank Accounts for Monthly Income Accounts Reviewed

Here is a comprehensive review of our picks for banks offering the best monthly income services:

Best monthly interest savings accounts at a glance
  • Best overall – Nationwide Flex Direct Account

  • Best for interest paid – TSB Monthly Saver Account

  • Best for cashbacks – Santander 1|2|3 Regular eSaver Account

  • Best for switching incentive – First Direct Regular Saver Account

  • Best for international use – Natwest Savings Builder Account

  • Best for customer service – HSBC Regular Saver Account

  • Best for freebies – Lloyds Bank Club Lloyds Monthly Saver Account

1. Santander 1|2|3| Regular eSaver Account: Best for Cashback

Interest Rate

5%

Key Perks

Up to 3% monthly cashback, easy access and limitless withdrawal

Maximum Daily Cash Withdrawal

£1,000

Potential Charges

2,95% foreign currency conversion fee

Regulation

FCA, PRA

Santander is one of the best monthly income account providers in the UK, offering a high 5% interest rate on their Regular eSaver Account plus several cashback benefits. The Regular eSaver account works alongside a Santander 1|2|3 current account which presents you with several cashback benefits on household bills:

  • 1% cashback on council tax and phone bills,

  • 2% on gas and electricity bills,

  • 3% on water bills.

All of these make you stand a chance of earning as high as £15 extra monthly or £180 in a year as cashback.

Interest is calculated daily but earnings are restricted to just £200 per month. No minimum monthly deposit is required so you can expect to earn interest for any amount you deposit by standing order.

To be eligible for the Santander 1|2|3 regular saver account, you must be 16 years old or older, be signed up for online or mobile banking, and fund the account through a standing order from a Santander current account.

You can only have one regular saver account with Santander so if you already have one regular saver account and wish to switch to the 1|2|3 regular saver account, you must close down the previous one.

Pros
  • High 5% monthly interest rate
  • No minimum monthly deposit is required
  • Withdrawals can be made from the account at any time
  • Several cashback benefits apply to the Santander current account the eSaver account works with
Cons
  • Interest applies on up to £200 only in a month
  • You can only fund the account through a standing order from a Santander current account
  • The account is only available to those willing to use online and mobile banking
  • The account cannot be held jointly and cannot be opened by those who have a 1|2|3 Mini in Trust Account
Santander7.5Visitsantander.co.uk

2. HSBC Regular Saver Account: Best for Customer Service

Average Monthly Rate

5%

Key Perks

No monthly charges, online banking access, 5% interest paid

Maximum Daily Cash Withdrawal

£300

Potential Charges

2.75% to 2.99% foreign transaction fee

Regulation

FCA, PRA

HSBC's focal perk is its excellent customer service and a consistently high rating from past and present customers. HSBC offers its users a unique experience that promises ease and satisfaction for every account they open and the regular saver account is no exception.

With just £25 in your HSBC Regular Saver Account, you can start earning 5% interest on your monthly deposits. HSBC lets you set a standing order to the regular saver account using an existing HSBC account. You can pay between £25 and £250 monthly into the account while you continue to earn interest daily.

Pros
  • A high daily interest rate of 5%
  • Excellent customer service
  • The account can be opened and managed through internet and mobile banking
  • No fees are charged on the account
Cons
  • Interest applies on up to £250 only in a month
  • Minimum and maximum balance limits of £25 and £3,000 respectively apply
  • You must be 18 years or over to open the account
  • The account is not available to those holding the HSBC Exclusive Basic Bank Account
HSBC6.8Visitwww.hsbc.com/

3. Natwest Savings Builder Account: Best for Higher Deposits

Average Monthly Rate

1.90%

Key Perks

No minimum deposit is required, no maximum withdrawal limit, fee-free spending abroad, withdrawal can be done at any time

Maximum Daily Cash Withdrawal

£250

Potential Charges

2.75% foreign transaction charge

Regulation

FCA, PRA

The main reason why Natwest’s Savings Builder Account made it to our list is that you can earn interest for any amount you deposit in the account. Not only that, your interest earned increases as the amount you deposit increases!

You earn about 1.90% monthly interest on amounts between £1 and £10,000 after your first deposit. When increase your balance with £50 or more, your earnable interest increases to 4.5% on amounts between £1 and £10,000.

You earn 1.95% on amounts over £10,000. Your interest is calculated daily and paid to your account on the first day of every month.

To be eligible to open the Natwest Savings Builder Account, you must be aged 16 years or older and should already hold a Natwest international current account.

Pros
  • You get to earn higher interest rates for every £50 monthly increase in your account
  • You can withdraw or transfer money in your account at any time
  • No minimum deposit is required
Cons
  • Interest earned is very low on amounts higher than £10,000
  • You must have a Natwest International Current Account to pen the account
  • Interest earned is not competitive
NatWest6.5Visitwww.natwest.com/

4. Nationwide FlexDirect Account

Interest Rate

5%

Key Perks

No monthly fees, first-year free overdraft, easy online banking

Maximum Daily Cash Withdrawal

£500 over ATM and £10,000 over the counter

Potential Charges

£0 per ATM withdrawal and debit card delivery, 3% to 5.2% currency conversion fee, 2.99% charged for foreign transactions

Regulation

FCA, PRA

Nationwide is our best overall pick for monthly interest accounts. The FlexDirect account offers a monthly 5% interest on your money plus several other features that make it highly competitive. There are no monthly fees to worry about and once you open the account, you become a Nationwide member, gaining access to exclusive savings accounts like the Flex Instant Saver.

The 5% monthly interest is equivalent to 4.89% gross in a year. Interest is paid on balances as high as £1,500 which is one of the highest for monthly interest accounts. TSB, which offers a similar AER, only pays interest on a maximum deposit of £250 only. So you can expect to earn around £50 to £75 as monthly interest, summing up to a total of about £600 to £900 per year.

You would however need to maintain a minimum monthly balance of up to £1,000. The 5% interest is only active for the first year after which the AER becomes 0.25%. Your interest will be paid on the first day of the next month.

To be eligible to open a FlexDirect account, you must be a UK resident, aged 18 or over, willing to use the account only for personal use, and not have more than 4 existing Nationwide Current accounts.

Pros
  • High 5% monthly interest rate
  • Interest-free arranged overdraft for the first 12 months
  • The account can be opened and easily managed online
  • No fees are charged for maintaining the account
Cons
  • You must attain a minimum monthly balance of £1,000
  • Not available for users below 18
  • The 5% interest rate is only valid for one year after which AER becomes 0.24%
  • The 5% interest rate and free overdraft is not available if you’ve opened a FlexDirect account in the past
Nationwide Bank7.2Visitwww.nationwide.co.uk/

5. TSB Monthly Saver Account: Best for Interest Paid

Interest Rate

5%

Key Perks

5% interest rate, no monthly withdrawal fees, instant withdrawal available, online and mobile banking access

Maximum Daily Cash Withdrawal

£500 over the ATM

Potential Charges

1.5% to 2.99% in foreign transactions fees

Regulation

FCA, PRA

TSB offers you the opportunity to earn as high as 5% on your monthly deposits for one year through the TSB monthly saver account. The account is open to all who have a TSB current account through which they can set up a standing order of £25 to £250 into their monthly saver.

Although you can deposit as much as £30,000 into the account, interest will only apply for up to £250. Interest is calculated every day and will be added at the end of the 12-month term after which only an interest rate of about 1.00% to 1.10% will begin to apply.

To be eligible for the TSB monthly saver account, you must have a TSB current account, be 16 years or older, and must be a UK resident.

Note that if you close your saver account before the end of the 12-month validity term, you will not be able to open another until 12 months have expired for the initial account you opened.

Pros
  • High 5% monthly interest rate
  • You can start earning interest from as low as £25
  • No withdrawal charges apply
  • The account is easy to open and manage through mobile and internet banking
Cons
  • You can earn interest on no more than £250 monthly
  • You need to have a TSB current account to be able to open and use the TSB monthly saver account
  • The 5% interest rate is valid for only one year after which interest becomes 1.00%
  • You can only make payments into the account once a month
TSB6.5Visitwww.tsb.co.uk/

6. First Direct Regular Saver Account: Best for Switching Incentive

Average Monthly Rate

7%

Key Perks

No monthly fees, high interest paid, easy online banking, £175 switch incentive to the 1st Account

Maximum Daily Cash Withdrawal

£500

Potential Charges

2.75% on foreign currency transactions

Regulation

FCA, PRA

First Direct’s Regular Saver Account might have the highest earnable interest (7%) of all the bank accounts we have reviewed, but we love the bank first for its highly attractive bank switch incentive for switching to the 1st Account.

The Regular Saver Account is only available to those who own a 1st Account with First Direct. So if you don’t have one with First Direct before, you could switch to it and enjoy a £175 switching bonus while also opening the regular saver account to benefit from the juicy 7% AER – double win for you!

Interest applies on up to £300 you save in your regular saver account monthly. Your interest is calculated daily and will be paid at the end of the term. Payments into the account can only be made by standing order from your 1st Account.

You can, however, change the among of your standing order at any time to any amount between £25 and £300 as long as the amount is in a multiple of 5. Note also that you can only make a standing order payment to your account once a month.

Pros
  • High-interest rate of 7%
  • Top-rated customer service
  • You can change the amount of your standing order at any time
  • The regular saver account requires you to own a First Direct current account
Cons
  • Interest applies on up to £300 only in a month
  • Withdrawal can only be done at the end of the term
  • The regular saver account is only available for First Direct’s 1st Account customers
  • The switching incentive for opening a 1st Account is only available for new customers only
first direct7.0Visitwww.firstdirect.com/

7. Lloyds Bank Club Lloyds Monthly Saver Account: Best for Freebies

Average Monthly Rate

6.25%

Key Perks

No monthly charges, online banking access, 6.25% interest paid, limitless and easy access withdrawal, exciting lifestyle freebies

Maximum Daily Cash Withdrawal

£500

Potential Charges

2.99% foreign transaction fee.

Regulation

FCA, PRA

Think of all the possible freebies you can get on a bank account that also earns you interest – Lloyds Bank lets you have it all. From the high 6.25% AER to the yearly lifestyle benefit having a Club Lloyds account makes you eligible for.

These freebies include cinema tickets, magazine subscriptions, dining offers, and a Disney+ subscription. When you open a Club Lloyds current account (which you need to open a monthly saver account), you get to benefit from any of these offers of your choice.

To earn interest from the monthly saver account, top your account with £25 to £400 through standing order or bank transfer before the 25th day of every month. You can send money to the account as often as you want in a month as long as you don't exceed the £400 monthly limit.

You can either have your Club Lloyds Monthly Saver Account solely or as a joint account. To be eligible for the account, you must hold a Club Lloyds current account, be 18 or older, and must be resident in the UK.

Pros
  • High-interest rate of 6.25%
  • Withdrawal can be done anytime
  • No account charges apply
  • Opportunity to earn year-long freebies
Cons
  • Only available to Club Lloyds Current Account holders
  • Interest is only earned on a maximum of £400 balance
  • The interest rate applies for only one year
  • Any amount withdrawn cannot be deposited back due to the monthly deposit limit
Lloyds Bank7.5Visitwww.lloydsbank.com/

How We Rate and Review the Best Bank Accounts for Monthly Income Accounts

To make our picks, we reviewed several banks and product offerings in the UK. These are some of the factors we considered for identifying the best monthly interest accounts in the UK:

  • Interest Rate: We looked out for banks with the best interest rates paid and also factored in the monthly balance on which interest can be paid. Most of the banks we selected offer up to 5% daily or monthly interest and some go as high as 6% to 7%.

  • Account Perks/Features: Asides from the interest rate, we carefully sought out and selected banks with attractive account perks like no monthly charges, online banking options, switch incentives, and freebies.

  • Customer Service: Excellent customer service is an important feature to look for in any bank. All of the banks we have included consistently offer excellent products and general banking services to their customers.

  • Regulation: All of the banks we have selected are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as well as the Prudential Regulation Authority, and are covered under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

How Do Monthly Income Accounts Work?

Monthly income bank accounts, also known as monthly interest bank accounts, are type of bank accounts that offer interest payments on a monthly basis. These accounts are designed to help account holders grow their savings by earning regular interest on their income.

When you deposit money into a monthly interest bank account, the bank will calculate the interest and credit it to your account at the end of the month. The interest is typically calculated based on the average daily balance. This is the simple principle most monthly income accounts work with.

In addition to this, there could be other factors that influence how interest is earned, like the minimum and maximum deposit limit, the number of withdrawals and deposits, and so on. Most banks will set a cap on how much interest can be held on per month. So beyond the promised fixed interest to be paid, the minimum or maximum amount on which interest can be earned is also a factor to consider.

Monthly income accounts thrive on your making regular deposits and at least one substantial deposit in a month. Some banks won’t allow making more than one monthly deposit while others will allow several deposits.

Most monthly income accounts require you to hold some other account with the same bank through which you can set a standing payment order into the monthly income account.

What Can You Do with a Monthly Income Account Bank Account?

A monthly income account might not offer extensive features as with basic bank accounts. Still, you can do reasonably much with it, including performing basic functions like withdrawing and transferring your money and even using it for foreign transactions.

Here is a list of things you might be able to do with your monthly income account:

✔️ Earn interest on your savings

✔️ Deposit money into the account

✔️ Set up automatic deposits and standing orders for the account

✔️ Withdraw money from the account (although some accounts may have restrictions on how often you can withdraw or may charge a fee for early withdrawals)

✔️ Transfer money between accounts

✔️ Monitor your account online or through banking apps

✔️ Receive electronic statements or paper statements

✔️ Use the ATM for withdrawals

Note that what exact activities you can perform with your monthly income account would vary across banks. For example, some accounts allow for unlimited withdrawal while some have monthly withdrawal limits.

Still, some won’t allow making any withdrawal until the end of a one-year term. Most banks will also have specific regulations on how you can deposit money into your monthly income account.

Generally, you should note that a monthly income account wasn’t created for daily transactions. It is a savings account and is therefore not ideal for frequent withdrawals, transfers, or foreign transactions.

With a monthly income account, you usually cannot:

❌ Write cheques from the account (although some savings accounts may offer check-writing privileges for a fee)

❌ Use the account for everyday spending, as savings accounts are designed for long-term savings and not for day-to-day transactions

❌ Overdraw the account, as savings accounts rarely come with overdraft facilities

❌ Use the account as collateral for a loan or credit card

❌ Deposit foreign currency (unless the account is specifically designed for this)

Accessibility Terms for Monthly Income Accounts

Accessibility terms vary from one bank to the other and among specific accounts. Most monthly income accounts allow instant access, while others, especially those whose terms expire at the end of the year, will not allow you to withdraw funds until after 12 months.

Withdrawing your funds early can attract penalties like losing interest for the month, earning a lower interest rate, or even losing the ability to earn interest altogether.

It is best to check the accessibility terms of any monthly income account you are interested in before you open it. This will help you know what to expect with regard to how you can withdraw your money.

Monthly Income Accounts: Common Charges

Most monthly income accounts are charge free, and as such will not charge you for day-to-day transactions such as withdrawals, deposits, and transfers. There are usually no monthly and yearly fees attached in most cases too.

In some situations, however, your interest might be taxable. If this applies, the bank will usually let you know the terms and conditions of the account.

It is rare to find monthly income accounts with overdrafts. If that is available on your account, fees may apply for each overdraw.

FAQs

What is a monthly income account?
What banks offer monthly income accounts in the UK?
What is the average interest rate paid on monthly income accounts?
How can I withdraw money from my monthly income account?

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Contributors

Faith Boluwatife
Faith is a regular contributor to a number of finance and insurance blogs, covering everything from banking to mortgages.
Idil Woodall
Idil is a writer with interests ranging from arts and politics to history and finance. She spent several years in publishing before becoming a full-time writer, and learning the inner workings of an industry she loved ignited her interest in economics. As an English graduate, she cultivated valuable research and storytelling abilities that she now applies to make complex matters accessible and understandable to many. When she’s not writing, she can be found climbing or watching a movie.
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