Switching your current account
Switching your current account from your existing bank or building society is super easy.
All you need to do is:
- have an existing current account
- give us the account number and sort code of your old account
- have your old debit card details available
- let us know the date you want to finish switching.
That's it!
What's included?
Regular outgoings
Regular outgoings like your bills are automatically transferred. This includes all your Direct Debits and standing orders.
Payments into your account are redirected
Any payments into your old account, such as your salary, will be redirected to your new account.
We guarantee to cover you
If anything does go wrong, we guarantee to sort it out for you and cover any losses you might incur. This is covered in the Current Account Switch Guarantee.
Why switch to smile?
Benefits of switching to smile include:
- accessible, digital banking services
- we are an ethical choice - we source 100% of our electricity from renewable sources, support the Centrepoint Helpline and campaign with Refuge to raise awareness of economic abuse.
How it works
The Current Account Switch Service makes switching simple and easy. Your incoming and outgoing payments will be transferred automatically, and if you do a full switch, you’ll be covered by the Current Account Switch Guarantee; as displayed in the switching guide.
The service is free to use and you can choose and agree your switch date with us. Once the switch has started, it takes just 7 business days to complete.
What happens
Day 1 to 2: The Switch Service will check if the switch can go ahead.
Day 3 to 5: We'll open your new account and we'll move all your regular payments to your new account.
Day 6 to 7: We'll transfer your bank account balance, your old account will be closed and we'll let you know that the switch is complete.
How does the switch work?
Watch the Current Account Switch Guarantee's video to find out about the simple steps to switching.
Find out more on the Current Account Switch Service website.
Difference between a full switch and a partial switch
If you want to keep your old account open and you’re happy to manage your payments yourself, you can make use of a partial switch.
You need to complete a full switch to benefit from our switching offers.
When you do a full switch:
- your old account will be closed
- any remaining balance will be transferred to your new account
- all your regular outgoing and incoming payments will be transferred to your new account
- any one-off payments you receive into your old account will be redirected to your new account with us
- you will be covered if there are any problems, including if there are any fees or charges
- you can select a switch date, and the switch takes 7 business days once it’s started.
When you do a partial switch:
- your old account will remain open
- any remaining balance won’t be transferred to your new account
- you can choose to transfer all or some of your regular payments to your new account
- any one-off payments you receive into your old account will not be redirected
- you will not be covered if there are any problems, including if there are any fees or charges
- you can select a switch date, once chosen this will take 7 business days to complete.
Switching a joint account
You can switch a joint account as long as both people agree to do so.
You cannot switch from a joint account to a sole account. If you do this, your switch may fail and you will need to phone us to complete your switch.
Switching if you’re overdrawn
You can begin a switch even if you're overdrawn, but overdrawn balances are not transferred as part of a switch. This means you must pay back the overdrawn balance and any fees or charges on your old account before you can complete the switch.
You can pay back overdrawn balances on your old account using an overdraft with us if you’ve applied and been approved. Approval is subject to eligibility and based on a credit check and assessment of your personal circumstances.
Open Banking
Your Open Banking services and permissions will not transfer with your switch. If you have any set up on your old account which you’d like to continue using:
- before you switch, check which third party providers (TPPs) you have active permissions set up with on your old account
- after you’ve switched, contact the TPPs you had active permissions set up with to give them your new account details
- we may not support your TPP as we only work with TPPs that have been certified by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Open Banking services involve allowing TPPs to make payments on your behalf and to access your financial data. Examples of TPPs include financial comparison websites, money management apps and payment services.
Want to make the switch?
You need to have an open smile account before you can complete our online switch form.
What you'll need
Your smile sort code and account number
Your old sort code and account number for the account you’re switching from
Your old debit card details for the account you’re switching from
Make sure you give us all of these details or the switch may fail.
Some banks may reject a switch if you have linked products like savings pots, subscriptions, loans or business accounts. For more information, check with your current bank.
To continue, confirm that you:
- have an open smile account and have received your sort code and account number
- have kept open the bank account that you are switching from
- have not already requested a switch to smile that’s still in progress.
Make sure you enter your debit card details on your switch form or we'll need to contact you, which may cause a delay in your account opening.
Please read the relevant switching guide below and save copies for future reference.
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
Your eligible deposits held by a UK establishment of The Co-operative Bank p.l.c. are protected up to a total of £120,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK's deposit guarantee scheme. This limit is applied to the total of any deposits you have with the following: The Co-operative Bank and smile. Any total deposits you hold above the limit between these brands are unlikely to be covered.
Please click here for further information or visit www.fscs.org.uk