Using your account

Balance and statements

Checking your account balance

You can check your balance through Online Services , at a cash machine, by calling us on 0800 121 8899  or asking us at any branch .

 

If you're an existing customer and already set up for Online Services, you can download our app and manage your balance straight away. 

Your ‘available balance’ might not be the same as your ‘account balance’

Your 'available balance' is how much you have available to withdraw.

Your 'account balance' could be different because it includes payments that are waiting to be sent, or cheques that are waiting to be cleared. The account balance is the amount we use when we calculate your daily interest.

So if you have payments due to go out, the amount you can withdraw is your available balance, not your account balance. 

Passbooks, statements and paperless

Updated passbook: If you have a passbook and keep it up to date by bringing it into a branch then this will give you a record of all payments into and out of your account.

Non-updated passbook: If you don’t keep it updated or choose to group your transactions together then we’ll send you a paper statement within a month of any money leaving your account. We won’t send you more than one statement per month per account.

Paper statements: We’ll send you a statement when money leaves your account. This will arrive within 30 days of the transaction. We won’t send you more than one statement per month per account.

Online statements: If your account is online only or you’ve chosen to go paperless, we’ll email you within a month of any money leaving your account to let you know that your statement is ready to view and download.

You’ll receive an Annual Savings Statement about all your account(s)
We send all our savers a statement once a year in April/May which shows the balances on all the savings accounts you have with us and the interest we have paid you up to the 5th April. We send you this annual statement, even if you use our app or Online Services and have opted for paperless statements. 

Interest rates 

Keep track of your current interest rate
  • Within our app
    Select My Account to see your interest rate
  • Through Online Services
    Select the account and then go to My Transactions

  • On our website
    If your account is still available, you'll find it in our list of savings accounts. If not, it'll be in Closed accounts. 

            Closed Easy access accounts

            Closed Bond accounts 

            Closed Cash ISA accounts

            Closed Childrens accounts

            Closed Supporters accounts

            Closed Everyday money accounts

            Closed Limited access accounts

            Closed other savings accounts

  • On your statement

  • Call us on 0800 121 8899

  • Ask us at any branch
Your interest rate might be different from the advertised rate

The interest rate we're paying you might be different to the advertised interest rate for the account.

This could be because: 

  • Your balance is less than the minimum, or 

  • The account has a tiered interest rate.

Your statement shows the interest rate on your balance on the date we issued the statement. The interest rate you're earning today might be different if your balance has changed or if there's been a rate change in the time since we issued your statement.

Personal details 

Already registered for Online Services?

If you’ve already registered, you can update your contact details such as your phone number and email address in the ‘my details’ section of Online Services.

You can also update your address by sending us a secure message in Online Services.

Alternatively, call us on 0800 121 8899 and make sure you have your Telephone Security Details to hand. Or visit your nearest branch.

To tell us that you’ve changed your address

You can update your address by sending us a secure message in Online Services.

Or you can download a change of address form and send it to:

FREEPOST CBS CUSTOMER SERVICE

It's important that you write the address exactly like this, in capital letters, all on one line. You don't need a stamp. Royal Mail delivers Freepost as Second Class mail.

You can also call us on 0800 121 8899 and make sure you have your Telephone Security Details to hand. Or visit you nearest branch.

If you ask us to change your address, we’ll confirm this in writing by posting a letter to you at both your new address and your old address. We need to do this as a fraud prevention measure.

To tell us that your name has changed

The easiest way to do this is ask us to do this at a branch - bring your documents and we can verify the change and update your details then and there.

Alternatively, you can fill in a change of name form and send it to us, with supporting documents (see below), at: 

FREEPOST CBS CUSTOMER SERVICE

It's important that you write the address exactly like this, in capital letters, all on one line. You don't need a stamp. Royal Mail delivers Freepost as Second Class mail.

Please note: if you change your name with us, we automatically re-issue any cash cards or passbooks you have for your accounts. You’ll receive them in the post and you can use the same PIN. Your cards with your old name on will become inactive as soon as the new cards are produced.

Documents we need to see if you change your name

If you want to change your title (for example Mrs to Ms or Ms to Dr), we don’t need to see documentation.

If you want to change your name on your accounts with us, you must show us original documents or certified copies of documents to prove the change. There’s more about how to certify documents here: Identification

The documents we need to see depend on what change you’re making. We accept these documents:

  • Marriage Certificate
    If you get married overseas and have a foreign marriage certificate, please call us on 0800 121 8899 or ask at a branch and we'll explain what we can accept.
  • Civil Partnership document
  • Enrolled deedpoll - no ID required or Non-enrolled deedpoll - ID required - this must be ID with your new name.
  • Statutory Declaration on Change of Name
  • Decree Absolute
  • Civil partnership dissolution document
  • Birth Certificate or Marriage Certificate
    If you’re changing back to your maiden name. This must be accompanied by a signed letter from you and your Decree Absolute or Enrolled deedpoll - no ID required or Non-enrolled deedpoll - ID required - this must be ID with your new name.
  • Adoption deed
  • Birth Certificate, re-issued (under 18s only)

We can’t accept passports or driving licences as proof of a name change because they don’t show the link between your old name and new name.

To add someone to your savings account
Call us on 0800 121 8899 or ask at any branch. If it’s possible to add an account holder to your account, we’ll let you know what information we need from them.

Closing your account

How to close an account?

We hope you’ll be happy with your account but we understand that things change and your account might no longer be right for you.

With all our accounts, you have a 14 day cancellation period after we open the account. Day 1 starts from the day you open your account, so if you opened your account on the first day of the month, your cooling off period would finish on the 15th day of the month. If you wish, you may change your mind and close the account within 14 days without notice, charge or loss of interest.

If the account is an ISA, this 14 day period begins from the date of your first deposit into the account. If you want to close your ISA and want to keep the savings tax-free, you need to arrange an 'ISA transfer' with the provider you're moving the ISA to. If you close an ISA in any other way, your savings will lose their tax-free status.

You may close your account at any time unless our General Terms or the Specific Terms for the account state otherwise. The Specific Terms describe any notice periods, charges or loss of interest which apply if you close your account. If you close an ISA in any way, other than an ISA transfer, your savings will lose their tax-free status.

You can arrange to have your closing balance sent to your nominated bank account, to another bank account or, in some cases, sent to you as a cheque.

You can close your account in a number of ways:

  • Log in to Online Services - if this is possible for your account, go to the account and select ‘Close account’.

  • Call us on 0800 121 8899

  • Ask us at any branch

  • Write to us at: FREEPOST CBS CUSTOMER SERVICE

    It's important that you write the address exactly like this, in capital letters, all on one line. You don't need a stamp. Royal Mail delivers Freepost as Second Class mail.

    Make sure you include the account number and tell us how you want to receive any money left in the account. And don’t forget to sign the letter.

Terms and conditions

Our terms and conditions
  • When you opened your account, we sent or gave you a booklet of our Saving Accounts Terms and Conditions.
  • Download a copy of the latest version: Saving Accounts Terms and Conditions
  • Or ask us for a copy: Contact us.
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  • Saturday 9am-2pm
  • Sunday & Bank holidays Closed
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