High street bank reviews

Network sizes change constantly as branches close, so a national total dates quickly and tells you little. What matters is whether a branch near you offers what you need: counter cash, cheque deposits, appointments and accessible access. A large national network can still mean a limited branch locally, so use the provider's own locator and check the services listed for that specific location.

Standard current accounts usually have no monthly fee. Reward and packaged accounts do charge, in exchange for cashback, insurance or travel benefits that are worth weighing against what you would actually use. An account with no monthly fee can still cost you through overdraft interest, foreign transaction fees and non-sterling cash withdrawals, so compare the charges that apply to the way you actually bank.

Sometimes. Cover applies per person per authorised banking licence, not per brand and not per account, and several familiar high street names operate under a shared licence with a parent bank. If you hold savings with two brands sitting on the same licence, you have one limit between them rather than two. The provider's terms name the authorised institution holding your deposits, and that is the name to check.