Tell me moreCurrent account options
- Select Account
- Select Silver Account
- Royalties Gold
- Black Account
- Student current account
- Graduate current account
- Bank accounts for young people
- Bank accounts for international students
- Other accounts
- Compare our range
Existing customers
Help and guides
Rates and charges
Useful information
Basic Account
Our most basic bank account
- No cheque book or overdraft
- Cash withdrawals - withdraw up to £300 a day from any RBS, NatWest or Ulster Bank cash machine in the UK (cash machines in many supermarkets are RBS or NatWest branded), or at any UK Post Office counter. Use our cash machine locator tool to find the nearest one to you.
- Bill payment facilities – set up Direct Debit and standing order payments
- Choose how to manage your money - online, in branch, by phone or by mobile - we have mobile banking apps for iPhone, iPad & Blackberry
Before you apply for this account please ensure you have read the product information and fully understand the rates and charges associated with this account.
- Cash withdrawals - withdraw up to £300 a day from any NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank cash machine in the UK (Remember, cash machines in many supermarkets including Tesco and Morrisons are NatWest & RBS branded), or at any UK Post Office counter.
- Visa debit card – make payments worldwide with added online security protection.
- Withdraw money overseas – use your Visa debit card at any overseas cash machine that shows the Visa logo – subject to fees and charges.
- Standing orders and Direct Debits – make it easier for you to pay your bills.
- Monthly statements – check them online or receive a paper copy.
If you would like a free bank account with unrestricted UK cash withdrawals, the Select Account may be more suitable.
- Digital banking
Our digital banking service helps you:
- Stay in control - digital banking makes looking after your money even easier.
- Bank when it suits you - day and night. Digital banking may be unavailable for short periods in the early hours of the morning.
- Transfer money - make instant transfers to any RBS account - and transfer money to any other UK bank account.
- Pay bills - you need to keep enough money in your account to cover any standing orders or Direct Debits or there may be charges.
- Manage your account - check balances and statements, searching through up to seven years of transactions.
- Stay safe - with free security software, card readers and secure servers, we're working hard to beat the fraudsters RBS digital banking.
- Telephone banking
Our UK based telephone banking call centres are always open - so you can talk to us whenever you like, day or night. You only pay for the cost of the call.
- 24 hour service - use it whenever you need
- Use our automated service - or talk directly to a customer service officer.
- Get real-time balances - and up-to-the-minute statements.
- Make instant transfers - pay bills, make payments and manage standing orders.
- Branch banking
With over 650 branches, we make it easy to stay close to your finances. You can pay in cash and cheques and make withdrawals at any RBS branch.
- Mobile phone banking
Our free mobile phone banking service keeps you up to date with your finances when you're out and about.
- Balance updates - we'll send your account balance to your mobile phone once a week.
- Limit alerts - we'll let you know when your account hits upper or lower limits set by you.
- Quick statements - we'll send you a free text with an up-to-the-minute account balance and mini statement (available on most modern phones).
Network charges may apply.
- Withdraw money overseas – use your Visa debit card at any overseas cash machine that shows the Visa logo – subject to fees and charges.
- Monthly statements – check them online or receive a paper copy.
- Mobile phone top-ups – at RBS cash machines.
- Pay bills – set up standing orders and Direct Debits.
Switching to RBS is easy and free of charge. Our dedicated switching team will make the majority of arrangements for you and will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. With our switching guarantee you can be assured your transfer is in the best hands.
Common definitions
Throughout this page, you'll see various terms being used. Here's what they mean:
- Annual Equivalent Rate (AER) - this is a notional rate used for interest bearing accounts which illustrates what the gross credit interest rate (excluding any bonus interest payable) would be if paid and compounded on an annual basis. It helps you to compare the effective rates of credit interest on different accounts.
- Effective Annual Rate of Interest (EAR) - this is the real annual cost of an overdraft, stated as an annual rate, which takes into account how often interest is charged to the account. All other charges, such as arrangement fees, must be shown separately from the EAR.
- Gross Rate - this means the interest rate you are paid before the deduction of income tax.
- Net Rate - this means the interest rate you are paid after the deduction of income tax.
- Nominal Rate - the rate charged excluding compounding of interest and other charges associated with a borrowing, e.g. arrangement and security fees.
- p.a. - per annum (per year).
Interest Rates
Interest we pay you
The annual rates of interest paid on credit balances are as follows:
The following rates are effective from 04/07/11
| Gross Rate % | AER % | Net rate % |
|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Charges – Returned Items
Act Now Alerts
Our Act Now Alerts can help you stay in control and minimise or even avoid fees for returned items. They specify the time by which you should credit your account with cleared funds to cover all payments and/or to bring your account back into credit. Find out more about Act Now Alerts.
If we are going to charge you a Returned Item Fee, we will give you not less than 14 days’ notice of how much we are going to charge you and when.
Returned Item Fee
A Returned Item Fee will be charged if:
- You informally request an unarranged overdraft by issuing instructions for a withdrawal or other payment; and.
- The payment cannot be met from the funds in your account.
- We decide in our discretion not to make the payment.
When charged
16 days after the end of the charging period in which we decide not to make the payment (or the next business day if this is a Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holiday). The charging period normally ends on the date that we issue your statement to you.
Fee amount
£6 for each returned item (subject to a maximum of £60 in any charging period).
For examples showing how our charges work, please see our leaflet:
Important Information
New customers will be asked to provide proof of identity, verification of address and signature.
System updates will mean that our Internet and telephone banking services are unavailable for short periods in the early hours of the morning.
Credit facilities
over 18s only.
The Royal Bank of Scotland plc.
Registered Office: 36 St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2YB
Registered in Scotland No. 90312.
- Download a copy of Current Accounts - Helping you get more from everyday banking (PDF)
- RBS Personal & Private Current Account Terms; Personal & Private Current Account Fees & Interest Rates; Helping you get the most from your Personal & Private RBS Current Account (PDF)
Please also read our website terms and conditions which cover your use of this website.
- Please also read our website terms and conditions which cover your use of this website
Want more from your current account?
Apply for Select Silver Account for just £8 a month and get access to:
- 5 Star Defaqto rated European Travel Insurance (Members and their partners aged 70 years and over must pay an additional annual premium of £50).
- Mobile phone insurance – including iPhone.
- Five music downloads every month from hmvdigital.
- Three DVD rentals every month from LOVEFiLM.
