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Best savings rates - General savings

Last updated: 5 January 2009

These tables are completely independent and unique.

They are compiled by savings expert Sylvia Morris (pictured) who strips out accounts with catches (see at the foot of the page for a full explanation). Unlike other savings tables on the web, This is Money receives no payments from any provider. These are tables you can trust.
>> More about This is Money's independence

Please note: The tables below compare savings accounts which are simple and have no strings attached, such as limits on your withdrawals, or interest rates which are made to look artificially high by the addition of an annual bonus that you could lose.

>> Our savings tables: Frequently asked questions

>> Table: Banks separately authorised by the FSA (to help you avoid saving twice with the same bank)

>> How to measure the strength of savings banks

>> Tool: Do your own homework on savings rates

Scroll down for our full list of tables comparing different accounts...

Choose savings account----------------------------------------------General savingsGeneral savings: fixed-rate accountsPostal / telephone accountsCash mini IsasChildren's accountsChild Trust FundsNational SavingsMonthly incomeTessa transfer IsasGuaranteed income bondsOffshore accountsPremium Bonds winning numbers----------------------------------------------

See lower down on this page for accounts for older savers. Please note that the fixed-rate accounts table now has its own page - see the dropdown list.

INTERNET-BASED ACCOUNTS - Easy access

Type of Account (min investment)	0% tax	20% tax	40% tax
Please note, some accounts don't operate on the Apple Macintosh platform. Although the banks are looking at this issue, if you own an Apple check before opening an account.
(A) No new rates yet announced following the 1 percentage point fall in base rate on December 4. Rates could fall shortly.
(1) Excludes 2.25 percentage point bonus paid for the first 12 months.
(2)Excludes 0.5 percentage point bonus payable for first 6 months. Rate guaranteed to track base rate until 31 December 2008.
(3) Maximum 3 withdrawals a year.
(8)There is no guarantee linking the rate to base rate. Rate excludes a 1.5 percentage point bonus payable for the first twelve months.
(9) Rate guaranteed to at least match base rate until 30 July 2009. Rate excludes 1 percentage point bonus payable for 12 months.
(10) Combined savings and current account (no cheque book) into which you must put £1,000 each month. Rate excludes 0.85 percentage point bonus paid for the first year.
(12) Guarantees to pay more than base rate until July 1 2010
(13) Guarantees to pay 0.25% over the ING Direct rate until 1 January 2010
(14) Guarantees to pay at least base rate less 0.5 percentage points until 1 January 2012
(15) Excludes 0.75 percentage point bonus paid for first 12 months. After the first year, the rate is guaranteed to match base rate until October 2010
(16) Guarantees base rate plus 0.8 percentage points until 2010. Open to those age 55 and over only.
(18)Excludes a variable 2.00 percentage point bonus for 12 months
(20) Guarantees to pay base rate plus 0.25 percentage points, no time limit
(23) Guarantees to match base rate until 31 December 2008.
(24)Excludes a 1 percentage point bonus payable for first six months. You are limited to 12 withdrawals a year.
ICICI HiSave (caution)(£1+)(A)	4.50	3.60	2.70
Yorkshire BS Internet Saver (£1+)*	3.75	3.00	2.25
Northern Rock E-Saver (£1)*	3.65	2.92	2.19
Tesco (£1+) (8)*	3.60	2.88	2.16
Newcastle Net Issue 7 (£250)	3.34	2.67	2.00
Intelligent Finance (£1+) (17)	3.25	2.60	1.95
Norwich & Peterborough E-Saver 2 (£1+)*	3.25	2.60	1.95
BMW eSaver (£1+)(A)	3.25	2.60	1.95
Birmingham Midshires Direct Savings(£1+) (13)	3.15	2.52	1.89
Principality BS E Saver (£1+)	3.07	2.46	1.84
Saffron Walden BS E-saver 55 (£10,000+) (16)	2.80	2.24	1.68
Nationwide eSavingsPlus (£1+) (3)*	2.75	2.20	1.65
ING Direct (£1+) (1)	2.75	2.20	1.65
Bradford & Bingley eSavings 6 (9)*	2.60	2.08	1.56
Skipton Online Access (£500) (2)*	2.50	2.00	1.50
Britannia DirectSaver Reserve (£100+) (24)*	2.50	2.00	1.50
Sainsbury's Bank Internet Saver (£1+)*	2.25	1.80	1.35
FBN Firstsave (caution)*	2.25	1.80	1.35
Bradford & Bingley Rate for Life (£1,000+) (20)*	2.25	1.80	1.35
Capital One Base Beater (£500+)(12)	2.05	1.64	1.23
Egg (£1) (18)	2.00	1.60	1.20
Cahoot (£1+) *	2.00	1.60	1.20
Britannia BS Direct Saver (£100+) (23)*	2.00	1.60	1.20
Bank of Scotland (£1+) (14)*	2.00	1.60	1.20
Asda Internet Savings (£100+) (15)*	2.00	1.60	1.20
Nationwide e-savings (£1+)	1.95	1.56	1.17
Coventry First (£1,000+) (10)*	1.75	1.40	1.05

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BRANCH-BASED ACCOUNTS Instant access

Type of Account (min investment)	0% tax	20% tax	40% tax
(1) Card-based account
(2) Limited to one withdrawal a month
(3) Guarantees to pay base rate. Min withdrawal £50. No cash withdrawals.
(4) You can only make 4 withdrawals a year from this account. Guarantees to pay base rate less 0.5 percentage points until January 2013.
(5)Open to those which children up to 18. Guarantees base rate less 1 percentage point to 1 January 2010.
(6) Withdrawals and deposits by cheque only - min £100 once account is opened. Excludes 0.5 percentage point bonus paid for just six months.
(7) Combined savings and current account (no cheque book) into which you must put £1,000 each month. Rate excludes 0.85 percentage point bonus paid for the first year.
(8) Excludes 1.5 percentage point bonus payable for one year. Guarantees to remain within 1 percentage point of base rate. You are limited to 6 free withdrawals a year after which you pay £1 per withdrawal. Guarantees to add any base rate rise until 2010.
(9) Excludes 1 percentage point bonus payable for the first year. There is no guarantee linking the rate to base rate. You have to apply over the internet or telephone for this account.
(11)Restricted withdrawals during the first year when you will earn at least base rate. Maximum fee-free withdrawals during this 12 month period is £1,000. You pay £10 fee for any further withdrawals. After one year, there are no withdrawal restrictions.
(13)Guarantees 1 percentage point over base rate until 31 December 2009
(14) Guarantees to match base rate until 1 February 2010. The bank adds a before-tax 2 percentage point bonus at this point if you have not made any withdrawals during this time.
(15)Guarantees to pay base rate plus 0.25 percentage points, no time limit
Stroud & Swindon Bonus Guarantee (£500+)(13)	3.75	3.00	2.25
Tesco Personal Finance (£15,000+) (1)	3.35	2.68	2.01
Northern Rock Branch Saver 2 (£250)	3.00	2.40	1.80
Tesco Personal Finance (£5,000) (1)	2.85	2.28	1.71
Chelsea Rainy Day Savings (£10+) (11)	2.85	1.82	1.37
Tesco Personal Finance (£3,000) (1)	2.65	2.12	1.59
Abbey Instant Access Saver 2 (£1,000+) (9)	2.50	2.00	1.50
Skipton Branch Access (£500) (6)	2.50	2.00	1.50
Tesco Personal Finance (£1) (1)	2.45	1.96	1.47
Bradford & Bingley Rate for Life (£1,000+) (15)	2.25	1.80	1.35
Derbyshire Easy Save Tracker 2 (£100+) (3)	2.00	1.60	1.20
Alliance & Leicester RewardSaver (£5,000+)(14)	2.00	1.60	1.20
Norwich & Peterborough Family Easy Access (£1+) (5)	2.00	1.60	1.20
Halifax Guaranteed Saver(£2,500+)(1) (4)	2.00	1.60	1.20
Coventry First (£1,000) (7)	1.75	1.40	1.05
Post Office Instant Saver (£500) (8)	1.25	1.00	0.75
Co-op Bank Smart Saver (£1)	1.18	0.94	0.71
Yorkshire BS Access Saver (£50) (2)	1.00	0.80	0.60

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>> TOOL: Do your own research on the best-paying accounts

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ACCOUNTS FOR OLDER SAVERS - branch based, instant access

Type of Account (min investment)	0% tax	20% tax	40% tax
(A) No new rates yet announced following the 1 percentage point fall in base rate on December 4. Rate could fall shortly.
(1) Guarantees to pay no less than 0.5 percentage points less than base rate until January 2010.
(2) Age 50 and over. Account runs for one year and you must leave at least £5,000 in account during this time. Can be renewed after 12 months. Guarantees base rate less 0.35 percentage points for a year. Includes travel insurance deal. The 2.15% rate is for new customers only.
(5) You do not have to have a pension paid into this account. Guarantees at least base rate less 0.5 percentage points until 1 January 2010.
(9) For those aged 60 and over only. Rate excludes 0.75-point bonus for the first 12 months. Max investment is £2,000 a month. Guarantees to pay at least base rate until 30 June 2010.
(10) You must have a pension paid into this passbook account. Guaranteed to match base rate less 1 percentage point until 1 September 2010.
(12) Passbook account for pensioners, minimum age 60, guarantees base rate less 0.5 percentage points. You must have your pension paid into the account.
(13) You must have part or all of your pension paid into the account, max investment £30,000. For those age 50 and over.
(15) For locals age 50 and over. Excludes 0.5 percentage point bonus payable for 1 year. Guarantees rate will move in line with base rate.
(17) Guarantees to pay base rate until 5 April 2010; passbook account for those age 55 and over.
(18) For those age 60 and over. You must pay in your pension or deposit £200 a month into this account, maximum £1,000 a month. Rate guarantees to be no lower than 0.25 percentage points below base rate until 15 December 2010.
(20) Open to those age 50 and over.
(21) For those age 60 or over. Interest paid monthly at 1.98%, giving an annual equivalent rate of 2.00%. The interest is paid into another account each month and not added to the savings account. The annual rate is guaranteed to match base rate until January 2011. You have to have a pension paid into the account and open a FlexAccount (current account) with the building society.
Leeds Flexible Freedom (£500+) (10)(A)	3.00	2.40	1.80
Skipton Pension Plus (£500+) (13)	2.75	2.20	1.65
Norwich & Peterborough 50 Plus Savings (£5,000+) (5)	2.50	2.00	1.50
Chelsea Senior Savers (£200+) (18)	2.35	1.88	1.41
Yorkshire BS Advantage 50+ Saver (£5,000+) (2)	2.15	1.72	1.29
Coventry BS Sixty-Plus Saver Issue 11 (£500+) (9)	2.00	1.60	1.20
Newcastle 55 Base Rate Tracker (£1+) (17)	2.00	1.60	1.20
Scottish BS Senior Saver (£300+) (15)(A)	2.00	1.60	1.20
Nationwide Monthly Income 60+ (£1+) (21)	1.98	1.58	1.19
West Bromwich Oak (£10+) (12)	1.50	1.20	0.90
Hinckley & Rugby Panther (£2,500+) (20)	1.50	1.20	0.90

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• TOOL: Do your own research on savings rates

Dear Reader,

Our savings tables strip out all the catches in an account. To feature in the best buys on variable rate accounts, an account must give you easy access to your money and come with no hidden catches.

We refuse to include accounts where the rate is boosted by a short-term bonus or those with over-restrictive conditions so you only earn the advertised rate if you make three or less withdrawals a year.

We also ignore old-style 'notice' accounts where the bank or building society can demand you give up to six months' notice that you want to take our money out while it can change the rate at any time without warning.

All banks and building societies are registered with the Financial Services Authority and signed up to the Banking Code, a voluntary set of rules which lays down now they should treat their customers fairly.

Sylvia Morris, This is Money savings tables expert

If you have a question about the tables email saving@thisismoney.co.uk or editor@thisismoney.co.uk

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