Here’s how new Barclays customers can get it.
For the first time in years there’s a proper switch deal for Barclays Bank – though you’ll need to add Blue Rewards. Here’s what you need to know to get the cash.
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How much can you get for switching to Barclays?
This new offer is set at £175 for the switch – the most the bank has ever offered in this way.
In fact, it’s the first time the bank has offered a set cash incentive for moving your money over. The last offer (which ran in 2019) doubled the monthly bonus from Blue Rewards. An alternative offer with Avios is also running but is ultimately worth less cash.
If you decide to keep the account you’ll also get access to a 5.12% paying savings account (on balances of up to £5,000). And until the end of 2023 there’s 5% cashback on spending (capped at £10 a month).
What are the requirements for the Barclays switching offer?
First up, you must open up a brand new personal (not joint) account via the Barclays app. The account can be either the Bank Account or Premier Current Account. If you currently have one of these, or you don’t apply for the account in the app, you sadly won’t be eligible.
If you opt for the standard Current Account you’ll also need to join the Blue Rewards scheme. This has it’s own set of conditions we’ll outline below – but you can read more detail about the scheme here.
There’s also a requirement to switch over two active direct debits. I’ve written here about some easy and fast ones you can set up if you’re short of these.
The switch must be from a different bank via the Current Account Switch Service. This means your old account will be completely closed, though all your money and payments in and out will be transferred over for you. Here’s more on how to switch bank.
It appears you can’t select a date for the switch to complete, with 7 working days auto selected. So if you need time to set up direct debits make sure it happens within 30 days of starting the process.
Barclays switch offer summary
£175 Barclays switching offer
| Switching bonus | £175 |
| Bonus paid | Within 28 working days of completing the switch |
| Open to existing customers | No |
| Requirements | Open a new Bank Account or Premier Current Account via the Barclays app |
| Add Blue Rewards if you choose the Bank Account (you might need to wait a few days after applying to do this) | |
| Switch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 30 days | |
| Switch two active direct debits | |
| The old account must be from a different bank | |
| Exclusions | Offer limited to once per person |
| Not open to joint accounts | |
| Cannot have had an existing Barclays current account open on or since 31 October 2023 | |
| Offer ends | 30 November 2023 (last date to start the switch) |
When will you get the money?
The payment will be made within 28 working days of the switch completion. The fastest this can happen is seven working days, so you’re looking at 35 working days which is roughly seven weeks.
When does the offer end?
The last date to start the switch is Thursday 30 November 2023, and you’ve then got another 30 days to complete all the required actions.
Can existing Barclays customers get the bonus?
Sadly this offer rules out any Barclays customer who held one of the following on the date of application or before 31 October 2023, whether personal or joint:
- Barclays Basic Bank Account
- Barclays Bank Account
- Barclays Bank Account with a Personal Overdraft
- Barclays Bank Account with Blue Rewards
- Platinum Bank Account
- Mortgage Current Account
- Premier Current Account
Though the student bank account isn’t listed here, Barclays have told me that this, and indeed all, current accounts rule you out of the offer.
Can previous Barclays customers get the switch bonus?
Update 8/11/23: The confusing wording and response from Barclays has been clarified again. You will be able to open a new Barclays account and apply for the switch (as per the conditions above) as long as you did not have an existing open Barclays current account on or since 31 October 2023.
So as long as you closed any previous Barclays current accounts before 31 October 2023, you will be ok with this offer.
The wording here was confusing. Barclays also told me that anyone who has ever had a Barclays current account prior to and including 31 October 2023 is excluded. So you must be a brand new customer for the first time.
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Issues when applying
Update 8/11/23: A number of you have reported problems when applying via the app. From disappearing options to apply for the account to error codes when trying to add Blue Rewards, it’s been frustrating for many.
Over in the Facebook group some of you have shared how you’ve resolved some of the issues:
- Concerning Barclays Blue Rewards UD001 error: “When the error pops up in the app, instead of pressing OK, just press back button on the phone and scroll down and sign up as normal. (Anon)
- Concerning withdrawing money “Just a word of warning to anyone wanting to just bounce money through the account to cover the £800, on a newly set up Barclays app you cannot add a new payee for 4 days” (Paul)
- Concerning issues opening an account: “Roughly what time did you try and apply for an account on the app? Because I believe the option isn’t available between 11pm to 7am” (Ishraq)
- Concerning ID issues “ One possible reason the branch indicated is that if you have a Barclaycard and the name doesn’t match precisely(e.g no middle name on one or the other), the system can’t resolve the error and they will need to manually merge the records (which may also fall foul of the bonus rules). They also said having a new account opened (in the banking app) will mean losing access to the Barclays credit card in the old (or the new) app. It’s hopeless” (Stuart)
Which Barclays account should I choose?
For most people it makes sense to go for the Current Account and add on Blue Rewards. Though there’s a faff to ensure you cancel out the £5 monthly fee (more on this below), it’s easier to get than the Premier Current Account (this requires an annual salary of £75,000 or at least £100,00 saved in Barclays).
You’ll get access to a 5.12% paying savings account, though this can currently be beaten by other providers that don’t limit how much you can earn this rate on. Here are our latest savings recommendations.
Something worth noting is it might take a day or two after opening the account before the Barclays app lets you add Blue Rewards – so keep trying if that happens.
Barclays Blue Rewards
| Benefits | £5 a month reward |
| Extra if you have a mortgage or home insurance with Barclays | |
| 5.12% AER interest savings account | |
| 5% cashback (up to £10 a month) on spending until end of 2023 | |
| Fee | £5 a month |
| Requirements | Pay in £800 a month |
| Pay out two Direct Debits a month | |
| Access to online or app banking to claim your reward | |
| Exclusions | Cannot be added to Barclays Basic, Young Person’s, foreign currency or non-personal accounts |
| Notes | You can only add Blue Rewards to one account |
| You need to transfer your Blue Reward payments to your current account to use them |
How to avoid the £5 Blue Rewards monthly fee
Barclays Blue Rewards comes with a £5 fee every month, though you can earn the same amount back each month to effectively cancel it out.
First you need to have two direct debits on the account. Since you’ll be switching these over as part of the promotion that step should be sorted – just remember to keep them active and have enough cash in the account each month to cover them.
You also need to deposit £800 into the account each month. This money doesn’t need to stay there or even be added in one go.
Do all this and each month £5 will be added to a separate Blue Rewards wallet in the app. You’ll need to manually transfer it back to your main current account to access it.
And of course, once you have the money you can close down Blue Rewards if you don’t want to keep those direct debits active.
Is it worth switching to Barclays?
Andy’s analysis
If you don’t already have a Barclays current account then I’d absolutely go for this offer. It’s relatively simple to meet the eligibility, and you can always ditch the account by closing Blue Rewards once you have received the switching bonus.
However I’d suggest you switch a dummy account rather than your main one as there are better options for ongoing banking.
Is it the best switching offer?
Deals come and go throughout the year, so it’s always worth checking to see if a better paying option is out there. You can read more about the latest switching offers here.
How soon can l leave Barclays after receiving the £175 incentive? Im contemplating a switch to Co-op!?
Terrible service with Barclays. Opened the account, signed up to Blue Rewards, applied for the switch in the app and it all went through ok. Then nothing happened so rang them on 4th November and they told me the switch was rejected (without anyone telling me) and that I’d need to go into a branch to progress it. They also said I’d now missed the deadline for the bonus. Then they took £5 fee for blue rewards which I won’t get back because my direct debits have not moved across! I would actually happily pay £175 not to bank with them!!!
Meant 4th December
If you do tell the truth about your salary, and its over 75k they will only let you apply for the Premier account and for that you have to have your salary transfered into that account. The only way around it is to go into a branch and apply for the basic account there, this then means you dont qualify for the 175 ! Naughty !!
Typical ways for the bank to wiggle around paying out.
I am just getting this:
“Sorry, we can’t open your account right now.
Please try again later. If this error continues, please get in touch with us”
My Barclaycard, which is open, doesn’t include my middle name but Barclays have it from my old, long closed, current account. Unable to edit this to tie the two up. Pops up with an error message if I try.
Maybe I’m just being dumb but if I contact them in branch surely I have negated applying via the app and thereby the bonus?
Hi Andy, quick question but confused, so if I understood this correctly, if I transfer two direct debits and set up two active debits and pay ina minimum of £800 a month then the £5 blue rewards fee will be waived?
Also once I receive my switch bonus I can close my account and cancel the direct debits without being penalised or charged any further £5 fee for the blue reward?
Do I do the switch first THEN join Barclays Blue? I don’t want to be charged for Barclays Blue before the switch as I won’t meet the criteria of having 2 active Direct Debits until the switch is processed.
I’m a seasoned switcher but I wish I hadn’t bothered! The Android Barclays app crashed during current account opening. I also have a Barclaycard and use the separate Barclaycard app. The Barclaycard app which had worked perfectly ceased to work. I phoned Barclays who said I had managed to open a current account in the app despite the crash and no email confirmation. I can’t access the Barclays app to view my account and complete the switch. I can no longer access my Barclaycard account in the app. Nobody at Barclays has a clue what’s going on!
Hi James,
The same happened to me and reading the other comments it seems to be a common issue. The app is absolute rubbish and i’m in the same position with an open account but no details linked to it. No idea what to do now and customer service team is useles. Not worth it.
They are completely hopeless. iOS app fails to ID check correctly which means visit to branch is needed to open the account which means conditions for bonus are not met.
Yes, same problem for me. I tried to open a Barclays account a few days ago in their app using my driving license and I received a message that I failed their ID verificaion. This is nonsese as I have had no issues doing multiple bank switches these past few weeks. I deleted their app and tried again today using my passport, and ID verification failed again. They are asking me to book an appt. and take my ID to a branch. This is not possible for me as I am presently outside the UK and I wil not be back in UK until December. And the promo ends 30th November…
I called Barclays customer service and the girl was very nice but told me that their ID verification often fails and people are expected to go to a branch. it cannot be done via phone or email. Barclays switch is a waste of time.
Can I switch a reolut bank account to this offer ???
I used to have a Barclays account over 20 years ago and in my maiden name, will they go that far back to exclude me from the offer?
Hi, I had the same situation and I have set up the account and switch but in the past week they have reverted my account and correspondence to my
Maiden name which I have not had for 10 years and my last barclays account was held about 15 years ago. The app reverted to my maiden name last week to I tried to reset my passcode but it will not accept my ID as my name obviously doesn’t match. I phoned and 2 people hung up on me and one lady told me I had to go into a branch. I did that today and it took 40 mins and copies of my marriage certificate, driving licence had to delete and reinstall the app twice and I am finally in.
My account has switched over but they told me to do it again to get the reward?! My old account is closed and switched!
After all that, got home and received an email asking me for feedback, addressed to my maiden name!
I give up.
I have a Barclaycard and use the separate Barclaycard app not the Barclays banking app. I note the Barclays banking app lets me register using my Barclaycard. Should I do this then apply for the current account in the Barclays app? Or should I not use my Barclaycard to register in the Barclays app? I don’t want to mess the process up.
I think they’ve inadvertently used the wrong word in the first ineligibility criterion …
[before 31st October 2023] should be [since 31st October 2023].
Having phoned Barclays their clear intention is to have new customers only and not applications from customers who simply close their accounts on seeing the offer.
Previous customers will be accepted.
Thanks for the update Andy.
Hi Andy, sorry if this question seems silly. Can I swap my current account from bank A, and then move my two direct debits across manually from bank B, all before the 28th of November to qualify? I’ve done this in the past with other switches and it was fine.
Thanks.
I have same question.
My App glitched out whilst setting up an account and its now created two accounts – i’ve switched to the first one it created for me and joined blue rewards using the same account but will this mess up my chances of getting the switch bonus?
This is exactly what happened to me Connor. Not sure if this messes up the offer or not.
Reading the T&Cs on Barclays website, it reads to me you can’t have ever had a Barclays account before
“You will not be eligible for this offer if: You already hold a … Account on the date of application or [before 31st October 2023]”
I closed all my Barclays accounts fully in 2022, but it’s not uber clear; so no idea if I’d be eligible.
What’s not clear? Looks like you’ll be absolutely fine.
Can previous Barclays customers get the switch bonus?
The wording here was confusing. Barclays also told me that anyone who has ever had a Barclays current account prior to and including 31 October 2023 is excluded. So you must be a brand new customer for the first time.
Looks like you won’t be able to get the bonus after all being a previous account holder.
I’m in the same boat.
Unless anyone knows otherwise.
Does anyone know if I can still get the offer if I have a credit card with Barclays? (Just credit card – no account)
Sadly this offer rules out any Barclays customer who held one of the following on or since 31 October 2023:
Should this be 2022?
Otherwise, that’s only yesterday!
Yep. It means you have to apply as a brand new customer
Update on my query of yesterday.
The summary now reads:
Cannot have had a Barclays current account on or before 31 October 2023
Which seems to discount all previous customer up to end October 23.
Just opened a new current account and blue rewards and there’s no mention of the cashback?
what if you currently have a Barclays joint account, would you be eligible for bonus if opened a Barclays personal account and switched in a dummy personal account ?
If I have a joint current account with Barclays since 2018, will that prevent to get the bonus if I open a personal one (switching from another bank)?
You will not be eligible for this offer if: • You already hold a Barclays Basic Bank Account, Barclays Bank Account, Barclays Bank Account with a Personal Overdraft, Barclays Bank Account with Blue Rewards, Platinum Bank Account, Mortgage Current Account, or a Premier Current Account on the date of application or [before 31st October 2023] • You did not use the Barclays App to open your Current Account and initiate your Current Account Switch • Your account is a joint account • You did not complete a Full Current Account Switch from another provider within 30 days of requesting it • You requested to switch in an account before this offer was made available or after it closed • You requested to switch in an existing account from Barclays • You are not aged 18 or over • You are not a UK resident • You have no mobile number to use the Barclays app or valid e-mail address to register for Blue Rewards