How to Switch Bank Accounts in 2026: UK, EU and US

To switch bank accounts, open the new account first, list everything that pays into or out of the old one, then use your country's official switching process if it has one, and move whatever it does not cover yourself, above all card subscriptions and payroll details. How much is automatic depends on where you live. In the UK, the Current Account Switch Service moves your balance and payments in seven working days, closes the old account and redirects stray payments for at least three years. In the EU, banks must follow fixed deadlines for moving standing orders and direct debits. In the United States there is no national switching service, so you redirect pay and bills yourself.

This guide sets out each system with the rules from the official sources, works through a real calendar for a UK and an EU switch, and lists the payments that most often get left behind.

How Switching Works Where You Live

	United Kingdom	European Union	United States
Official service	Current Account Switch Service (run by Pay.UK)	Switching service required of banks by the Payment Accounts Directive (2014/92/EU), Article 10	No national switching service
What moves automatically	Balance, direct debits, standing orders; incoming and outgoing payments redirected	Standing orders and direct debits set up at the new bank, on deadlines in the directive	Nothing automatically; some banks offer tools to move direct deposit
Time	Seven working days; you choose the switch date (not a weekend or bank holiday)	Up to 2 + 5 + 5 business days for the steps, with payments starting at least 6 business days after the new bank receives the information	Depends on how fast you update employers and billers
Old account	Closed by the old bank as part of the switch	Closed if you authorise it	You close it yourself
Safety net	Payments redirected for "a minimum of three years or longer, if needed"; the Guarantee covers charges or interest if something goes wrong	Deadlines set in law	Keep the old account open until the last payment has moved

Sources, read 16 October 2026: Current Account Switch Service common questions, Pay.UK's service page, and Article 10 of the Payment Accounts Directive as published on legislation.gov.uk. Pay.UK says the service is offered by over 50 banks and building societies.

One UK detail catches people out: if you keep your old account open, the Current Account Switch Service does not apply and you are not covered by its Guarantee. Keeping the old account as a fallback is still possible, but it means moving payments yourself.

A UK Switch on a Real Calendar

Say you open your new account on Monday 2 November 2026 and want the earliest switch date. The switch date must be at least seven working days after the account is opened, and cannot fall on a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday.

Working day	Date
1	Tuesday 3 November
2	Wednesday 4 November
3	Thursday 5 November
4	Friday 6 November
5	Monday 9 November
6	Tuesday 10 November
7	Wednesday 11 November: earliest switch date

From the switch date, payments sent to your old details are redirected to the new account for at least three years, and the sender is told your new details. Arrange any overdraft with the new bank before the switch, because the service will not carry one over; if you cannot agree one, you must repay the old overdraft first.

An EU Switch, Step by Step

Article 10 of the Payment Accounts Directive sets the sequence once you authorise the switch with your new bank (call that day D):

Within 2 business days of D, the new bank asks the old bank to carry out the steps you authorised.
Within 5 business days of that request, the old bank sends the list of standing orders and information on recurring direct debits and incoming transfers.
Within 5 business days of receiving that information, the new bank sets up the standing orders and prepares to accept the direct debits.
Payments start on a date you set in the authorisation, at least 6 business days after the new bank receives the documents from the old bank.

Worked through at the maximum allowed time: 2 + 5 = business day 7 for the old bank's information to arrive, the new bank has until business day 12 to set things up, and the earliest start date is business day 7 + 6 = 13. In calendar terms, plan for around three weeks from authorisation to the first payment running from the new account, and do not schedule a large bill in that window from either account.

What an Automatic Switch Leaves Behind

Even the best switching service moves account-based payments only. These need doing by hand:

Recurring card payments. Streaming services, gyms and app subscriptions are tied to your card number, not your account, so update each one with the new card.
Payroll and pensions. Give your employer and any pension or benefits payer the new details, even if redirection would catch the payment, so you are not relying on it.
Tax authorities. Refunds and direct debits to a tax office should be updated directly.
Identity and security uses. Any service that uses your bank account to verify your identity or as a login factor.
Foreign-currency and international payments. Incoming transfers from abroad may not be covered by a domestic switching service; send the new details to anyone who pays you from another country.

In the United States, where nothing is automatic, work through the same list plus every bill set up as an automatic payment from the account.

Before You Switch: Three Checks

Deposit protection. Check whether the new provider is a licensed bank or an e-money or payment firm, and which scheme covers it; our neobank safety guide and five-minute bank safety check show how.
Fees. Compare monthly fees, foreign-transaction charges and cash withdrawal costs; our hidden bank fees guide lists where they hide.
Fit. If you are moving to an app-based bank, compare options in our best neobanks of 2026, best US neobanks, or reviews such as Monzo and Chime. If your reason is international spending, add a multi-currency account rather than expecting a current account to do that job.

Open banking is part of what makes modern switching smoother, letting a new app read your old account with your permission; open banking explained covers how that works.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to switch banks?

In the UK, seven working days through the Current Account Switch Service. In the EU, the directive's deadlines add up to around 13 business days at the maximum before payments start from the new account. In the US it depends on how quickly you update employers and billers.

Do I need to close my old account?

In a UK Current Account Switch Service switch, the old bank closes it for you; if you keep it open, the service and its Guarantee do not apply. Elsewhere, close it only after the last recurring payment has moved.

What happens to payments sent to my old account?

Under the UK service, they are redirected to your new account for at least three years, and the sender is told your new details.

Do card subscriptions move when I switch?

No. They are tied to your card number, so you must update each one with your new card details.

Does switching banks affect my overdraft?

In the UK, the switch does not carry an overdraft over. You need to arrange one with the new bank, or repay the existing overdraft before switching.

This is general information, not financial advice. Deposit protection differs between your old and new bank — confirm the scheme and limit that applies before you move significant funds.