NatWest review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
NatWest is a good pick if you want everyday banking, easy-access savings and borrowing under the same roof, with a monthly fee of £0 on the current account. The catch is the return on savings: 1% variable, with easy access rather than a fixed term.
Key facts
Loans
- APR
- 7.2%↗
- Loan amount
- £1,000 to £50,000↗
- Term
- 12 to 120 months↗
- Credit check
- Soft prequal↗
- Funding time
- Same day if you apply and are approved before 5:45pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays↗
- Representative example
- Representative 7.2% APR, available on loans between £7,500 and £19,950↗
- Rate type
- Variable↗
- Lender type
- Direct lender↗
- Free early repayment
- No↗
- Eligibility
- 18 or over and a UK resident; not declared bankrupt in the last 6 years; not applied for a loan in the last 28 days↗
- Loan types
- Personal, Debt-consolidation, Car↗
- Use cases
- Home-improvement↗
Savings
Pros and cons
Pros
- Easy-access savings at 1% variable with a minimum deposit of £0 and no withdrawal charges.
- Borrowing of £1,000 to £50,000 over terms of 12 to 120 for personal needs, debt consolidation or a car.
- Mortgages from an initial rate of 4.98%, with first-time buyers able to reach 95% loan to value.
- Help on phone, help centre and chat, a debit card for the current account and a credit card paying points.
Cons
- Free early repayment is not offered on the existing customer loan deal.
- The savings rate is variable at 1%, which sits below the comparison median of 3%.
Who it suits
- UK households who want a current account, easy-access savings and loans from the same bank.
- People who prefer help by phone, help centre and chat and a debit card handled in the same app.
- Borrowers funding home improvement who want £1,000 to £50,000 at 7.2% without going through a broker.
Who should look elsewhere
- bunq or Varo Believe Secured Credit Card: both are euro or US dollar products with a monthly fee of €0 and $0, not UK mortgages at 4.98%.
- Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card): a secured credit card in US dollars, so it does not offer the debit current account, easy-access savings or 4.98% mortgages that come with NatWest.
Rates and card terms
The easy-access savings account pays a headline rate of 1%, and that rate is variable, so a balance can earn more or less as the base rate moves. Personal loans and debt consolidation borrowing are priced at an APR of 7.2%, repayable over terms of 12 to 120.
The company behind it
The bank behind the account is National Westminster Bank plc, based in the United Kingdom and trading since 1968. The current account, savings and loans all sit under the same name, which is useful if you want one set of details for banking and borrowing. Help runs on phone, help centre and chat, so you can reach the team by phone, in the help centre or by live chat.
How NatWest compares
9.5 vs 9.4
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Where NatWest is available
- Available
- United Kingdom
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does the NatWest current account cost each month?+
The current account has a monthly fee of £0 and the card that comes with it is a debit card. Support runs on phone, help centre and chat if you need help opening the account, and there are no withdrawal charges on the easy-access savings that pairs with it.
How much does the easy-access savings account pay?+
The headline rate is 1% and the rate type is variable, so the interest can move up or down with the base rate. You can start with a minimum deposit of £0, which suits someone putting money aside a bit each month.
Can I withdraw money whenever I want?+
Yes, it is an easy access account. You can withdraw at any time through Online Banking, the mobile app, in branch or by telephone, and there are no withdrawal charges. That flexibility matters if you keep an emergency fund there rather than a fixed-term pot.
How much can I borrow and what rate do I pay?+
Loan amounts run £1,000 to £50,000 at an APR of 7.2%, repayable over terms of 12 to 120. NatWest is a direct lender, so you deal with the bank rather than a broker, and the money can go towards personal needs, debt consolidation or a car.
Who can apply for a personal loan?+
You need to be an adult living in the UK, and there is a waiting period after any bankruptcy declaration or a recent loan application. NatWest runs a soft prequal, so a credit check happens before an offer is made final.
How fast do I get the money after approval?+
Approved loans can be paid out the same day, as long as you apply and are approved before the weekday cut-off, excluding bank holidays. The amount has to sit within £1,000 to £50,000, and early repayment on the existing customer deal is not free, so clearing debt early carries a charge.
What do NatWest mortgages charge?+
Mortgages start at an initial rate of 4.98% and can be fixed for 5. There is a product fee of £995 on top, and first-time buyers can stretch to 95% loan to value. Lending runs for purchase, remortgage and first time buyer, so each of those routes is covered.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NatWest checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“It was established in 1968 by the merger of National Provincial Bank and Westminster Bank.”
- natwest.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Support channels
“Registered office: 250 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AA”
- natwest.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience
“Student bank account”
- natwest.com/credit-cards.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card kind
“Compare Credit Cards | Apply for a Credit Card”
- natwest.com/credit-cards/reward-credit-card.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features, Rewards type
“Reward Credit Card | Get Rewarded when you Shop”
- natwest.com/current-accounts/select_account.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Monthly fee
“Everyday bank account”
- natwest.com/loans.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Loan amount, APR, Credit check, Eligibility, Funding time, Lender type, Loan types, Representative example, Term, Use cases
“You could borrow between £1,000 and £50,000 from us”
- natwest.com/loans/existing-customers.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free early repayment
“You'll be charged an early repayment fee of up to 58 days' interest or up to 28 days' interest if you took out your loan for one year or less.”
- natwest.com/mortgages/first-time-buyers.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Maximum loan to value
“95% mortgages - A mortgage with as little as a 5% deposit. Exclusions & eligibility criteria apply.”
- natwest.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Fixed period, Initial rate, Product fee, Purpose
“5 year fixed rate 4.98% ... Monthly payment For 5 years”
- natwest.com/savings/flexible-saver.html checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Access terms, Account kind, Headline rate, Minimum deposit, Rate type
“With Flexible Saver instant access savings accounts, you can dip into your savings pot whenever you need to, without facing any additional charges.”
Compiled from 11 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Currency conversion fee, Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
Related by the facts
NatWest
Everyday UK banking with savings, loans and mortgages in the same place.