Moving a salary account can feel like moving a small household system: money arrives, bills leave and several services depend on the details. A switching service can coordinate much of that work, but opening the new account and completing the switch are still separate stages.
This guide concerns the UK’s Current Account Switch Service. It is not a universal timetable for moving a bank account in another country. Start by checking that both institutions participate and that the new account suits your actual banking needs.
Agree the move before changing the routine
The service’s switching guide says to open the new account and agree a completion date allowing seven working days. The date cannot fall on a weekend or bank holiday. The new bank handles the agreed switch, including moving the balance and regular payments.
Any overdraft needed at the new bank must be agreed separately, subject to eligibility. Do not interpret a switching request as approval to carry over the same borrowing limit. Clarify the arrangement before committing to a date.
A useful personal checklist has three columns: what the service handles, what you must arrange, and who will confirm completion. This is easier to act on than a single reminder saying “change bank”. Keep the agreed date and the new bank’s contact details beside it.
Check the edges of the service
The official questions and answers explain that savings accounts and ISAs are outside this service. The old current account closes as part of the switch. If you want to keep it open, discuss a different arrangement and its protections with the bank.
New payment instructions created at the old bank during the seven-working-day switch period are not automatically picked up. Set those up on the new account. Separately review third-party access, such as a money-management app: permissions need attention rather than being assumed to move with the balance.
After completion, compare the expected regular payments with the new account’s record. If an instruction is missing or another switching problem appears, contact the new bank with the relevant details. A dated checklist helps explain the discrepancy without repeatedly rearranging payments yourself and creating another source of confusion.