The current account where you come 1st

Switch to our 1st Account and bank £175*

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Open an account in minutes
£175 welcome bonus*
Enjoy a £250 interest-free overdraft (subject to status)**
Get access to our 7.00% AER/gross Regular Saver account
No first direct debit card fees when spending abroad***

*Within 45 days of your account opening you need to: switch to us using the Current Account Switch Service (including at least 2 Direct Debits or standing orders), deposit £1,000, make 5+ debit card payments, and log on to digital banking. New customers only, who haven’t previously held a first direct product. Sorry, we also can’t offer this to people who have opened an HSBC current account on or after 1 January 2018. Offer can be withdrawn at any time. Subject to status. UK residents only.

Overdraft representative example

How does our overdraft compare? The representative APR shows the cost of borrowing over a year, so you can use it to compare the cost of our overdraft against other overdrafts and ways of borrowing.

0% EAR variable on the first £250, 39.9% EAR variable thereafter, giving a representative rate of 30.5% APR variable (assumed arranged overdraft £1,200).

**For customers with an offset mortgage linked to a 1st Account, the interest-free limit will not apply.

Regular Saver information

Put away between £25 and £300 for a fixed 12 month term. If you save £300 every month for 12 months and qualify for the 7.00% AER/gross p.a. interest rate, you'll earn approximately £136.50 interest (gross). Interest is calculated daily and paid 12 months after you opened the account.

AER stands for Annual Equivalent Rate. This shows you what the rate would be if interest were paid and compounded each year. Gross is the rate of interest if interest were paid and not compounded each year. No partial withdrawals allowed. Early closure will result in interest being paid at the standard account variable rate.

Account terms and conditions

*Switch to us in only 7 working days

Within 45 days of your account opening you need to: switch to us using the Current Account Switch Service (including at least 2 Direct Debits or standing orders), deposit £1,000, make 5+ debit card payments, and log on to digital banking. Your card transactions can be made in-store or online, and could be from your digital wallet or using your actual card.

Step 1: Open an account

Switching your everyday banking to your new first direct account is easy. Once your first direct account is open, simply log into your first direct app, select the account you wish to transfer into, tap ‘switch to us’ from your account menu and follow the instructions. We will ask you for your account details, existing account details and preferred switching date.

Step 2: We'll let your old bank know

Once we’ve received your switch request and your current account is open, we’ll let your old bank know you're moving.

Step 3: Switching Days 2 to 6

We set up all your regular payments on your new first direct 1st Account. We tell all your Direct Debit originators you've moved banks and give them your new details, including your employer so your salary can be redirected. There's nothing at all for you to do, no calls or anything.

Step 4: Switching Day 7

This offer is limited to one payment per customer or joint account. You’ll get the money by the 20th of the following month in which all criteria has been met. New customers only, who haven’t previously held a first direct product. Sorry, we also can’t offer this to people who have opened an HSBC current account on or after 1 January 2018. Offer can be withdrawn at any time.

Subject to status. UK residents only.

Full offer terms and conditions (PDF)

**How our overdraft works

An overdraft can be used to borrow money on your current account and can help in months where there are unplanned events. Overdrafts are not suitable for long term borrowing and will typically result in you being charged interest.

An arranged overdraft is where we agree an overdraft limit with you. We share information about how you use your account with credit reference agencies.

An unarranged overdraft is when you authorise a payment that would take your account overdrawn or beyond your arranged limit without agreeing in advance an overdraft to cover it. We’ll always consider an unarranged request and will make the payment if we can, subject to status. An unarranged overdraft may result in declined transactions. If you are in your unarranged overdraft for greater than 30 days this could have an impact on your credit file.

The monthly cap on unarranged overdraft charges for the 1st Account is £20. Further details can be found online at our overdrafts homepage.

Use our Eligibility Checker and Cost Calculator to find out more about our overdraft service before applying for or changing an arranged overdraft.

You have 14 days to cancel an overdraft agreement beginning on the day we provide the overdraft or on the day you have received our letter, whichever is later.

You can also ask us to reduce or remove your arranged overdraft limit at any time by calling us on 03 456 100 100. You’ll have to repay any overdrawn amount plus any interest for the period you’ve had it.

**For customers with an offset mortgage linked to a 1st Account, the interest-free limit will not apply.

***No first direct debit card fees when spending abroad

It gets even better than no first direct debit card fees when spending abroad. There's also no first direct fees for withdrawing cash from a cash machine outside the UK, or when making a debit card payment in a foreign currency in the UK.

Of course, even though you'll pay no first direct fees, you may still be charged for fees that are outside of our control. For example, some cash machine operators may apply a direct charge for withdrawals from their cash machines (this should be advised on screen at the time of withdrawal).

Who can apply?

Probably you! If you're over 18, a UK resident, haven't been declared bankrupt or registered for an Individual Voluntary Agreement in the last six years (or be in the process of doing so), and have a phone number and email address we can contact you with, we'd love to welcome you.

Go to our service quality page to find out how you can open an account and what information and documents you need to give us.

After a joint account? Take a look here.

Apply now for your 1st account

To find out more about how we use your personal information, please view our Privacy Policy.

What to do next

Download the first direct mobile App below to complete your application.

Apply now

Alternatively, take a look at our Joint Accounts here.

Useful information

You may wish to save some of these documents for future reference.

Account Terms and Conditions and Charges (PDF)

Privacy Notice (PDF)

1st Account Fee Information Document (PDF)

Glossary of terms (PDF)

Information sheet and exclusion list (PDF)

Important notes

If you're not happy with your account, you have a 14 day period after you receive your welcome pack to close your account. Please see the Account Terms and Conditions and Charges for full details.

first direct is a division of HSBC UK Bank plc and HSBC has accounts more suitable for customers living outside of the UK. For more information please call HSBC on +44 1226 261 010 or visit hsbc.co.uk.

For more information about accounts and other products you can refer to the Money Advice Service™ website Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first].

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Your eligible deposits with HSBC UK Bank plc are protected up to a total of £85,000 or up to £170,000 for joint accounts, 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: HSBC UK Bank plc and first direct. Any total deposits you hold above the limit between these brands are unlikely to be covered.