Switching to us
Switching your current account to NatWest is easy and free of charge
Our specialist switching team are dedicated to making your switch as simple and smooth as possible. They will keep you informed of the progress of your switch and will be at hand to answer any questions that you may have.
- Choose a bank account that is right for you and click on ‘Apply now’
- Within the online application select ‘yes’ to the following question:
Are you transferring an existing account from another financial institution?
Have your old bank statement to hand to help you answer questions relating to your old account - Sign and return the new account paperwork. If your application is successful you will receive a letter confirming your new account is open together with the new account switcher forms
- Sign the new account switcher forms and send them back in the envelope provided
- Our dedicated switching team will do all the hard work for you and keep you up to date with progress
Account switching is also available to applications opened in branch or by the telephone. Simply tell the Customer Advisor that you wish to use the New Account Switching Service when opening your account.
Our specialist switching team will:
- Let you know when we have received your application
- Provide you with letters to send to those people or organisations that pay money into your account
- Contact your other bank for a list of your direct debits and standing orders*
- Advise your direct debit companies of your new account details and ask them to amend their records
- Set up standing orders on your new account
- Ask your other bank to cancel your payments
- Ask your other bank to close your account and transfer the balance to your new account (if requested)
* If you wish to see a list of your direct debits and standing orders before we advise the originator to amend their records you should select Full Review option within the application form. We will then send you a full list of your regular payments and ask that you tell us which ones to transfer. Please be advised that this can add up to an additional 3 weeks to the switching process.
- Send or hand the letters we give you to your employer, pension provider or any other organisations that make regular payments into your account
- Return all cheque books and debit cards to your old bank
We rely on your existing bank and direct debit originators to comply with our instructions, therefore we recommend that you ensure your old account has been closed and that you check your statements carefully to make sure everything is proceeding as planned
We’ll do everything we can to make the process go as smoothly as possible. It’s very unlikely that you will incur bank charges as a result of an error or unnecessary delay on our part. However, if this happens we’ll refund these charges in full.
When we receive your application we will send you details of a telephone line direct to our dedicated switching team who will answer any questions you have on your switch.
Simply go to your local branch to open your new account taking your last month’s bank statement from your existing account and something that shows your overdraft limit (a letter, online banking print-out or cash machine receipt will do) where they will look to match your existing deal
Please note, not all accounts offer overdraft facilities – your local branch will be happy to discuss which account is suitable for you
Credit facilities: over 18s only
Facility matching is subject to a limit of £4,000 for personal accounts and £10,000 for private accounts
Facility matching is subject to normal credit scoring assessments which the Customer Advisor in your local branch will be happy to explain to you
Switching your current account to NatWest is easy and we do the majority of work on your behalf. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect
| What we will do | What we ask you to do |
|---|---|
| You authorise us to switch your account by completing, signing and returning the switching application form that arrives with your account confirmation letter.
If you apply in branch a Customer Advisor will help you complete the application |
| What we will do | What we ask you to do |
|---|---|
| We acknowledge your request and provide you with details of a telephone line direct to our dedicated switching team and details of what to expect next.
We send you letters (credit redirection letters) bearing your new account details for you to send or hand to those people who pay money into your account, e.g. employer, pension provider, child benefit provider. We ask your existing bank for a list of your Standing Orders and Direct Debits | Forward the credit redirection letters to those people paying money into your account. |
| What we will do | What we ask you to do |
|---|---|
We receive a list of your regular payments and we will:
| We rely on existing bank and Direct Debit originators to comply with our instructions regarding where to take the payments from.
We recommend that you ensure your old account has been closed (if requested) and check your statement carefully to make sure everything is proceeding as planned. |
| You can choose to review all your Direct Debits and Standing Orders before we set them up (Full Review service) however, this can lengthen the process by up to 3 weeks. If you choose this option we will send you a list of regular payments that we receive from your old bank for you to check. We ask that you confirm to us within 10 working days which payments you wish us to make and the date that they should be paid. | |
| What we will do | What we ask you to do |
|---|---|
| We send you a letter to confirm that all actions have been undertaken by us.
We will provide you with a date that your Standing Orders and Direct Debits will start taking effect from (providing Direct Debit companies have taken relevant action). | Start enjoying your NatWest account. |
Whether you are looking for simple everyday banking or an account with extras like travel insurance, we’ve got a range to choose from.
Once you’ve made your choice, click on ‘Apply now’ and follow our easy steps for switching to us
Need some help choosing an account?
Get suggestions fast by using our current account finder tool.
How you can help
If you have a current account with another bank or building society, it may help to provide your most recent statement.
If you are applying for a student account, please supply three months' full bank statements.
For a current account with a debit card or overdraft facility, you may also need to provide proof of your income, for example, your most recent bank statement or three months' salary slips.
Don't have the right documents?
If you can't provide one item from each list, give us a call on 0800 200 400 (Minicom 0800 917 0526) to find out if there are any other documents we may be able to accept to open your new account. Lines are open Mon to Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-6pm (excluding bank holidays).
| Identification Table |
|---|
| Current signed Passport |
| EU national ID card |
| Current Full UK photocard Driving Licence |
| Current Full UK Driving Licence (old style paper version) |
| Construction Industry - Tax exemption certificate with photograph of holder (forms CIS4, CIS6) |
| Student identification/matriculation card (from a recognised university or college) - must be valid for current academic year |
| Firearms or shotgun certificate |
| Benefits book or original notification letter from the Benefits Agency (including Dept. of Work and Pensions) and/or Job Centre Plus confirming the right to benefits at present. |
| Photo credit/debit card issued by a UK/EU bank |
| UK armed forces ID card |
| Police warrant card |
| Disabled driver's pass |
| OAP Travel Pass |
| Original HM Revenue & Customs issued tax notification and correspondence |
| Identity Card issued by the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland |
| For 20 years old and under only |
| NHS medical card |
| Birth certificate |
| UK provisional photo card driving licence |
| PASS Card (Young Scot, Citizencard, Portman Group, Validate UK or equivalent) |
| Address Verification Table |
|---|
| Council Tax bill or payment book (within last 12 months) |
| Utility bill - within last 6 months (mobile phone bills and internet access bills are not acceptable) |
| Current full UK photo card driving licence |
| Current full UK driving licence (old style paper version) |
| Bank/building society/credit card statement (within last 6 months) |
| Original mortgage statement (no more than 12 months old) |
| Benefits book or original notification letter from the Benefits Agency (including Dept. of Work and Pensions) and/or Job Centre Plus confirming the right to benefits at present. |
| Current local Council rent card or tenancy agreement (private tenancy agreements are not acceptable) |
| Original HM Revenue & Customs issued tax notification and correspondence |
| Solicitor's letter confirming recent house purchase or land registry confirmation |
| For Students Any item from the address verification list can be taken to confirm address. Alternatively, you can show us a: |
| University/college Letter of Acceptance/Enrolment offer |
| Student Loan Company/LEA/SASS Award letter |
| UCAS letter |
| Introduction from a recognised UK college or university |
| For customers 20 years and under |
| UK provisional photocard driving licence |
Why do we need to see your ID?
When you open a new account with us, we are required by law to ask you to prove who you are and where you live. This is to comply with money laundering regulations and to help stop criminals using financial products or services to move money around.
These security checks apply to both new and existing customers. As well as fulfilling our legal responsibility, we aim to help combat financial crime and protect you from criminals who might otherwise falsely use your name, without your knowledge.
Apply now
Call us on
0800 200 400
Minicom
0800 917 0526
Lines are open: Mon to Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-6pm
(excl. public holidays).
Calls may be recorded