What is a notice savings account?
They are a type of cash savings account which sits somewhere between an instant access savings account and a fixed-term savings bond.
With a notice account, you have to notify your provider in advance when you want to make a withdrawal.
The notice period might be of 30, 60 or 90 days or even longer, (government-backed premium bonds have a notice period of 30 days).
You might get a better interest rate than on an easy access savings account, but this is not guaranteed so it’s worth checking the best-buy tables carefully.
Bear in mind that rates on notice accounts are variable. The terms and conditions of different accounts will vary – some will allow you to make additional deposits, and some will let you withdraw money without giving notice, but you may have to forfeit a portion of interest earned.
There may also be limits on the number of withdrawals you can make each year.
When you’re in the market for a cash savings account, being able to do a bit of forward planning can often secure you a better rate. If you can wait a little while to access your savings, a notice account could give you a little more interest than an easy-access savings account, without having to lock your money away for a long period.
Where are the best notice savings account deals?
Here are some of the best-buy notice accounts available at the time of writing, but remember that deals often change:
- Investec Bank plc 90-Day Notice Saver: AER 5.25%
- Ulster Bank Loyalty Saver: AER 5.20%
- Bank of London and The Middle East 90 Day Notice Account (Issue 6): AER 5.15%
- Oxbury Bank 90 Day Notice Base Rate Tracker (Issue 3): AER 5.13%
- OakNorth Bank 95 Day Notice Base Rate Tracker Account – Issue 3: AER 5.12%
Pros and cons of notice savings accounts
Pros
The main advantage of a notice period is that it’s a compromise which could get you a slightly higher rate than you might get on an easy-access account without shutting your money away for years in a fixed-rate bond.
Cons
The main disadvantage of these accounts is that they are not very flexible: you will need to plan when to access your savings. If an emergency arises and you have to get your hands on your cash, you face the choice of waiting out the notice period or losing some of your interest.
So, while they might be suitable for saving for a medium-term goal with a fixed end date, such as a holiday, wedding or Christmas, your day to day emergency fund is probably better in an easy access account. Some notice accounts can only be managed in branch or by post, which won’t suit everyone.
Notice savings account alternatives
If you want quicker access to your savings or want to see if there are better saving account interest rates Hargreaves Lansdown offers an Active Savings product, where you can save across a range of different savings accounts without having to open up a new account each time.
We have also listed below some of the latest saving account switching offers and providers with some of the best interest rates for your savings.
| Savings Platform | Highest Interest Rate | Savings Accounts | Minimum Deposit | FSCS Protected | GMG Rating | More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4.85% | 17 | £1,000 | ✔️ | See Rates | |
 | 4.9% | 64 | £1 | ✔️ | See Rates | |
 | 4.65% | 1 | £1 | ✔️ | See Rates | |
 | 4.88% | 67 | £10,000 | ✔️ | See Rates |
You may also be interested in these other types of savings accounts:
