The latest news to help you get the most from your savings account.
Here’s our monthly update sharing changes at leading UK savings accounts, as well as some of the articles you might have missed on the site.
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December’s savings news
ISA reforms set for the Budget
The Budget takes place on 26 November and it’s could see some big changes to both Cash and Stocks & Shares ISAs.
As we’ve previously covered, actual changes are still just speculation at this stage, but a cut to the Cash ISA allowance certainly looks like it’s on the cards.
There could also be a new requirement for part of an investment portfolio to be in UK equities.
We’ll report in full here on the site and on our YouTube channel on the day of the Budget.
Base rate cut could happen in December
The next Bank of England MPC meeting takes place on Thursday 18 December. It’s where they decide whether to change the base rate, which can impact the interest rate provided on savings.
The latest inflation figures suggest we could see a cut to 3.75% at this next meeting, which would likely mean rates fall in anticipation. And don’t forget some popular easy access accounts already track the base rate.
We’ll update you with what happens in our base rate change analysis article.
FSCS protection increases to £120,000
From 1 December, your money is protected in each financial institution by a higher £120,000. This is a big increase from the previous £85,000. The amount is doubled for joint accounts.
In addition, temporary high balances, such as from a house sale or inheritance, are now covered for £1.4 million, up from £1 million.
We’ve explained in detail how the Financial Services Compensation Scheme works in our guide.
Four providers launch new Cash ISAs
Good news for those who aren’t eligible for the new member bonuses that dominate the Cash ISA best buy tables. There are some big providers offering new Cash ISAs, some with pretty strong rates.
eToro – 4.67% AER
The newest is from investing platform eToro. Their Cash ISAs launched with a 4.67% rate for newbies, which includes a 0.8% bonus for one year. You’ll only get this rate if you apply and either deposit or transfer into the account before 31 December 2025.
The account is limited access, meaning you can only make three withdrawals a year before the rate drops.
It’s worth noting that the money isn’t technically held in cash. Instead it’s invested in a Qualifying Money Market Fund, which is very low risk. It also works a little differently for FSCS protection, though eToro say your money is fully covered.
Hargreaves Lansdown – 4.55% AER
Another investment firm, though this one has a history of offering savings accounts too. It works in a similar way to Raisin, in that you open your Hargreaves Lansdown (HL) account, and from there can pick rates from a number of providers.
The account is fully easy access, and the top paying one is 4.55% at the time of writing, powered by Shawbrook.
There are also fixed rate options available from HL, though none are near the top of the tables right now.
Atom / Tandem
The other providers to launch a Cash ISA in recent weeks are Atom and Tandem. However, the rates from both can easily be beaten elsewhere.
Tembo and Plum ISAs allow transfers in
Sticking with ISAs, there have been changes to the transfers policies at Tembo and Plum. For Tembo, their fixed rate ISAs now allow transfers, with a minimum of £500 required.
Meanwhile, Plum customers can get the higher interest rate that includes a bonus on transfers, making it a decent option for existing savers after a better rate. This follows the change last month that removed the limited access conditions.
NS&I increase bonds rate
While many other providers have been reducing or maintaining rates, NS&I have reversed the trend and actually made the rate on Guaranteed Income Bonds higher!
- 1 year at 4.2%
- 2 years at 4.1%
- 3 years at 4.16%
- 4 years at 4.15%
However, they’re still down on the ones at the top of the tables, so you’re better off looking elsewhere.
Chip increases tax-free prize draw account
If you save in Chip’s Prize Draw Account in December, you’ll be in with a chance of winning a massive £250,000, along with an increased number of smaller prizes. Anything you win will be tax-free, making the account of potential interest to additional rate tax payers, if not others who have used up their other allowances.
We’ve analysed it in full in our guide to Chip’s Prize Saver account.
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Plus, new Quidco customers get a top paying £20 welcome offer
December’s savings offers
We’ll share any other deals in our savings deals page if any more come along.
Kids Pass: free 12-month pass with Santander
If you open a new Santander savings account or Cash ISA and deposit at least £100 within 30 days of the account opening, you can get a free 12-month Kids Pass membership. There’s no published end date, but it could go at any time.
You need to have online and/or mobile banking, and you can’t have an existing Kids Pass membership. You’ll have until 10 March 2026 to redeem your code.
The best savings account with Santander at the moment is the Edge saver, which is a regular savings account, but you’ll need the Santander Edge current account to get it. Santander is also currently offering £200 for switching your bank account over to them.
Tembo: up to £300 LISA transfer bonus
Transfer a Cash or S&S Lifetime ISA over to Tembo before 5 December 2025 and you’ll get a bonus worth up to £300.
It’s for new Tembo LISA customers only, and there’s a minimum transfer of £5,000. You must transfer your entire LISA over.
You need to keep the account funded for 12 months, unless you use the funds to buy a home via Tembo. The bonus is paid in May 2026.
| Transferred Amount | Cash Bonus |
| £0–£4,999 | £0 |
| £5,000 | £30 |
| £10,000 | £75 |
| £15,000 | £100 |
| £20,000 | £125 |
| £25,000 | £150 |
| £30,000 | £175 |
| £35,000 | £200 |
| £40,000 | £225 |
| £45,000 | £250 |
| £50,000 | £300 (maximum) |
Cahoot: £25 cashback & 5%
Apply for the 5% paying Sunny Day Saver from Cahoot via TopCashback and you can get a £25 bonus.
Seeing as you can only save a maximum of £3,000 for a year on this account, that works out as a 0.83% boost.
Plus if you’ve never used TopCashback before, don’t forget there’s a £20 welcome bonus via our link. You’ll need to spend £10 at a different retailer to trigger this, but that should be easy to do.
Raisin: up to £150 welcome offer
Until midday on 30 November 2025, Raisin is offering up to £150 as a welcome bonus if you open a savings account via our link and fund it with at least £10,000 by the same date. You’ll need the code VAULTBYRAISIN for this.
This applies to fixed rate accounts with a term of 12 months or over, and the bonus depends on how much you deposit.
- £10,000 to £24,999 earns £40
- £25,000 to £49,999 earns £100
- £50,000 to £85,000 earns £150
For £10,000 in a 12-month fix, this is effectively 0.4% added to the account rate. The best option on Raisin right now is a 4.35% account, so you’ll get £435 plus £40, which is £475, or 4.75%.
For £25,000 in a 12-month fix, the £100 bonus is also an effective 0.4% top up. However, though you get a larger £150 bonus on a £50,000 deposit, it’s just a 0.3% boost.
If you save more than each threshold but less than the next one it reduce this effective rate.
Knowing this will help you compare Raisin’s rates to other accounts. Right now the best one year fix offers 4.55%.
The bonus will be paid into your account on 31 December 2025 as long as you’ve met the eligibility criteria.
To get the offer:
- Click on the below link, which will add the promo code VAULTBYRAISIN
- Sign up for a new Raisin UK Account by 30 November 2025
- Apply for and open a 12 month fixed rate savings account
- Put at least £10,000 into your new savings account by midday on 30 November 2025.
Can you earn extra on your savings?
Check out our list of the best savings special offers
Top savings accounts for December 2025
Remember, these are the accounts at the top of the tables. We’ve more options in our best savings accounts page, which is updated every day by the team.
Current account linked easy access saver picks as of 24/11/25
- Santander Edge Saver (6% AER variable, includes 2.5% bonus for 12 months) – max £4,000
- Nationwide (5% AER variable for 12 months) – max £1,500 – new customers only
- Chase Saver (4.5% AER variable, includes 2% bonus for 12 months) – new customers only
Easy & limited access picks as of 24/11/25
- Cahoot Sunny Day Saver (5% AER variable) – max £3,000, 12 months only (+ £25 via TopCashback)
- Monument (4.51% AER variable, includes bonus for 12 months)
- Cahoot Simple Saver (4.4% AER variable)
Can open in branch/phone/post
- Coventry Building Society (4.3% AER variable) – max four withdrawals a year, 12 months only
Easy & limited access ISA picks as of 24/11/25
- eToro (4.67% AER variable, including bonus for 12 months) – new customers only
- Trading 212 (4.56% AER variable, includes bonus for 12 months) – flexible, new customer rate only
- Hargreaves Lansdown (4.55% AER variable)
Can open in branch/phone/post
- Tesco Bank (4.06% AER variable) – flexible, 12 months only
The best Easy Access Cash ISA savings accounts
Check out our list of the highest paying easy access Cash ISAs
Notice accounts picks as of 24/11/25
- 3 months notice OakNorth (4.54% AER variable): 95-days notice
- 4 months notice Oxbury(4.54% AER variable): 120-days notice
- 6 months notice Oxbury(4.55% AER variable): 180-days notice
Fixed savings accounts picks as of 24/11/25
- 6 months Monument (4.4% AER fixed)
- 9 months LHV (4.3% AER fixed)
- 12 months Investec (4.5% AER fixed)
- 12 months Ziratt via Raisin (4.37% AER fixed + up to £150 bonus = up to 4.77% equivalent)
- 18 months First Save (4.25% AER fixed)
- 2 year First Save (4.45% AER fixed)
- 3 year JN Bank (4.39% AER fixed)
- 4 year JN Bank (4.39% AER fixed)
- 5 year JN Bank (4.4% AER fixed)
Fixed ISA accounts picks as of 24/11/25
- 12 months UBL (4.28% AER fixed)
- 2 years Secure Trust (4.17% AER fixed)
- 3 years Cynergy (4.15% AER fixed)
- 4 years UBL (4% AER fixed)
- 5 years UBL (4.22% AER fixed)
Lifetime ISA pick as of 24/11/25
- Plum Lifetime ISA (4.35% AER variable, incl 12 month bonus)
Regular Saver accounts (exisiting customer) picks as of 24/11/25
- Zopa Regular Saver (7.1% AER variable): max £300 a month
- requires a Biscuit (by Zopa) current account
- First Direct Regular Saver (7% AER fixed): max £300 a month
- requires a First Direct current account
- Co-operative Bank Regular Saver (7% variable): max £250 a month
- Requires a Co-op Bank current account
Regular Saver accounts (for all) picks as of 24/11/25
- Principality Building Society (7.5% AER fixed for six months): max £200 a month
- Progressive Building Society (7% AER variable): max £300 a month
- Scottish Building Society (6.5% AER variable): max £250 a month
The best monthly savings accounts
Check out our list of the highest paying regular or monthly savings accounts.
