Santander UK review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Santander UK suits UK households wanting everyday banking, savings and borrowing from one Financial Conduct Authority regulated bank, with an easy-access saver paying 2% variable. The charges elsewhere, 2.95% for currency conversion and 24.9% on the credit card, are where the case weakens.
Key facts
- Best for
- One regulated UK bank for a current account, easy-access savings, personal loans and a mortgage.
- Monthly fee
- £0↗
- Currency conversion fee
- 2.95%↗
- Card type
- Debit↗
- Legal entity
- Santander UK plc↗
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom↗
- Founded
- 1988↗
- Support channels
- Chat, Phone, Help-centre↗
- Features
- Same-day funding
- Audience
- Seniors
- Official website
- santander.co.uk
Loans
- APR
- 24.9%↗
- Loan amount
- £1,000 to £25,000↗
- Term
- 12 to 60 months↗
- Arrangement fee
- 0 GBP↗
- Credit check
- Hard↗
- Funding time
- Within 2 working days of releasing funds↗
- Rate type
- Variable↗
- Lender type
- Direct lender↗
- Free early repayment
- Yes↗
- Eligibility
- Aged 21 or over, live permanently in the UK, regular yearly income of GBP 10,500+ for loans up to GBP 19,999 and GBP 20,000+ for loans up to GBP 25,000, good credit record↗
- Origination fee (%)
- 0%↗
- Loan types
- Personal, Debt-consolidation, Car↗
- Credit needed
- Good↗
- Use cases
- Home-improvement↗
- Pricing model
- No annual fee
Credit cards
Personal insurance
Savings
Pros and cons
Pros
- The easy-access saver pays 2% at a variable rate with instant, penalty-free access, and deposit protection is FSCS up to GBP 85,000.
- Personal loans of £1,000 to £25,000 over 12 to 60 carry an origination fee of 0 GBP, and early repayment is free.
- Regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority, with support on chat, phone and help centre.
- Mortgages open at an initial rate of 4.28% for 2, and insurance premiums start at £6.
Cons
- Currency conversion on the basic current account costs 2.95%, against 1% for a typical brand on the site.
- Credit card borrowing runs at 24.9%, well above the 15.5% typical across the site.
- Rewards on the everyday credit card are none.
Who it suits
- Households that want a current account paired with an easy-access saver.
- Borrowers consolidating debt or funding home improvement, given a good credit record and a hard credit check.
- Savers who want instant, penalty-free withdrawals by app, in branch or over the phone.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, for regular sending and converting abroad, where the conversion fee is 0.1%.
- bunq, whose plan is priced in euro with a monthly fee of €0, fits euro-based banking better.
- The Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, if a US dollar card with a monthly fee of $0 is the goal.
Rates and terms
The easy-access saver pays 2% at a variable rate, so the figure can change over time rather than being locked in. Personal loans are repaid over 12 to 60. The everyday credit card charges 24.9%, and its balance transfer offer lasts 12, after which the same rate applies.
How Santander UK compares
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 8.9
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 8.7
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 8.7
9.2 vs 9.3
9.2 vs 8.9
9.2 vs 8.6
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 8.4
9.2 vs 8.5
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 8.6
9.2 vs 8.3
9.2 vs 9.5
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 9.4
9.2 vs 9.3
9.2 vs 9.3
9.2 vs 9.3
9.2 vs 9.3
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 8.9
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 8.7
9.2 vs 8.5
9.2 vs 8.4
9.2 vs 8.0- 9.2 vs 8.0
Where Santander UK is available
- Available
- United Kingdom
- Licence in United Kingdom
- Financial Conduct Authority (106054), checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does the everyday current account cost?+
The monthly fee is £0, and the everyday credit card carries an annual fee of £0. The charge to watch is currency conversion at 2.95% on the basic current account, and help is available on chat, phone and help centre.
Is my money protected?+
Deposits are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000, and the bank is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. Savings pay 2% at a variable rate with instant, penalty-free access.
How do I get at the money?+
Access is instant and penalty-free through the website, Mobile and Online Banking, in branch or over the phone. It is an easy access account, which suits money that may be needed without warning, and the minimum deposit is £1.
What can I borrow?+
Personal loans cover personal, debt consolidation and car for £1,000 to £25,000 over 12 to 60. The origination fee is 0 GBP, early repayment is free, and the credit check is hard, so a good credit record helps.
What does the credit card cost?+
The annual fee is £0 and the APR 24.9%, high against the 15.5% typical here. The balance transfer offer runs 12, and rewards are none.
Can I get a mortgage too?+
Mortgages start at an initial rate of 4.28% for 2, with an APRC of 6.2% and a maximum loan to value of 95%. A product fee of £999 applies to purchase, remortgage and first time buyer.
Is insurance sold as well?+
The insurance side is a broker covering auto, home and renters. Premiums start at £6, excess starts at £100 to £500, and monthly payments are available, with claims handled online or by phone.
Sources
- find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/compan... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Incorporated on 12 September 1988”
- santander.co.uk/about-santander checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Deposit protection
- santander.co.uk/about-santander/investor-relations/stock-... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity, Licences
“Registered Office: 2 Triton Square, Regent's Place, London, NW1 3AN, United Kingdom”
- santander.co.uk/assets/s3fs-public/AD_documents/everyday_... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Balance transfer fee
“0% of the amount of the balance transfer - Everyday No Balance Transfer Fee Credit Card”
- santander.co.uk/assets/s3fs-public/AD_documents/Personal_... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Credit check, Lender type, Arrangement fee, Origination fee (%)
“If you apply for a loan, we'll do a search of your credit history with a credit reference agency. This will leave a record on your credit file.”
- santander.co.uk/assets/s3fs-public/AD_documents/Summary_B... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: APR, Balance transfer intro period
“Representative 24.9% APR (variable) - Everyday No Balance Transfer Fee Credit Card”
- santander.co.uk/assets/s3fs-public/documents/basic_curren... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Currency conversion fee
“standard foreign currency conversion fee of 2.95% will apply - Everyday Current Account debit card”
- santander.co.uk/personal/credit-cards/everyday-credit-card checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Annual fee, Card kind, Pricing model, Rewards type
“No monthly account fee - Everyday No Balance Transfer Fee Credit Card”
- santander.co.uk/personal/current-accounts/everyday-curren... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Monthly fee
“Everyday Current Account | No monthly account fee”
- santander.co.uk/personal/insurance checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Insurance types
“Home, life, car and travel insurance to help you get the cover you need”
- santander.co.uk/personal/insurance/contents-insurance-for... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Cover limit, Excess from, Premium from
“Contents sum insured. This covers loss or damage to the possessions in your home. Up to £50,000 / Unlimited”
- santander.co.uk/personal/insurance/home-insurance checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Claims channels, Provider type, Monthly payments
“New claims online or by phone. We've made it quick and easy to do, 24/7. UK-based claims team.”
- santander.co.uk/personal/insurance/life-protection checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Age range, Audience
“Over 50s life insurance is designed for people aged 50 and over.”
- santander.co.uk/personal/loans checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Loan amount, Credit needed, Eligibility, Features, Funding time, Loan types, Term, Use cases
“Range of personal loans from GBP 1,000 to GBP 25,000”
- santander.co.uk/personal/mortgages checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Purpose
“First Time Buyer mortgages, Remortgaging to us, Moving home; Our buy to let mortgages for new customers are available through mortgage brokers only.”
And 4 more source pages.
Compiled from 19 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
Related by the facts
Santander UK
One regulated UK bank for a current account, easy-access savings, personal loans and a mortgage.