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Who Owns Your Bank?

Following the financial crisis of 2008 when a number of big British banks came close to collapsing, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) was strengthened by the government. As such, the FSCS 100% guarantees the first £85,000 of a person’s cash savings per banking licence in total, including interest. This means that a couple with a joint account holding up to £170,000 will have every penny of this covered.

But what does ‘per banking licence’ mean? Simply put, one banking licence can cover a number of different banks, building societies or brands. It’s important therefore to spread your cash across more than one provider, as it could mean some of your hard-earned money isn’t as safe as you think in the event of a future collapse.

With that in mind, below is a list of the biggest banks and building societies in the UK and all the brands which fall under their banking licence. That means if you hold more than £85,000 across different brands but under the same licence, you could be in a position to lose out should the worst happen.

HBOS (Halifax/Bank of Scotland group):

  • AA
  • Bank of Scotland
  • Birmingham Midshires
  • Halifax
  • Intelligent Finance
  • Saga

Lloyds Banking Group*:

  • Cheltenham and Gloucester
  • Lloyds Bank

*HBOS was acquired by Lloyds Bank, but both HBOS and Lloyds Banking Group have continued to operate under separate banking licences.

TSB:

  • TSB

Barclays:

  • Barclays
  • Barclays Direct (formerly ING Direct)
  • Standard Life
  • Woolwich

HSBC:

  • First Direct
  • HSBC

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)**:

  • RBS

NatWest:

  • NatWest

Ulster Bank:

  • Ulster Bank

Coutts & Co:

  • Coutts

**NatWest, Ulster Bank and Coutts are all subsidiaries of RBS, but have their own separate banking licences. As such, someone with accounts in each of these banks would be covered for up to £85,000 in each bank.

Santander UK:

  • Cahoot
  • Santander

The Co-operative Bank:

  • Britannia BS
  • Smile
  • The Co-operative Bank

Bank of Ireland UK:

  • Bank of Ireland UK
  • Post Office

Clydesdale Bank PLC:

  • Clydesdale Bank
  • Yorkshire Bank

Sainsbury’s Bank:

  • Sainsbury’s Bank

Tesco Bank:

  • Tesco Bank

Virgin Money:

  • Virgin Money

Nationwide BS:

  • Cheshire BS
  • Derbyshire BS
  • Dunfermline BS
  • Nationwide BS

Yorkshire BS:

  • Barnsley BS
  • Chelsea BS
  • Egg
  • Norwich and Peterborough BS
  • Yorkshire BS

Coventry BS:

  • Coventry BS
  • Stroud and Swindon BS

Skipton BS:

  • Chesham BS (renamed Skipton BS)
  • Scarborough BS (renamed Skipton BS)
  • Skipton BS

Money saved in accounts and products offered by Government-backed National Savings & Investments (NS&I) enjoys 100% security (although these products are not protected by the FSCS). This includes premium bonds.

 

1 March 2018

The views expressed in this blog do not in any way constitute advice and are specific to the date noted. As time passes the facts can change and readers should consult their adviser for up to date advice on any matters covered within the blog. Invest Southwest offers an initial review, which is free of charge, however long it takes. From this we will be able to confirm how we can help and give you an opportunity to decide if you would like us to. Thereafter, we will provide you with detailed recommendations and exact costs. Please note that we promise not to levy any kind of fee unless we can demonstrate a benefit to you.

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